“But we are reaching its conclusion, and we must consider that.”
“If you are afraid I will behave inappropriately toward you tonight in my house—”
She swallowed, her throat dry. “I am not afraid of you visiting my rooms.”
“Then what are you afraid of?”
“Goodnight, Aaron.” She stepped up into the carriage and leaned back against the familiar seats as he closed the door behind her, and they rattled off into the night.
* * *
Aaron strode into his study, fully expecting it to be empty and for him to be alone, only to find Constance sitting behind his desk and looking at his paperwork.
“Lady Charlotte told me the circumstance surrounding your engagement,” Constance said, glancing up as he entered the room. “It seems as though someone is intent on ensuring you end up together.”
“It appears so.”
“And yet the lady herself seemed less than inclined to stay here.”
“She has been far from home for quite some time,” Aaron said, not in the mood to engage with his sister’s fancies today. “And unless you have something of note to say, Con, I would really rather just go to bed. It’s been a long day.”
“For us both, Brother.” She gave him a contemplative look. “I misjudged you when I said you did not know what love is.”
“I’m not of a humor to discuss such things at this hour.”
She rose, offering him a wicked grin. “I know the look on your face, Aaron. It’s one I wore for quite some time before I persuaded my dear Edward to elope with me—a decision you know, I do not regret making. I think you could be friends.”
Aaron doubted he could be anything but passingly civil with the earnest yet patronizing young doctor, but after they had so recently made up, he neglected to mention it. “Perhaps we could,” he said dampening, “but now is not the time to discuss it.”
“Thank you for accepting me into your home,” she said, all seriousness. “You know, there was some time I thought perhaps you might not.”
“I was angry enough not to,” he admitted.
“I should not have done it, but I cannot regret anything that brought me closer to my dear Edward. He is everything to me, you know. Even when we were apart and I was at balls and young men were trying to dance with me—even handsome, eligible young men—I could think of nothing but him.” She gave a light laugh, her hand on the door as she looked back at him. “Strange, is it not, how the heart treats us, and who it decides should be ours? In another life, I could not have given him a second’s thought, yet upon our meeting six months ago, I knew he was the gentleman for me.”
“I merely hope you won’t live to regret it.”
Her smile widened. “Why, Aaron, you almost sound as though you mean it. But you can be sure I won’t. The only question is whether you will regret marrying Charlotte because of an announcement in a paper that neither of you made.”
He sat and poured himself a brandy, forcing himself not to look at her. He and Charlotte had made their decision, and it seemed she was intent on keeping to it. “My business is not yours, Constance.”
“No, it is not, but I will say one thing before I retire.” Constance hung on the door just as she used to when she was a child—a childish habit that lingered on a woman. Aaron hardly knew when she had grown so, but it could not be denied she was no longer a child and hadn’t been for quite some time. “You may not be certain of your Lady Charlotte’s feelings, but I am.”
Aaron’s hand tightened around his tumbler. “Then, pray, tell me what they are, so we can end this nonsense.”
“I have no intention of doing any such thing,” she said with a wicked laugh. “You must speak to her and tell her how you feel. Perhaps then you might discover her true feelings as well. Or just look, Brother. They are obvious to anyone with eyes on their head.”
“Go to bed, Constance. I have no patience with you tonight.”
“Matrimony is the dearest of states, Brother. The sooner you marry her, the sooner you will understand my wedded bliss.”
“Then return to your husband,” he said, putting his glass down and facing her for the first time, “and leave me to my business.”
“She’s a delightful lady,” Constance said as a parting shot. “I will be glad to know her better.”
Aaron hardly knew how to tell her that she would be doing no such thing; luckily, she left before he could make the attempt, and he was left with nothing more to do than finish his brandy in silence and wonder what the hell he was to do next.
ChapterSeventeen
