said cheerfully. “Shall I go on?”
“Mr. Redmond—” Her eyes darted left then right, then fixed with a momentary flash of longing on the footman strolling through, bearing a tray of tiny glasses with splashes of sherry glittering in the bowls. He wondered whether the sherry or the fact that the footman was leaving the room appealed to her.
“Now, now, Miss Brightly. You did ask for clarification. As I am a man of science, I dislike cursory explanations. So let me be thorough. I imagine whatever scandal you left behind in London, if it’s the sort of the magnitude that ended an engagement, will follow you here to Sussex soon enough, for foul weather does have a way of traveling the land, and I don’t imagine Sussex will be spared it. You are, then, one step ahead of it at the moment. I suspect you wouldn’t be here at all if Sussex didn’t represent your last hope for a respectable marriage, as doubtless your reputation is growing, shall we say…rather threadbare.” He added with confiding relish, “Goodness knows you’ve certainly taxed it over the past season or so.”
And now her frown drifted into something like puzzlement. Her fine brows nearly met over the bridge of her nose. Those blue eyes scrutinized him like a jeweler bent over a suspect diamond with a loupe. Searching for provenance, character flaws, authenticity, motive.
Miles allowed her the silence; he allowed her the inspection.
He didn’t know how he’d expected her to respond, though he was thoroughly enjoying confounding her expectations.
He’d almost given up hope of her responding when she did.
“You’re opposed to ambition in a woman, Mr. Redmond?”
His head went back a little at the words. Stunned.
And then…peculiarly thrilled.
He’d never dreamed that right here, in the middle of his father’s grand Harvest Room, surrounded by cheerful guests, he would engage in the socially unthinkable:
A genuinely honest conversation with a woman.
He rewarded her with a nod, as though she were a pupil who’d passed an exam. “Oh, on the contrary,” he said softly, conspiratorially. “I applaud ambition, Miss Brightly. It’s all I’ve ever known. And marriage is in essence a business alliance, is it not? And the wisest among us approach it as such. We should all aspire to make the very best marriage our born assets and gifts will allow us to make. Wrapping it in the folderol of love and romance is a recipe for disaster. Or disillusionment. Quite unnecessary. Wouldn’t you agree? Something tells me that you do.”
A shadow of uncertainty passed over Miss Brightly’s brow, followed by a flicker of cautious optimism. He could see that she was wondering whether agreeing with him wholeheartedly might very well aid her pursuit of him.
He relieved her of suspense.
“It’s just that I’m on a bit of a hunt for a marriage myself, you see, and I thought it might be companionable for the two of us to compare notes while we’re about it. For instance, Lady Georgina is the most suitable partner for me, as she has a staggering fortune, a fine family, and a grand title, and an alliance with her would please my parents and permanently connect two great families. And as Redmond heir, I cannot possibly marry anyone other than a woman of the very finest family, fortune, and character without risking my position in my family and dishonoring my father’s wishes. Though certainly, as clever as you undoubtedly are, you already know that. Hence, we are free to compare notes upon our quest for matches this fortnight, as I’m quite out of the question for you.”
She understood. Her mouth had gone white at the corners from the strain of maintaining that smile; her breathing was shallower. Her blue eyes were dark with a very pure anger.
She turned her head away from him slowly.
A moment later she swallowed.
For a second or two, as laughter and chatter rustled around the two of them, they comprised a perfect island of stillness. He
“Mr. Redmond—” Her eyes darted left then right, then fixed with a momentary flash of longing on the footman strolling through, bearing a tray of tiny glasses with splashes of sherry glittering in the bowls. He wondered whether the sherry or the fact that the footman was leaving the room appealed to her.
“Now, now, Miss Brightly. You did ask for clarification. As I am a man of science, I dislike cursory explanations. So let me be thorough. I imagine whatever scandal you left behind in London, if it’s the sort of the magnitude that ended an engagement, will follow you here to Sussex soon enough, for foul weather does have a way of traveling the land, and I don’t imagine Sussex will be spared it. You are, then, one step ahead of it at the moment. I suspect you wouldn’t be here at all if Sussex didn’t represent your last hope for a respectable marriage, as doubtless your reputation is growing, shall we say…rather threadbare.” He added with confiding relish, “Goodness knows you’ve certainly taxed it over the past season or so.”
And now her frown drifted into something like puzzlement. Her fine brows nearly met over the bridge of her nose. Those blue eyes scrutinized him like a jeweler bent over a suspect diamond with a loupe. Searching for provenance, character flaws, authenticity, motive.
Miles allowed her the silence; he allowed her the inspection.
He didn’t know how he’d expected her to respond, though he was thoroughly enjoying confounding her expectations.
He’d almost given up hope of her responding when she did.
“You’re opposed to ambition in a woman, Mr. Redmond?”
His head went back a little at the words. Stunned.
And then…peculiarly thrilled.
He’d never dreamed that right here, in the middle of his father’s grand Harvest Room, surrounded by cheerful guests, he would engage in the socially unthinkable:
A genuinely honest conversation with a woman.
He rewarded her with a nod, as though she were a pupil who’d passed an exam. “Oh, on the contrary,” he said softly, conspiratorially. “I applaud ambition, Miss Brightly. It’s all I’ve ever known. And marriage is in essence a business alliance, is it not? And the wisest among us approach it as such. We should all aspire to make the very best marriage our born assets and gifts will allow us to make. Wrapping it in the folderol of love and romance is a recipe for disaster. Or disillusionment. Quite unnecessary. Wouldn’t you agree? Something tells me that you do.”
A shadow of uncertainty passed over Miss Brightly’s brow, followed by a flicker of cautious optimism. He could see that she was wondering whether agreeing with him wholeheartedly might very well aid her pursuit of him.
He relieved her of suspense.
“It’s just that I’m on a bit of a hunt for a marriage myself, you see, and I thought it might be companionable for the two of us to compare notes while we’re about it. For instance, Lady Georgina is the most suitable partner for me, as she has a staggering fortune, a fine family, and a grand title, and an alliance with her would please my parents and permanently connect two great families. And as Redmond heir, I cannot possibly marry anyone other than a woman of the very finest family, fortune, and character without risking my position in my family and dishonoring my father’s wishes. Though certainly, as clever as you undoubtedly are, you already know that. Hence, we are free to compare notes upon our quest for matches this fortnight, as I’m quite out of the question for you.”
She understood. Her mouth had gone white at the corners from the strain of maintaining that smile; her breathing was shallower. Her blue eyes were dark with a very pure anger.
She turned her head away from him slowly.
A moment later she swallowed.
For a second or two, as laughter and chatter rustled around the two of them, they comprised a perfect island of stillness. He
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