He let out a slight chuckle. “She may have hinted at it, but I’m speaking of my own accord.”
Before she could respond, Olivia’s voice rang out from the staircase. “Why do you two insist on waking before the fashionable hour?”
“You could have requested a breakfast tray in your room,” Richard said, turning to his sister.
“And miss your lively sparring matches? Never.” Olivia descended with a grin. “It’s better than any French romance I’ve read lately.”
“Well, I hate to disappoint, but Miss Theodosia and I haven’t argued once this morning.”
“There’s still time,” Olivia said as she swept past them.
Miss Theodosia laughed. “We do tend to be at odds with one another.”
“Perhaps it’s time we tried something else,” Richard said.
Her gaze turned curious. “What are you proposing?”
He leaned in ever so slightly, his voice quiet, as though sharing a confidence. “That we try to be friends.”
Miss Theodosia's brow lifted in skepticism. “Are you quite certain you wish to attempt such a feat? It sounds terribly ambitious.”
A faint smile played at the corner of his mouth. “I am.”
She studied him, no doubt in an attempt to discern his sincerity. “Friendship requires effort. A degree of trust. And a willingness to withhold judgment from time to time.”
“I am aware,” he replied. “And I am willing.”
She hesitated for only a moment. “Very well. I am willing to give it a try… assuming you are in earnest and do not plan to revoke the offer the moment I say something impertinent.”
“I suppose I shall need to grow more tolerant of impertinence,” he said, softening his words with a smile.
“Then let us attempt to be friends. However, I must warn you that Olivia will be dreadfully disappointed. She thrives on our disagreements.”
“I tend to disappoint Olivia rather frequently,” he said with a shrug. “She’ll survive.” He extended an arm towards the corridor that led to the dining room. “After you, Miss Theodosia.”
She dipped her head in graceful acknowledgment and began walking. “Thank you, my lord,” she said over her shoulder, her voice warm with amusement.
And for the first time, he saw something extraordinary. Her smile lit up her features and it stirred something deep within him.
As he followed her down the corridor, Richard found himself troubled by his own impulsive offer. He hadn’t planned to suggest friendship—hadn’t even considered it until the words had left his mouth. It might have been an attempt to keep her near, to keep her cooperative… but even as he told himself so, he knew it wasn’t the truth. Not entirely.
He was starting to enjoy her company far more than he should.
And that was not part of his plan.
Theodosia sat curled into the corner of the drawing room settee, the afternoon light streaming in through the windows as she turned the page of her book. A slight rustle drew her gaze upward. Olivia, lounging in a nearby armchair, was staring at her with an almost mischievous smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
Lowering the book to her lap, Theodosia tilted her head. “Is something amiss?”
Olivia shook her head, her smile deepening. “Not at all. I was merely watching you read.”
“You do realize how peculiar that sounds?”
“Oh, undoubtedly,” Olivia remarked. “But I find myself quite curious about what exactly is happening between you and my brother.”
Theodosia lifted a brow but remained composed. “We have agreed to attempt a friendship, nothing more.”
Olivia let out a thoughtful hum. “That is... interesting.”
