well ask whether any of her admirers are in love with my cousin." Elizabeth laughed. "Amelia is always in love with this gentleman or that one. It seems to change from one day to the next."
That seemed to give Jane pause. "Do you suppose any one of them is in love with her?"
Elizabeth shrugged. She did not much care to discuss the subject. Jane's question made her think, very unwillingly, about how much attention Nicholas paid to Amelia.
"She will likely marry soon, I expect," Jane continued. "But with so many admirers, how is she to choose?"
"Well…" Elizabeth pursed her lips, not noticing how closely Jane was watching her. "At the present, I should say there are two or three gentlemen to whom she pays particular attention."
"Yes?"
"Nicholas Villines and Mr. Rutherford are two." She provided the names, though she was somewhat puzzled by Jane's curiosity.
"And the third?"
"The third is Mr. Beaufort Latchley."
"Oh. Does she show a preference between them?"
"I cannot say, Jane. But Nicholas is the finest of them, and I suppose Amelia will marry him." What it cost her to say that was incalculable, and she steeled herself against the pain it caused. She must get used to the idea. It would be no great surprise if they did marry; they made a handsome couple.
"Do you not think Mr. Latchley is a fine man?" Jane arched her nearly white eyebrows.
"Mr. Latchley takes himself, and life, far too seriously to suit me."
"It seems to me that Mr. Villines is dreadfully serious."
"Oh, but Jane, if you knew him, you would not say so. He isn't serious all the time. Nicholas is the kindest, most thoughtful man I know."
"Perhaps if you knew Mr. Latchley better, you would find he has admirable qualities that would improve your opinion of him."
"No doubt I would, but I have no desire to know him better."
"If he is to be your relative, perhaps you had better," said Jane.
"Amelia will surely marry Nicholas. I think both families want it."
"Perhaps she will."
Elizabeth returned her attention to the pile of clothing in front of her. Jane seemed unaccountably relieved, she thought, and after a moment she smiled. Perhaps she shouldn't have spoken so harshly of Mr. Latchley.
"If you were in love," Jane asked, breaking their silence at last, "what kind of man do you think he would be?"
Elizabeth considered the question. "Naturally, he must be handsome," she said. "And I like dark eyes extremely."
"I agree that brown eyes are very fine."
"And if he is not fantastically rich, then, there is no hope for it. I should have to break his heart and turn him down."
"Should he not be a poet as well?" Jane laughed.
"Of course. But if he is not, then he must be something equally dashing."
"A sailor, perhaps?"
The image that came to mind was of a tall, mysterious man who could disappear into shadows without a trace. "A pirate captain." she said at last. She could hardly tell Jane she thought the Mayfair Thief was her idea of a dashing gentleman.
"A pirate!"
"Yes. Then we could sail away and leave the world behind. I think," she continued, "that if I am ever to be in love, he must have a sense of humor. Otherwise we should be very unhappily married, for he would not be able to appreciate me, with all my faults. If I am to tolerate his faults, he must tolerate mine."
"Elizabeth!" Jane exclaimed. "I can only say what a good thing it is that you're so quiet when you are out. I'm sure the many gentlemen who do admire you would be shocked to hear you speaking so."
"Well, I don't know why," she protested.
"Don't you agree that most gentlemen want a wife who has no faults?"
"If that is the case, Jane, I don't see how anyone ever manages to marry, and those who do must soon find themselves very unhappy."
"Haven't you two finished yet?"
Elizabeth jumped at the unexpected appearance of Mrs. Smithwayne. "Oh, my, is it late?" she asked when she saw the scowl on her face. "Do you happen to know what the time is, Mrs. Smithwayne?"
Jane looked at
That seemed to give Jane pause. "Do you suppose any one of them is in love with her?"
Elizabeth shrugged. She did not much care to discuss the subject. Jane's question made her think, very unwillingly, about how much attention Nicholas paid to Amelia.
"She will likely marry soon, I expect," Jane continued. "But with so many admirers, how is she to choose?"
"Well…" Elizabeth pursed her lips, not noticing how closely Jane was watching her. "At the present, I should say there are two or three gentlemen to whom she pays particular attention."
"Yes?"
"Nicholas Villines and Mr. Rutherford are two." She provided the names, though she was somewhat puzzled by Jane's curiosity.
"And the third?"
"The third is Mr. Beaufort Latchley."
"Oh. Does she show a preference between them?"
"I cannot say, Jane. But Nicholas is the finest of them, and I suppose Amelia will marry him." What it cost her to say that was incalculable, and she steeled herself against the pain it caused. She must get used to the idea. It would be no great surprise if they did marry; they made a handsome couple.
"Do you not think Mr. Latchley is a fine man?" Jane arched her nearly white eyebrows.
"Mr. Latchley takes himself, and life, far too seriously to suit me."
"It seems to me that Mr. Villines is dreadfully serious."
"Oh, but Jane, if you knew him, you would not say so. He isn't serious all the time. Nicholas is the kindest, most thoughtful man I know."
"Perhaps if you knew Mr. Latchley better, you would find he has admirable qualities that would improve your opinion of him."
"No doubt I would, but I have no desire to know him better."
"If he is to be your relative, perhaps you had better," said Jane.
"Amelia will surely marry Nicholas. I think both families want it."
"Perhaps she will."
Elizabeth returned her attention to the pile of clothing in front of her. Jane seemed unaccountably relieved, she thought, and after a moment she smiled. Perhaps she shouldn't have spoken so harshly of Mr. Latchley.
"If you were in love," Jane asked, breaking their silence at last, "what kind of man do you think he would be?"
Elizabeth considered the question. "Naturally, he must be handsome," she said. "And I like dark eyes extremely."
"I agree that brown eyes are very fine."
"And if he is not fantastically rich, then, there is no hope for it. I should have to break his heart and turn him down."
"Should he not be a poet as well?" Jane laughed.
"Of course. But if he is not, then he must be something equally dashing."
"A sailor, perhaps?"
The image that came to mind was of a tall, mysterious man who could disappear into shadows without a trace. "A pirate captain." she said at last. She could hardly tell Jane she thought the Mayfair Thief was her idea of a dashing gentleman.
"A pirate!"
"Yes. Then we could sail away and leave the world behind. I think," she continued, "that if I am ever to be in love, he must have a sense of humor. Otherwise we should be very unhappily married, for he would not be able to appreciate me, with all my faults. If I am to tolerate his faults, he must tolerate mine."
"Elizabeth!" Jane exclaimed. "I can only say what a good thing it is that you're so quiet when you are out. I'm sure the many gentlemen who do admire you would be shocked to hear you speaking so."
"Well, I don't know why," she protested.
"Don't you agree that most gentlemen want a wife who has no faults?"
"If that is the case, Jane, I don't see how anyone ever manages to marry, and those who do must soon find themselves very unhappy."
"Haven't you two finished yet?"
Elizabeth jumped at the unexpected appearance of Mrs. Smithwayne. "Oh, my, is it late?" she asked when she saw the scowl on her face. "Do you happen to know what the time is, Mrs. Smithwayne?"
Jane looked at
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