His eyes dulled somewhat. “You believe me to speak falsely?”
“I think you flirt. Perhaps you even wish to lead me into your bed, but I know all about you, Lord Knightly. You have a notorious reputation for enjoying the pursuit while taking great pains to avoid the capture. I believe you prefer to love and leave.”
“I enjoy women, but I don’t view that as a shortcoming.” He didn’t seem at all offended by her words, which meant they were true. At least he wasn’t striving to deny them. “However, perhaps you are the one with the power to convince me to stay.”
“I rather doubt it. You will inherit a dukedom. You’re not going to take to wife a bastard. I suspect your father has drilled into you the importance of bloodline.”
“To be honest, my father fairly ignores me.” He lowered his head slightly. “I was not the original heir, you see. He much preferred my older brother, lavishing all his time and attention on him. Until my brother was killed in an accident. My father still doesn’t know quite what to make of me.”
She’d missed that little detail about him. “I’m so sorry for your loss. Were you close, you and your brother?”
“Remarkably so.”
“No jealousy because he would inherit everything and you nothing?”
“I’ve always been far too independent, determined to make my own way. Even now, I take nothing from my father.”
She staggered to a stop and stared at him. “Are you implying you...work?”
He laughed, a deep, booming rumble that for some reason brought up an image of velvet intertwining with silk. “I don’t engage in honest labor that creates a sweat—although I certainly don’t fault those who do. Unfortunately, there exists unpleasant tasks someone must see to if society is to carry on. I do, however, invest in various enterprises. If you won’t judge me a braggart, I’ll confess most have proven extremely profitable. Therefore, I enjoy autonomy and am quite liberated from having to do whatever my father might wish in order to retain an allowance as I’ve no need of it.”
“How fortunate you are. I worry far too much about what my father might wish. And not because of the money.” But she couldn’t tell him it was because she craved his approval and feared she fell short. Unlike his other daughters, she would not be introduced to the Queen or accepted by thetonbased on her own merits. Without him at her side, without her dowry, she was of little consequence.
“Does pleasing him make you happy?”
“It did when I was younger. Very much so. But his latest request of me, to marry...” Her voice trailed off, and she shook her head. A quick burst of laughter escaped. “However, if not for his determination to see me wed, we wouldn’t now be walking through the park.”
“Don’t be so certain. You intrigue me, Miss Leyland.”
“According to the gossip rags, you are intrigued by a lot of women.”
“Do you blame me for my interest?”
“I think you grow easily bored. I want a man who is above all else loyal. I am not my mother’s daughter. I will not settle for being second—not for any man.”
He studied her for a long moment. “My condolences on the recent loss of your mother. I saw her on the stage once, you know.”
For some reason, it had never occurred to her the people she was meeting now, those she might possibly visit with at some point, had enjoyed a performance by her mother. “Did she bring you to tears?” Mother had often told her making people experience emotions, especially those they’d rather not, was her strong suit.
He grinned. “She made us fall in love with her. I was only fourteen or so at the time, and at that age, a boy most certainly does not weep. Some mates and I snuck away from school one night. I’d purchased a flower from a flower girl. A rose. As it was early evening, it was rather wilted. During the performance, I clung to it near the bud to avoid the thorns. We went backstage afterward, just for a glimpse of her. It was remarkably crowded. She had so many admirers. We were jostled about. I guess someone must have bumped into the flower, broken it, because when we were finally near enough that I could present my gift, she held out her hand and the blossom toppled into it. Left holding the stem, I was mortified, my face burning with embarrassment. It’s a wonder I didn’t suddenly ignite. She must have understood what I was going through, because she smiled warmly and said, ‘You’ve given me the best part, and that’s all that matters.’”
Had her mother felt the same way about the earl? He might not have given her marriage or even respectability, but he’d given her the best part of himself, he’d given her his love. “Thank you for sharing your story with me. Other than with my father, I don’t know if I’ve ever talked with anyone else about her at length.”
“My pleasure to share it. I hope it brought you some comfort.”
“It did indeed. What of your mother? Is she still alive?”
He looked off toward the horizon. “To be honest, I’m not sure.”
His gaze came back to her, and she couldn’t read exactly what was reflected in the blue depths, wondered if she should leave it at that, but her curiosity got the better of her. “How can you not know?”
“When I was seven... one night... she... went away. I haven’t seen her since.”
“I think the not knowing would drive me mad.”
“It was hard at first, but loss, any loss, always is. Will you be attending the Wolfford ball?”
It was an abrupt change in subject, no doubt to avoid a painful memory. She nodded. “Yes. I’m rather nervous as it’ll be my first appearance at something hosted by theton. My little ball certainly didn’t count.”
