“‘Getting on splendidly’ is hardly the same thing as a love match,” Rollo felt obliged to point out.“I get on splendidly with the old chap who delivers the coal.”
An occasional spat, such as the one he’d been embroiled in with Fitz prior to his departure, was a healthy sign of love, in Rollo’s opinion.Almost as health-affirming as the intimate reconciliation he planned on his return.
“A shared history of making perfume out of ground-up rose petals and toddling around the nursery together is not a formula for a love match either,” he pressed.“It’s a form of love, certainly.But is it a love that sends you wheeling with the stars, your soul broken loose, galloping like a wild horse on the breeze?”
Willoughby eyed him suspiciously.“You sound as if you’ve begun penning a few love poems of your own, Rolly.Anyhow,” he continued, “I informed Papa that I am of a mind to make an offer for her soon, and he did his darndest to put me off.He says I should bide my time and have a season first, that there are many a tempting armful waiting for me in theton.”
Willoughby fixed his blue gaze on Rollo, beseeching him.“What is your opinion on the matter?”
Rollo’s opinion was that Fitz and his father perhaps weren’t so very different after all, although his father seemed better versed in the art of diplomacy and approached the thorny problem from a different angle.A vague unease settled in his stomach.The downfall of being a kind-hearted, generous chap such as Willoughby was that he assumed everyone else’s motives to be as pure as his own.If what Fitz said about Lavinia’s spendthrift father was true, then whatever calf love his brother and Lavinia believed they entertained was not a recipe for a long, happy marriage.
“Willoughby,” he began carefully.“Answer me this: do your insides tremble when you picture Lavinia?Or when you visit her?”
Willoughby gave a shout of laughter.“Of course not, why on earth would they?She’s a girl, not an earthquake!And I don’t need to ever picture her.I’ve known her for so long I could draw her in my sleep.”
“But do you feel as if you could not live through another day without her by your side?”Every hour without Fitz felt like something lost that could never be remade.
“Hmm.”Willoughby thought for a second before a slow smile crept across his face.“I certainly don’t want to live through anothernightwithout her.”
Ah.NowRollo was getting to the meat of it.In more ways than one.
“Do thoughts of her consume your every waking hour?”he queried.“Or just your lonely, night-time ones?”
Willoughby snorted.“Some of them.Except when I’m out riding with Kit or writing a poem.Oh, and playing whist, of course.Then, I concentrate hard, or Kit and Papa will fleece me for every sou.”
“I see.”Rollo gave a solemn nod.“Let me get this straight.You and Lavinia are great chums.You think of her mostly when you are alone, especially at night.But you don’t particularly miss her during the daytime when she is not by your side.In fact, might I suggest that hours can go by when you don’t think of her at all?”
“Yes, but”—Willoughby looked crestfallen—“now you are in love, too, you must understand.She is from an excellent family and has a sensible head upon her.She will make an excellent match.”
Rollo frowned.He didn’t recognise this picture of love his brother painted at all.His dearest Fitz was difficult, blunt, exacting, and an absolute bloody curmudgeon when the mood struck him.Yet he was the most certain thing Rollo had ever known.Whereas Willoughby was describing an undoubtedly pretty, fun young woman with whom he could rub along.And he was desperate to swive someone.Which wasn’t the same thing.
He composed his features into a stern expression.“Listen to me, Willoughby.According to Fitz, Lord Stapleton is not all he seems.”
“Your Fitz hasn’t always been all he seems either,” Willoughby retorted.
“No, but he’s a changed man, I swear.And when you meet him, you will see that too.Lavinia’s father and he were well acquainted with each other in the gambling hells—Stapleton is notoriously bad at baccarat.His wealthy brother-in-law is widely known in those circles for covering his debts, but for how long?Maybe until his daughter marries a rich man who can take over the burden.”
“That would explain why Papa seems so…unenthusiastic, I suppose,” Willoughby accepted.“Are you sure about Stapleton?”
“Fitz has no reason to lie.And as far as Papa goes, I suspect he’s hoping that when you have a season, your affection for Miss Lavinia will wane as you’ll be having far too much fun.Much more subtle than downright refusing the match.”
Willoughby nodded unhappily.“That sounds very much like our papa.”
“Will Lavinia be heartbroken if you were to cool things?”
Willoughby shot him a wry smile.“Truthfully?Yes.But only for about five minutes.Personally, I always thought she held a candle for James Rothby, the Marquess of Fording’s second son, and he for her.”
“So did I.”
“She certainly mentions him a lot more than I’d wager she ever mentions me.”
“The two families have always been awfully close,” agreed Rollo.Willoughby was taking the news far better than he could have hoped.“Although—and it is unfortunate for poor Lavinia—the Marquess of Fording is not renowned for his especially deep pockets.Unlike our papa.”
“So that’s that, then,” said Willoughby, running his fingers through his hair.“I’ve been a ninny of the highest order, haven’t I?”
“Naïve, that’s all.”Rollo gave his glum twin’s shoulder a squeeze.“And in possession of a soul far too trusting.”
“Unlike you and Papa.”
