“I have never seen you with your coat off,” she said. Now, she was certain her face flamed. Seeing him without his coat brought to mind seeing him without other pieces of clothing on. Her thoughts did not seem particularly ladylike, but they were thrilling.
“Come inside,” he said gently. “When we are married, it will be your purview to direct me at all times on what I ought to be wearing, or not wearing, as the case may be.”
Isabel’s legs felt wobbly as her mind consideredthatidea.
“Let us go see your father and hear what few words he will muster on the subject of our engagement. I have told him of my intentions several times, though he has not seemed enthusiastic about the idea.”
“Oh I know. I have already told him that I would propose to you myself if necessary and then he said no and then I said neither one of us would care and we would set off for Gretna Green.”
Harry laughed, rich and deep. “You are becoming downright daring, which I find I very much admire. By the way, the estate is not and has never been entailed. It will go to you and your sister.”
Isabel froze where she stood. All along, she’d been terrified of being left with nothing, and the estate was not entailed? It would go to her and Margaret? She had been certain it was entailed. There was some cousin in York who sent Christmas gifts every year and she had assumed…
“Now you are wondering why your father never mentioned it,” Harry went on cheerfully.
“Because he does not often mention anything,” Isabel said quietly.
“Precisely.”
“But that would mean that all along…”
“All along you have feared that which was never to be,” Harry said.
Isabel took in a deep breath, as if to clear all those old fears from her mind. “I shall not countenance any more outrageous worries. I will trust in you.”
“Please do, my dear lady.”
Chapter Twenty
The earl, aswas expected, did once more say no to an engagement between his daughter and Harry Vance. Isabel, understanding more and more by the minute how clever and determined Harry was, could only be amused by his strategy.
“My lord,” he said, “I would like to be apprised of your reasons against it, if you would be so kind. With words. In complete sentences.”
This, naturally, gave the earl pause. He screwed up his face. Then as if it were a great effort to get it out, he said, “You. Everything is changed, don’t you know. Don’t like change.”
“So you say,” Harry said, not looking the least bit put off. “However, if you will examine the matter more closely, you will see that you actually do like change.”
“No.”
“Yes,” Harry said. “Do you like having your own wine cellar again?”
“Yes.”
“Do you like having a full breakfast on the sideboard each morning?”
“Yes,” the earl said grudgingly.
Do you like your stables full?”
The earl shrugged.
“Now tell the truth. You do like your stables full?”
“Yes.”
“Do you like that a tailor arrives tomorrow to fit you for new clothes?”
“Maybe.”
