“I can try,” Cassandra said tentatively. The crowd began their return to their seats as Mr. Edgars took to the podium to prepare for the beginning of the competition. Matthew gave Mr. Reeves a pat on the back and turned to walk in their direction. Mr. Reeves rolled his shoulders and stretched them back before relaxing his posture and settling into position.
He looked at home.
Then again,Cassandra thought,I suppose he is.
“If any of his blood is blue, we can work with it,” Aunt Valentine continued.
“He’s quite attractive.” Jasmine leaned forward with her elbows on the table and dreamily ogled Mr. Reeves.
“Until he opens his mouth.” Cassandra rolled her eyes. “He’s sarcastic, and that is not an attractive trait.”
“I disagree.” Jasmine grinned, not moving her eyes from Mr. Reeves. “I appreciate a man that can keep Mama on her toes in conversation. And that dance! Even if he counts his steps, he’s still graceful. A man of many talents. I doubt that I would tire of him.”
“But he’s a commoner,” Cassandra’s voice wavered. It would be unheard of for the daughter of a marquess to marry a commoner, and downright scandalous for one to marry a bastard.
“Doesn’t bother me. Mama wasn’t a noblewoman until Papa married her.” Jasmine shrugged. “I would still retain my title.”
“What about generational wealth?”
“Five thousand pounds can be generational wealth if I’m the one managing it, Cassandra.” Jasmine laughed. “If not, I have plenty of money from my inheritance. No matter what, I will build some sort of empire with it.”
“Good girl.” Aunt Valentine smiled in her first outward show of approval.
The idea of Jasmine pursuing Mr. Reeves left a strange taste in Cassandra’s mouth. If Jasmine were to fall in love with him… would she be godmother to their children?
“Is he kind?” Aunt Valentine asked in a maternal tone that made Cassandra’s heart ache for her own mother. She pushed her grief down and contemplated her answer.
Mr. Reeves was holding her diary page hostage, and he thought it was alove letterof all things, but he was honoring his side of the bargain. She knew he hadn’t read it, because if he had, he wouldn’t be able to keep it to himself. And where would that leave her other than humiliated and heartbroken? She would never be able to look him in the eye again.
But, a memory came to the forefront of her mind of Mr. Reeves patiently explaining the principles of flight to Caroline, as simple as if instructing her on how to put butter on toast. A folded parchment in the shape of a triangle twirled around them in the air before landing on Cassandra’s eggs. Caroline, who never once cared for science,understoodthe lesson and the next time the paper took flight, it landed in Mr. Reeves’ open palms.
He never seemed to lose his patience, even if he had come close at dinner the night before. Without a second thought, he prioritized her safety over his financial needs, climbing a tree for her on a day that would determine his entire future. Could she say that she would have done the same? He counted the steps for her benefit as they danced, mouth moving to the beat of the music. Instead of becoming frustratedthat she didn’t know what she was doing, as another gentleman may have, Mr. Reeves carefully corrected her with gentle fingertips, running them along her spine, and she could feel the sensation coursing through her, still.
“I’m enjoying myself immensely.”
“I’ve never known him to be unkind.”
Matthew took an empty chair from a neighboring table and settled in close to Aunt Valentine.
“ThankGodyou women eat like birds,” Matthew said, grabbing the last two tomato sandwiches from the bottom tier of the tea-tray. “I amfamished. Reeves had me awake before dawn, demanding we recheck the rifle’s calibrations, check for signs of tampering, clean the rifle, clean it again. After truing the aimtwice,I had to stop him. He’s been more than thorough, if something goes wrong it is an act of God.”
Matthew ate his first sandwich in one bite.
“Can youchewyour food?” Cassandra crinkled her nose.
Matthew ignored her and reached for the list under Aunt Valentine’s teacup. “What is this? More secrets?” She snatched it away from his grasp. Matthew met Cassandra’s eyes and took a deliberate bite of his second sandwich, slowly chewing for effect before drinking an entire cup of tea in one swallow.
“Nothing for you to worry over,” Aunt Valentine said.
“It’s always worrisome whenever my name is on a list of matrimonial prospects.” He turned to Jasmine. “And you, Lady Jasmine! You certainly know how to hurt a man’s pride! Perhaps you can say louder that you won’t be marrying me, I don’t think they heard you in France.”
Jasmine gathered air into her lungs as one would do before yelling and Aunt Valentine slapped her on the wrist with her closed fan.
“I thought you would be in the range competition.” Jasmine rubbed her wrist with a wince and reached for a pink macaron at the top of thetea tower before Matthew could get to them. “Why hand it off to your ruffian friend?”
Matthew finished the other half of his sandwich and grabbed the last scone, flashing Jasmine a brilliant smile.
“Because I want to win.”
