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‘Quite. Well, it didn’t take him long to discover that men don't tend to share his passion. He tried presenting a few men with flowers, and they either stared at him coldly or threw him out of the house. Women, on the other hand, are always delighted when he gives them flowers. Poor chap, I haven’t brought myself to disillusion him about the reason. Better let him think that England is full of botanically-interested ladies.’
I shook my head. This just couldn’t be. After all the worry, all the scheming, hope, despair… no. It just couldn’t be!
‘But he is in love with her!’ I blurted out. What was I doing? One never was supposed to be this blunt with a new acquaintance - not even I. But I couldn’t seem to stop myself. ‘He told me as much! He told me he loved her.’
‘Oh, he probably does.’ Captain Carter waved his hand airily, as if this were of no great concern. ‘He is rather fond of being in love, particularly if the lady in question has bright blue eyes. But after a week or two, he’ll meet a new lady, and fall in love again, just as he’ll find a new flower to interest him.’
My mouth popped open.
‘That’s why we - his old university friends, I mean - call him Sir Flip,’ Captain Carter added with a nostalgic smile. ‘We came up with the nickname when we were at Oxford together, and he used to turn his eyes on a different lady every five days or so. It was rather amusing to watch, though it could get a little confusing at times.’
‘That… that is horrible!’
‘No,’ the Captain disagreed, cheerfully. ‘It would be, if he were as stunningly handsome as my good self. But being such a colossal guffin, it’s not really something to worry about. I mean, can you see any lady he falls in love with actually returning the favour? Be honest.’
I threw a dubious look at Sir Philip, and cleared my throat. ‘It… it still isn’t right!’
‘Well, it’s not as if he does it on purpose, Miss Linton. I assure you, he’s perfectly convinced each time that he’s found the woman of his dreams.’ He shrugged. ‘And then he wakes up. As I said, since he’s not exactly a Don Juan, it’s not really something to worry about.’
Again, I didn’t know what to say. I stared aimlessly at the tigers on the waistcoat and thought: For nothing. All my worry has been for nothing.
Or had it? This was all so insane. It couldn’t really be true, could it?
‘Unless…’ Captain Carter’s voice was hesitant now, and not amused anymore. ‘Unless your sister really does have true affection for my friend. In that case, Miss Linton, I’m afraid that your sister will have to prepare herself…’
‘No!’ Before I knew what had happened, my head had started to shake itself. ‘No. No, no, no, no, and no again. She doesn't. Never has, never will. Not in this life or the next.’
He breathed out a sigh of relief. ‘Thank the Lord. I’d hate for the old fruitcake to make the front page of the times for breach of promise.’
‘Um… forgive me, but you don't speak very highly of your friend.’
‘A friend’s prerogative.’ He winked at me, and I wanted to smile in return. Immediately, I clamped down on the feeling. This was no time for smiles!
‘But you can’t be serious,’ I repeated my earlier doubts. ‘You can’t really mean that he doesn't mean to marry her.’
‘He might, at the moment. But I assure you, the fancy will leave him soon enough.’
I should have been relieved. I should have been ecstatic. But to be honest, some part of me was actually insulted and disbelieving, not able to take it that anybody would so callously throw aside my little sister, even if being thrown aside was exactly what she wanted.
‘No,’ I insisted. ‘No gentleman in his right mind could do such a thing.’
‘Well, as to whether old Flip is in his right mind or not, that’s a subject for debate,’ he mused. ‘But regardless, I tell you, he will not marry your sister. Didn’t you see him lose interest in the last girl he bombarded with flowers, before he decided to target her?’
My mind flashed back a few weeks. Oh dear Lord! Could it be…?
‘Well… yes.’
‘So he was interested in another girl shortly before?’
‘Um… two, in fact.’
‘Even better. Who was the unfortunate pair?’
‘My other two sisters.’
‘Your family’s house must be full to the attic with tulips.’
‘It is.’
