“I am not sure if ‘thanking you’ is what I will be doing once I hear your performance,” Elinor said with a smile.
Her aunt laughed. “I have gotten much better.”
“But you only just started.”
“Exactly! I have nowhere to go but up,” her aunt said, walking to the door. “I shall inform the messenger that you have no intention of marrying the Duke of Mardale.”
Elinor rose from her seat. “Thank you. I know I am risking my uncle’s ire, but I can’t marry the duke.”
“Nor do I blame you,” her aunt said. “No doubt the duke just wants to marry you to produce an heir.”
Elinor shuddered at that thought. “I recall meeting him and he smelled so awful that I grew nauseous.”
“I suspect it is the medicine he uses to help his gout,” her aunt said.
Once her aunt had departed from the study, Elinor smoothed down her pale yellow gown and approached the mirror. It shouldn’t matter to her that she looked presentable, but it did. It irked her greatly. Why did it matter what Mr. Dandridge thought of her? It didn’t. But even she knew that she couldn’t believe that lie. Mr. Dandridge was far too handsome for his own good.
Elinor headed towards the entry hall and saw Mr. Dandridge. His eyes crinkled around the edges when their gazes met, a subtle sign of warmth that made her heart flutter despite herself.
She stopped a short distance from him. “Good evening, Mr. Dandridge,” she said, her voice steady.
“Good evening, Miss Sidney,” he responded with a slight bow. “How was your rest this afternoon?”
“I’m afraid I got distracted by the accounts,” Elinor responded.
He took a step closer to her. “Your dedication to this horse farm is quite impressive.”
“It is all I have,” Elinor admitted. “Besides, what is not to love? The Galloway ponies are impressive creatures, and they quickly claimed my heart.”
Mr. Dandridge grinned. “I do enjoy how your eyes light up when you become passionate about a subject.”
“Do they?” Elinor asked, slightly surprised by his observation.
He nodded. “They light up a lot, considering you are a very passionate person,” he said. “I don’t meet a lot of young women that speak their minds so freely.”
“Then you must not be associating with the right women,” she joked.
Mr. Dandridge chuckled. “I would agree with that statement,” he said. “Young women of my acquaintance tend to tell me what they think I want to hear, not their true opinions.”
“That must be rather lonely.”
The humor left Mr. Dandridge’s face. “It is,” he admitted. “I prefer honesty above all else.”
Elinor felt a stab of guilt, knowing she wasn’t being entirely honest with Mr. Dandridge. But she couldn’t let him know that.
Mr. Dandridge took another step towards her, causing her to tilt her head to look up at him. “I know we haven’t known each other long, but I do consider you a friend.”
Friend.
That word echoed in her mind. She was not his friend, knowing she was hoping- and waiting- for him to fail.
Mr. Dandridge continued. “I hope it is not too presumptuous of me, but I would like for you to call me by my given name.”
Elinor blinked, surprised by his request. “I have never called a gentleman by his given name before.”
A smirk came to his lips. “I assure you that it isn’t difficult,” he said. “You just open your mouth and say ‘Alden’.”
“Alden?” she repeated.
