suggested she do it. Now it appears she was more interested in burying you." She bent down to lift up a basket of cuttings, pausing to take a frowning look at his muddy clothing. "I suppose I cannot blame her for refusing you, if that is your choice of attire when calling."
He looked up at the lady, frustration washing over him as he catalogued the things he now must do before finishing his business with Sophia. Not only would he have to go back to his room to bathe and change, but he would have to purchase a new corset, a most humiliating affair, to be sure. By the time that was accomplished, Sophia would no doubt be bedded down for the night.
"Well, you need not glare like that at me," exclaimed the lady as she calmly folded the vine into her basket. "I am not the one who has barred the door to you."
It was not until Anthony had given up trying to clean off his pantaloons that her words sank in. But by that time, the woman had already begun wandering to the near gardens, and he was forced to catch up to her there. "Sophia has barred the door to me?"
Lady Agatha grasped one of her fluttering ribbons and tugged on it far enough to pull back the wide brim of her bonnet. "Did I not just say so?"
"Well, of course," muttered Anthony as he measured his pace to hers. "But that must have been two days ago. By now your niece has reevaluated the situation enough to—"
"To be seeking your visit?"
Anthony smiled. "Yes."
"No."
"But..."
Lady Agatha took a sharp turn to the right, and Anthony had to struggle over a rather strange purple hedge to remain by her side.
"She will not see you, Major. She will not even go out of the house in case she might chance to meet you. In fact, she has vowed to remain inside until her mother writes that you are safely ensconced in London, wooing some other girl."
It was fortunate that Lady Agatha chose that moment to suddenly stoop down over a broad-leafed weed, for Anthony stopped dead in his tracks to consider her words.
"Sophia is not nearly that stubborn," he said, as much to himself as to the girl's aunt.
"Oh, I assure you, Sophia is that stubborn and more. You shall have quite a time if you intend to continue wooing her."
Anthony did not answer. He was too busy considering his options. There were not many. "She has truly barred the door?"
"Most explicitly."
"Does she take walks?"
"Not anymore."
"She must ride."
"She sold her horse in London."
"Damnation! Then how am I to see her, short of dancing on the rooftops and dropping whole into her bedroom?"
"Oh, pray do not do that!" cried Lady Agatha. "You would undoubtedly crush the rare plants I have cultured by her window."
Anthony stared at the plump woman digging gingerly at some weed as if she was born to the task. Then, suddenly, she turned her head and he gazed into her pale green eyes. He had not realized they were so keen, but here with the sunlight falling full on her face, he felt the weight of a stare his commanding officer had never managed.
Instinctively, he stiffened his spine. "Madame?"
She stood slowly, bringing the muddy weed with her. "So you intend to continue wooing my niece."
It was not a question, but he answered it nonetheless. "Yes, my lady."
"Why?" she asked. "Certainly there are other girls available to you."
"Lady Sophia has already consented."
The woman snorted as she tossed the weed away. "Sophia is locked in her room for fear that she might see you. Is that how you wish to spend your married life? With a wife who bars the door to you?"
"Of course not! Sophia is not truly so intemperate."
"You know full well she is," the lady snapped. "I repeat my question: Why Sophia?"
He answered without thought, as if commanded by a superior officer. "Because she is perfect in every way."
Clearly that was not the correct answer; Lady Agatha shook her head, and her eyes narrowed as she inspected him from head to toe. "Sophia finds you domineering and inflexible. I cannot say that I disagree."
Shock jolted
He looked up at the lady, frustration washing over him as he catalogued the things he now must do before finishing his business with Sophia. Not only would he have to go back to his room to bathe and change, but he would have to purchase a new corset, a most humiliating affair, to be sure. By the time that was accomplished, Sophia would no doubt be bedded down for the night.
"Well, you need not glare like that at me," exclaimed the lady as she calmly folded the vine into her basket. "I am not the one who has barred the door to you."
It was not until Anthony had given up trying to clean off his pantaloons that her words sank in. But by that time, the woman had already begun wandering to the near gardens, and he was forced to catch up to her there. "Sophia has barred the door to me?"
Lady Agatha grasped one of her fluttering ribbons and tugged on it far enough to pull back the wide brim of her bonnet. "Did I not just say so?"
"Well, of course," muttered Anthony as he measured his pace to hers. "But that must have been two days ago. By now your niece has reevaluated the situation enough to—"
"To be seeking your visit?"
Anthony smiled. "Yes."
"No."
"But..."
Lady Agatha took a sharp turn to the right, and Anthony had to struggle over a rather strange purple hedge to remain by her side.
"She will not see you, Major. She will not even go out of the house in case she might chance to meet you. In fact, she has vowed to remain inside until her mother writes that you are safely ensconced in London, wooing some other girl."
It was fortunate that Lady Agatha chose that moment to suddenly stoop down over a broad-leafed weed, for Anthony stopped dead in his tracks to consider her words.
"Sophia is not nearly that stubborn," he said, as much to himself as to the girl's aunt.
"Oh, I assure you, Sophia is that stubborn and more. You shall have quite a time if you intend to continue wooing her."
Anthony did not answer. He was too busy considering his options. There were not many. "She has truly barred the door?"
"Most explicitly."
"Does she take walks?"
"Not anymore."
"She must ride."
"She sold her horse in London."
"Damnation! Then how am I to see her, short of dancing on the rooftops and dropping whole into her bedroom?"
"Oh, pray do not do that!" cried Lady Agatha. "You would undoubtedly crush the rare plants I have cultured by her window."
Anthony stared at the plump woman digging gingerly at some weed as if she was born to the task. Then, suddenly, she turned her head and he gazed into her pale green eyes. He had not realized they were so keen, but here with the sunlight falling full on her face, he felt the weight of a stare his commanding officer had never managed.
Instinctively, he stiffened his spine. "Madame?"
She stood slowly, bringing the muddy weed with her. "So you intend to continue wooing my niece."
It was not a question, but he answered it nonetheless. "Yes, my lady."
"Why?" she asked. "Certainly there are other girls available to you."
"Lady Sophia has already consented."
The woman snorted as she tossed the weed away. "Sophia is locked in her room for fear that she might see you. Is that how you wish to spend your married life? With a wife who bars the door to you?"
"Of course not! Sophia is not truly so intemperate."
"You know full well she is," the lady snapped. "I repeat my question: Why Sophia?"
He answered without thought, as if commanded by a superior officer. "Because she is perfect in every way."
Clearly that was not the correct answer; Lady Agatha shook her head, and her eyes narrowed as she inspected him from head to toe. "Sophia finds you domineering and inflexible. I cannot say that I disagree."
Shock jolted
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