Page 95 of Aurelia

“Clearly the notion has never entered your mind,” he said. “Have I really concealed my interest in you so well?”

Aurelia laughed nervously. “I don’t think it is that so much as the fact that we have spent so little time together—only twice, in fact.”

“I only needed the first time, Miss Burton.” He took her hand, his own warm and bare.

Aurelia’s mind whirled. “I am extremely flattered by your proposal.” Her first marriage proposal ever. “But, er, I—I’m afraid my answer is no, Sir Gideon.”

He nodded. “I appreciate your honesty. Will you tell me—do I have cause to hope?”

She forced herself to say, “I am afraid not.”

“Ah.” He nodded and gave her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it. “I must admit that I am disappointed—deeply.”

“I am sorry,” Aurelia said, feeling wretched.

He shook himself. “The heart wants what it wants, Miss Burton, and it cannot be coerced or forced. I will not raise the matter again,” he promised. “But tell me, is friendship also out of the question? I do so enjoy your company. And, if I may be so bold, you are a woman on her own without family or connections in a new place—perhaps you could use a friend?”

The words from Lord Crewe’s letter came back to her: don’t do anything impulsive or rash.

Befriending Sir Gideon didn’t qualify as rash. Did it?

Will you really turn away the offer of friendship out of concern for what the earl might think?

No. That would be foolish. And weak.

Aurelia smiled at the patiently waiting man. “I would very much like your friendship, Sir Gideon.”

“I am delighted to hear it. I will be coming over to Crewe every Thursday for the next few months to meet with my steward who is housebound with terrible gout. May I call on you?” He smiled. “At a more reasonable hour, naturally.”

“I would like that.”

Sir Gideon gave her another of his glowing smiles. “Excellent. I expect to be—”

The door to the sitting room flew open and Celsa stormed into the room, making Aurelia realize the girl never just walked anywhere.

Celsa opened her eyes wide—the look too innocent to be believable—and said, “Oh, dear. I didn’t realize you had company, Miss Burton.”

“What a pleasant surprise, my lady,” Aurelia said, not without irony.

Celsa had the grace to blush.

Sir Gideon went to greet her, bowing over her hand in his charming, courtly fashion. “Lady Celsa. How delightful to see you. It has been quite a while. You were a girl the last time I saw you and now you are a lovely young woman.”

Celsa preened, clearly pleased by the comment.

“Come join us,” Aurelia said, patting the seat that Sir Gideon had just abandoned.

The baronet sat in the chair across from them. “What have you been up to, my lady? I have not seen you in the environs of Balcrewe in quite some time.”

“I am going off to school in the New Year,”

“Is that so? And where are you going?”

“The school is in Edinburgh.”

“You will have a marvelous time—and still be close enough to come home on the holidays. I still recall when I went to Eton,” Sir Gideon said, and then went on to describe several humorous incidents that made Celsa laugh. Aurelia had heard plenty about how brutal such schools could be and suspected he carefully culled any unpleasantness from his stories.

Aurelia was content to listen to the two chatter about school, her mind still spinning from his proposal.