children, I suppose.”
It would take a bit of time, Isabella supposed, for him to begin thinking of his sisters as young ladies. Perhaps she could do him some good while she while she was here, in addition to doing the dowager’s bidding.
“I understand, Your Grace,” she said, smiling at him. “I have a younger sister, too.”
* * *
Trevor found himself reluctant to ruin their unusual amity by broaching the topic of the bargain, but he knew that he would be doing Lady Isabella a great disservice were he to let her continue on with the idea that they were now at some kind of peace. Far from it.
“There is one further item I wish to discuss with you, my lady,” he said just as she was rising from her chair. “It will take but a moment.” Feeling like the veriest clod, he took out the sheet of foolscap on which he’d jotted down his list of items for her to accomplish before he’d agree to come to London.
Looking surprised, Lady Isabella nonetheless remained seated and inclined her head to indicate that she was listening.
Trevor cleared his throat. “I realize that you came here not at your own whim,” he said, “but because my grandmother has for whatever reason chosen you to be her emissary.”
“Yes.” Her dark hair shone in the light from the windows, and Trevor found himself wondering what it would look like when loosed from its elegant chignon.
Realizing the direction of his thoughts, he mentally shook himself and returned to the subject at hand. “Lady Wharton,” he said firmly, “I have decided that I will go with you to London.”
Her eyes widened, and to his discomfort she smiled. It was the first real show of genuine warmth he’d seen from her since her arrival last evening. “Your Grace,” she said with relief, “that is wonderful news!”
He felt like a churl to crush her enthusiasm. But crush it he must.
“I will not go without a concession on your part,” he said firmly.
She frowned. “I don’t understand.”
He gave in to the impulse to run a hand through his hair. “You must allow me to show you just what it is we do here at Nettlefield House. It is not an insignificant amount of work to run an estate such as this. And if my grandmother cannot bestir herself to come here and demand my presence in London herself, the least I can do is impress upon her emissary its importance in my life.”
A flash of annoyance crossed her eyes but was quickly masked with an expression of patience. “Your Grace, I have no doubt that your feelings for this place run deep, but I am hardly the best person to convey that emotion to the Dowager Duchess of Ormonde. I have spent very little time in the country myself, and have no notion what it takes to run an estate of this size. The only opinion I could possibly convey on the subject to your grandmother is that you appear to be attached to the place. And you can do that yourself in a letter if you wish.”
Trevor crossed his arms over his chest and surveyed her from head to toe. She certainly was not the picture of a country lady. But he had little doubt that she could convince the dowager to leave him in peace if she set her mind to it. Since he could not convince his grandmother himself, he would see to it that Lady Isabella did. The more he considered the matter, the more he was certain he was choosing the right course.
“But why bother with a letter when I can have my very own personal champion?” he asked with a tilt of his head. “Once you have seen the farm in all its glory, I am certain you will agree to plead my case to the dowager. Namely that the running of this estate is far more important than swanning about town in fancy clothes to attend foolish entertainments.”
She was vexed. It was obvious from the way her bosom rose and fell with her frustrated breathing. Then, she seemed to come to some decision within herself. “Is that what you think this is about, Your Grace? The dowager wishing for you to buy a new
It would take a bit of time, Isabella supposed, for him to begin thinking of his sisters as young ladies. Perhaps she could do him some good while she while she was here, in addition to doing the dowager’s bidding.
“I understand, Your Grace,” she said, smiling at him. “I have a younger sister, too.”
* * *
Trevor found himself reluctant to ruin their unusual amity by broaching the topic of the bargain, but he knew that he would be doing Lady Isabella a great disservice were he to let her continue on with the idea that they were now at some kind of peace. Far from it.
“There is one further item I wish to discuss with you, my lady,” he said just as she was rising from her chair. “It will take but a moment.” Feeling like the veriest clod, he took out the sheet of foolscap on which he’d jotted down his list of items for her to accomplish before he’d agree to come to London.
Looking surprised, Lady Isabella nonetheless remained seated and inclined her head to indicate that she was listening.
Trevor cleared his throat. “I realize that you came here not at your own whim,” he said, “but because my grandmother has for whatever reason chosen you to be her emissary.”
“Yes.” Her dark hair shone in the light from the windows, and Trevor found himself wondering what it would look like when loosed from its elegant chignon.
Realizing the direction of his thoughts, he mentally shook himself and returned to the subject at hand. “Lady Wharton,” he said firmly, “I have decided that I will go with you to London.”
Her eyes widened, and to his discomfort she smiled. It was the first real show of genuine warmth he’d seen from her since her arrival last evening. “Your Grace,” she said with relief, “that is wonderful news!”
He felt like a churl to crush her enthusiasm. But crush it he must.
“I will not go without a concession on your part,” he said firmly.
She frowned. “I don’t understand.”
He gave in to the impulse to run a hand through his hair. “You must allow me to show you just what it is we do here at Nettlefield House. It is not an insignificant amount of work to run an estate such as this. And if my grandmother cannot bestir herself to come here and demand my presence in London herself, the least I can do is impress upon her emissary its importance in my life.”
A flash of annoyance crossed her eyes but was quickly masked with an expression of patience. “Your Grace, I have no doubt that your feelings for this place run deep, but I am hardly the best person to convey that emotion to the Dowager Duchess of Ormonde. I have spent very little time in the country myself, and have no notion what it takes to run an estate of this size. The only opinion I could possibly convey on the subject to your grandmother is that you appear to be attached to the place. And you can do that yourself in a letter if you wish.”
Trevor crossed his arms over his chest and surveyed her from head to toe. She certainly was not the picture of a country lady. But he had little doubt that she could convince the dowager to leave him in peace if she set her mind to it. Since he could not convince his grandmother himself, he would see to it that Lady Isabella did. The more he considered the matter, the more he was certain he was choosing the right course.
“But why bother with a letter when I can have my very own personal champion?” he asked with a tilt of his head. “Once you have seen the farm in all its glory, I am certain you will agree to plead my case to the dowager. Namely that the running of this estate is far more important than swanning about town in fancy clothes to attend foolish entertainments.”
She was vexed. It was obvious from the way her bosom rose and fell with her frustrated breathing. Then, she seemed to come to some decision within herself. “Is that what you think this is about, Your Grace? The dowager wishing for you to buy a new
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