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“That mantle was thrust upon me before I had a chance to consider other options.”
Connie frowned, not fully understanding but didn’t feel herself free to ask for further clarification.
“Would you feel completely constrained in your cottage by the sea after your years of travel?”
“Constrained? I’m not certain. I think it sounds rather heavenly, as I could make it perfectly how I’d wish. No more different beds or noisy inns.”
Suddenly Florent appeared eager to hear more. Connie had noticed his rapt attention whenever she had spoken of her travels, but now he seemed delighted to hear it hadn’t all been delightful either.
“So, staying in one place might appeal to you?”
Connie lifted her shoulder in a rather helpless shrug. “I think it really might. But as I said, my family insists I must be accompanied, and that complicates matters.”
There was a moment of silence while Connie had the impression Florent was trying to search her soul through her eyes. She wanted desperately to look away but found herself unable to do so.
“You could marry,” he finally said.
“That would be a rather drastic conclusion to what ought to be an easy problem to solve.”
“Would it be so terrible?” He was back to looking bashful and nervous, and Connie sternly told her heart it was not allowed to melt.
“It could be,” she finally answered. “There have thus far only rather dastardly oafs applying for the position.” Connie found it almost impossible to keep her voice light and her expression unconcerned but was startled when Florent finally reached out and claimed her hands from where they were clasped in her lap.
“I swear I would try most valiantly not to be of the dastardly sort,” Florent vowed in a strained voice while Connie could only blink at him in surprise.
“What are you saying, Mr. Alcott?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, and she couldn’t even swallow as her mouth had gone dry.
“I’m saying that while I know you might not have any desire to forgive me and it would be a rather dull reduction in your circumstances to wed with a provincial gentleman such as myself, but that you would at least have the consolation of making me the happiest man in all of Christendom.”
Connie stared at him without even blinking before a burble of laughter fought its way from her throat.
“That was too convoluted by far. Please explain yourself, sir.” Connie tried to sound as though she were reprimanding him, but she couldn’t bring herself to pull her hands from his grasp. Suddenly the day appeared delightful, and she thought she could sit in that very spot for the rest of her life.
Florent must have sensed her relenting as he appeared to relax right before her eyes. But his gaze sharpened and his grasp on her hands tightened as he leaned toward her even more earnestly.
“What I mean to say, my lady, my dear Constance, is that if you are willing to consider a cottage by the sea, perhaps you might also see the possibilities of an estate by the river. And I’m almost certain your family would consider me to be an acceptable companion to guard the proprieties.”
Another gurgle of laughter escaped Constance. “You are quite correct in that regard, Mr. Alcott. My family would find you nearly perfect.”
“Only nearly?” he asked with a quirk of his eyebrow.
She shrugged. “You aren’t heir to a dukedom, now are you?”
They laughed together before sobering.
“Would you consider it, though, Constance? I know the country life might appear dull after the adventures you had. And I cannot even begin to reminisce with you as I’ve barely been anywhere. But I would allow you carte blanche of my estate, and I think you might find it a different sort of adventure and might be quite to your taste.”
“I might consider it, possibly,” Connie admitted, “but you must tell me if you would ever see your way clear to doing any travelling at all.”
“I’ve always wanted to, but I’ve been too burdened with turning around the Alcott fortunes for the past decade. And then it seemed as though the opportunity had passed me by.”
“I see,” Connie replied, her heart wanting to soar. She just might be going to find what she had been secretly hoping for all along. He wasn’t making the sort of declaration that it seemed Mr. Northcott and Lord Merton had made to their new fiancés, but Connie might allow herself to be contented with the arrangement anyway. She would at least be safe from the likes of fortune hunters such as the Henry Wagners of the world.
“I’m not sure if I feel brave enough to promise you we could venture to the new world, but I would certainly vow to leave the estate from time to time.”
Connie took a deep breath and dared to look him in the eye as she asked her next question. “And what exactly makes you think that we would suit? It was just a day ago that you were on the verge of accusing me of being in league with Mr. Wagner and the smugglers.”
“To my utter shame, you are right. But you see, it’s because I was falling in love with you and didn’t know what to do with my feelings.”
