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Victoria snorted.
“Well, you didn’t do a good job of it, sir.”
“And we’ve apologised for it. Which you chose not to take, so it’s nothing to do with us anymore.”
There was something about the way he spoke that came off in a harsh tone. It rubbed Victoria the wrong way. While he might have gentleman’s clothing on, he certainly was not a gentleman. She scowled at him.
“So, what are you, exactly? You’re not a gentleman.”
“And you’re so sure about that?”
“You may dress like one, but your appearance leaves something to be desired. As for the way you’re speaking to me….”
“How would you want me to speak to a prissy woman with a weak indisposition and who doesn’t accept apologies for a genuine accident?”
Victoria’s mouth fell open.
“Excuse me? Did you just call me prissy? Are you always this rude to ladies?”
“You’ve got the attitude of one. Where I come from, behaviour like that is not tolerated.”
“And your behaviour will not be tolerated in England.” Victoria’s eyes narrowed. “Where are you from? America?”
His mouth twitched.
“I’m actually British. But America has been my home as of late.”
“Then you should get on a boat and go back. You won’t get far with the way you talk to people.”
“Trust me, I would love to go back.”
“Then why don’t you?”
His eyes glinted. There was something angry in his expression but also a mixture of curiosity and appreciation. What was he appreciating? Her? Victoria inwardly scoffed at that. He was the most uncouth individual she had ever met in her life.
“There are mitigating circumstances as to why I cannot return just yet.” He pushed off the wall and approached her. He leaned over, and Victoria had to stop herself from leaning back. “I have some unfinished business. Once that’s cleared up, I’m gone, and you will never have to see me again.”
Victoria should have been relieved at that. But instead, she felt sad. That shocked her. Why would she be sad about this awful man leaving her?
She hadn’t hit her head in the fall, but something had happened. She was finding this man attractive. How was that possible?
“My friend and I will leave you in peace.” He suddenly straightened up. “I suggest you get on with sorting out your wedding dress. It’s not going to stop the wedding. Delaying the inevitable never works out well.”
Then he was gone, not even bowing to her or bidding her farewell. A gentleman would have done so, and that left Victoria outraged at his behaviour. No gentleman would act like that. How rude could a person be?
But even as she thought that, she felt a flutter of something in her chest at the way he looked at her. Beyond the harsh tones and the obvious dislike for her, there was a flicker of curiosity. Of interest.
He was interested in her? Men were not normally interested, rather they tended to keep their distance from her.
Could he be one of the very few people who didn’t know what had happened? He wouldn’t be for much longer.
***
Victoria ended up going through her dress fitting in a daze. She couldn’t believe that she had ended up considering the man who had treated her so rudely as attractive. But there was no denying it; there was something so enticing about him. He had an earthy quality about him. That smile of his left a flutter in her belly, and that accent of his…Victoria had never heard anything like it.
She wanted to keep hearing it more.
But that didn’t make sense. He was not a gentleman at all. Even with the fine-looking clothes he had been wearing, that man was clearly not a member of theton. If he was, he hadn’t spent much time in public. Very gruff, not like how a proper gentleman should be.
