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Chapter 6
Lord Darkmoor sat at the table moodily, fiddling with the rim of his glass. The viscount was drinking wine as though it was water, and Margaret couldn’t think of a thing to say. All in all, the situation was stifling.
“What hobbies do you engage in, Margaret?” Lord Darkmoor asked flatly. “What sorts of talents do you have?”
Margaret cleared her throat nervously. “I enjoy reading, and I can play the piano. I have even learned French.”
“Is that so?” He didn’t seem terribly amused.
“Yes, I enjoy these things.” Margaret looked to her father, who nodded his head, encouraging her to continue. “I would like to travel one day and know more about history.”
“I know everything that there is to know about history,” Lord Darkmoor replied. “I can tell you. There is no need to discover it in books.”
Margaret gazed down at her plate. What an abominable thing to say. She cleared her throat once more before proceeding. “I prefer to read. I find it comforting, and it expands the mind.”
Lord Darkmoor did not seem pleased by this in the slightest. “You should perfect your skills with archery and horses. These are pastimes that I enjoy.”
Oh, but she didn’t care to engage in pastimes that he enjoyed! She wished to be her own woman and not adhere to some man she did not even love.
The viscount finally spoke. “Margaret enjoys long walks in the field with her maid. In fact, just this afternoon… they were escorted by a man.”
This was the viscount’s plan coming into play, but Margaret found the whole thing to be awkward at best. Surprisingly, Lord Darkmoor seemed to take to all of this. “Is that so? A man?”
“Indeed.” The viscount took a sip of his wine. “It is the brother of her maid and a very strapping fellow. I do say, he looks oddly familiar, but I know not from where.”
Margaret felt Lord Darkmoor’s eyes turn upon her. “Did you enjoy the company of this man? I assume that he’s rough and tumble.”
“He’s a very kind man, only an acquaintance.”
“I see.”
“But he comes from Cornwall, and he has many stories to tell.”
Lord Darkmoor banished this conversation, leading Margaret to believe that her father’s silly plan had only served to make the man annoyed.
“Let us talk of the business at hand,” Lord Darkmoor went on. “I know that this is a topic for gentlemen, but seeing as I cannot tarry at Pelham Downs for too long, I fear that we should undertake it now.”
Margaret took a good, hard look at Darkmoor. Yes, he was her father’s age and with a bit greyer hair. He had a rather long, pointy nose, and his dark eyes seemed to fit well with his title.
“I’m glad you mentioned it,” the viscount went on. “We can have it all resolved this very evening.”
“Not so fast.” Lord Darkmoor put up a hand. “I need to make sure that I know what I’m getting into.”
Although that was a horrible statement to make, Margaret was glad for it. That meant that she had more time than she thought.
“What is it that you need to consider?” the viscount inquired.
Lord Darkmoor turned to her once more. “I have to make sure that the match is sound. After that, we shall schedule another dinner at my estate.”
“How soon?”
“In a fortnight.”
“I fortnight?” the viscount asked in awe. “Surely, we can meet sooner.”
Darkmoor lifted his brow. “I am a busy man. Please understand.”
Oh, Margaret wanted to grin! A fortnight might seem an eternity for her father, but for her, that was not enough time in the slightest, yet still more than she expected. So much could happen within a fortnight, and with any luck, Darkmoor did not take a liking to her.
