Lizette started to organize her paintbrushes as she remarked, “Pardon me for saying so, but you seem out of sorts today.”
“I suppose I am,” she admitted.
“Anything you wish to talk about?” Lizette asked.
Anette bit her lower lip. Did she dare admit what she was feeling about Roswell? She had never spoken about him before- to anyone- but perhaps it was time. “My mother is trying her hand at matchmaking again, and she keeps pushing Lord Roswell and me together.”
“Do you take issue with Lord Roswell?” Lizette asked.
“No, but I have no intentions of marrying.” She wasn’t brave enough to reveal it was because of Roswell that she had no designs on matrimony. If she couldn’t marry him, she would rather be a spinster.
Lizette gave her a curious look. “I know you have been rather vocal about that, but may I ask why you are opposed to matrimony?”
“I have too many things that I want to do with my life. I don’t want to throw it all away to be a wife,” Anette replied. That was at least part of the truth.
“The right husband would support your endeavors,” Lizette said. “At least I know that Tristan would.”
“You were lucky, but not every gentleman will be so accommodating.”
“Then you must keep searching until you find someone who will accept and appreciate you for who you are,” Lizette advised.
Anette had found that man, and Roswell didn’t want to marry her. But she didn’t want anyone’s pity. It was fine. Just fine. She couldn’t force Roswell to love her, and she wouldn’t want that type of relationship anyways.
Lizette eyed her with a knowing look. “You have someone in mind already, don’t you?”
Anette blinked in surprise. Had she been so transparent? “No,” she attempted.
“I would be blind if I didn’t notice something was going on between you and Lord Roswell,” Lizette said.
“Nothing is going on between us.” That much was true.
Lizette studied her for a moment, and Anette wasn’t entirely sure what she was looking for. “I will not press you, at least for now. But I do think you are keeping something from me.”
Anette attempted to look the epitome of innocence. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“You do, but everyone is entitled to their secrets.”
Barrow stepped into the room and announced, “Lady Octavia Westlake has come to call—”
His words had barely left his mouth when Octavia stepped into the room and declared, “You will never believe what my brother has done.”
Anette rose from her seat. She had a suspicion about what this was about, but she decided it was best not to betray Roswell’s confidences. “What did he do?” she asked, feigning ignorance.
“A gentleman called upon us, one that knew Fredrick, and Roswell was entirely rude to him,” Octavia declared with a wave of her hand.
“Why would he do that?” Anette asked.
Octavia dropped down onto a settee. “I don’t rightly know. This poor man had come all the way from the Continent to tell us how Fredrick is faring, and my brother started interrogating him,” she shared. “He even said that he didn’t trust the man and told me to stay away from him.”
“Do you intend to stay away from this man?”
“Heavens, no,” Octavia replied. “My brother seems to think that this man has an interest in pursuing me, but he has only called upon me once.”
Anette sat across from her friend. “Would a cup of tea help calm you?” She picked up a plate of biscuits. “Or a biscuit?”
Octavia reached for a biscuit and took a bite. “Roswell is unbelievable. This isn’t the first time he has done this. If any man attempts to show me favor, he scares the gentleman off.”
“If the gentlemen scare off so easily, do you really want them as a suitor?” Anette asked.
