“I prefer never!” Frederica jumped to her feet and ran from the room.
Eversleigh stretched his hand out towards her, but she was already gone.
ELIZABETH KNOCKED ONFrederica’s closed door. “It is I, Elizabeth. May I enter?”
“Are you here to plead his case?”
“No. I came to see if you wanted anything. I thought you might prefer me to your mother or Viscount Eversleigh.”
“You may enter.” Frederica sounded resigned.
Elizabeth opened the door and slipped inside.
Frederica lay crosswise on her bed, her legs dangling off the edge, staring up at the bed canopy. “I suppose you think I am foolish for refusing such an excellent match.”
“I have only known Viscount Eversleigh a few days, and I know you only a little better. I fail to see how my opinion of a match between you would be of any use.”
“I thought I knew him, but that was before I discovered he was keeping half his life a secret, and now this. How dare he assume myconsent?”
“Now that is something we agree on, and your mother does as well. When she discovered he had not yet made you an offer, she told him he was cork-brained.”
Frederica propped herself up on her elbows. “Did she truly? I would have liked to see that.”
“I thought her a little cork-brained as well for jumping straight from a situation of compromise to planning the wedding. Only a few of us are aware of what happened, and if we all hold our tongues, there would be no compromise.”
“Stupid men and their stupid sense of honor! It was a complete accident he saw me that day. There is no reason he should feel bound to marry me.” Frederica’s voice wavered.
“Is it possible that is not his only reason? He flirts with you and seems to enjoy your company.”
“He barely noticed me before that day in Faerie. If he is paying me attention now, it is because of his sense of honor.”
“Well, he certainly liked what he saw that day. I do not need fay abilities to tell that!” And he had not appeared indifferent to her afterwards, but clearly Lady Frederica was not interested in hearing that. “He did not handle himself well today, though.”
“No, he did not! He always knows the right thing to say, so why did he behave so foolishly? Every gentleman knows how to make a proposal. All he had to do was to ask me to be his wife and make him the happiest man in the world. But no, this is the one time he chooses to be different!”
Elizabeth was half tempted to tell her that Darcy had made an even worse disaster of his proposal, but it was better to keep Frederica unaware of that event. But it was worth considering. Mr. Collins had cared nothing for her, but his proposal could have been written for a book of etiquette. She had always felt Mr. Darcy’s disapproval, but afterthe first set down he delivered at the Meryton assembly, he had not insulted her nor criticized her family to her face. He knew better than to do that, but when he offered her his hand, he could hardly have done worse. She could not attribute it to a lack of caring; Darcy would never have deigned to offer for her unless he was half mad with desire. “I wonder if gentlemen under the influence of an ardent attraction may have more difficulty with the proper proposal. Those who feel less can stay with their script, but is it possible that strong feelings interfere with a man’s choices?”
“You are trying to convince me to accept him after all! I pray you to stop at once.”
“No, I am only attempting to make sense of his out-of-character behavior. I think you would be wise to find out more about his fay connections before considering him. Or it may be fay behavior. Perhaps this is how they propose marriage.”
Frederica said, “I do not know, but I have no desire to marry a man who would prefer a different woman.”
“You think Eversleigh prefers another woman?” asked Elizabeth in surprise.
“I know it.”
Elizabeth knew when there was no point in arguing.
EVERSLEIGH JUMPED TOhis feet when Elizabeth reentered the sitting room. “What did she say? May I speak to her?”
Elizabeth curtsied despite his lack of formality. “Lady Frederica is resting, and she does not wish for company at present.”
“Is she angry?”
Lady Matlock said, “Of course she is angry. Otherwise she would be here herself.”
Elizabeth deemed it best not to respond to that. “Lady Frederica asked me to inform you that you are under no obligation to offer for her because there was no compromising situation. She dressed in the appropriate attire for one of Titania’s court, as is only good manners. You were given permission to enter. Within that setting, neither of you behaved inappropriately, and there is no reason to consider marriage as a remedy.”
