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“Defensive? You realize that only confirms my suspicions, rather than denies them?” Benjamin’s words made Leo stop after only a step. He turned back and managed to kick the very chair he had vacated. Leo stopped it from falling over by grabbing the back of the chair, prompting Benjamin to lift a solitary eyebrow.
“I saved that one.”
“Barely.” Benjamin added wryly. “Leo, you and I are great friends. Above that, we are brothers now. Are you really going to stand there and pretend innocence?”
Leo was befuddled by the words. He stood behind the chair, fiddling with its back.
“What is it exactly that you have noticed?” He began slowly. He had no wish to give away all of his thoughts if they had not been noticed by Benjamin.
“That you look at Chloe as if she is the most important person in the room,” Benjamin shrugged as if it was obvious and took a sip from his brandy. “You have more incidents when she is around too, suggesting you are self-conscious.”
“I have not been that bad,” Leo argued, only to have Benjamin offer him a certain look that warned against Leo refuting the matter again. “Well, I didn’t think it had been noticed.”
“Is that your confession then?” Benjamin asked, leaning forward abruptly once again.
Leo froze. He looked down at his hands that were fidgeting on the back of his chair, uncertain what to say.
“How about you tell me this?” Benjamin said, his tone softer this time. “Is it respect you feel for Chloe, or something stronger? And be careful of your answer, because if you say the former, I will not believe you.”
“Then there does not seem much point in answering at all, does there?” Leo said and drew out the chair, sitting down again. When the chair creaked beneath him, he shared a worried look with Benjamin, but the chair stayed still. “You have read me without me having to say anything.”
“Almost.” Benjamin waved a hand toward him. “You admit it then? There is a reason you look at her the way you do?”
Leo sighed, knowing now he would have to put his feelings into words. These were thoughts he had kept locked up for so long, it felt odd to even think of uttering the words aloud.
“It’s that I have never met another lady who can compare to Chloe,” he confessed quietly. “It’s a feeling I am not sure I can describe.”
“That sounds rather familiar. I remember thinking the same of your sister.” Benjamin slid the brandy glass back toward Leo. “Here, this will help to calm you. Don’t choke on this one.”
Leo took a sip, finding he needed that liquor to finish what he had to say.
“My father wrote to me the other week. He pointed out my age and how I am of a time in life when most gentlemen marry. His words brought a thought to me that I have not been able to shift from my mind since.” Leo lifted his eyes from the glass to look at his brother-in-law. “There is only one woman I could imagine marrying.”
“Ah,” Benjamin said with a smile. “Miss Chloe Green?” Leo nodded, then he took another hearty gulp.
“You ask why I am an even greater fool than usual around her? It is because I fear what she thinks. She must think me a bumbling idiot as it is.” Leo shook his head, trying to hide back some of the despair he had at the thought.
“You do not know that is what she thinks.”
“Benjamin, I have eyes and a brain.” He held Benjamin’s gaze. “I have fallen over, tripped, caused incidents, and broken things a ridiculous number of times, what else could she think?” Leo lowered the glass to the table as gently as he could, being careful not to injure it again. “I wish to help her, especially with this business, so I will do what I can for her. I know it’s an odd thing to think, but part of me hopes that if I can spend more time with her and show her that I am not just a clumsy fool, maybe she could see me in a different light.”
The moment the words were out of Leo’s lips, he shifted in his seat, fearful that his brother-in-law would pity him.
What must he think of me now?
“I think it a wise idea.” Benjamin’s words snapped Leo’s attention back to him. “What better way to make a woman fall in love with you than to spend time with her, and with a little luck, impress her?”
“I am not sure how well I could impress her,” Leo muttered, more to himself than to Benjamin.
“Leo, listen to me.” Benjamin reached for his shoulder, clasping it conspiratorially. “It is a good idea. Do not do yourself the disservice of talking down to yourself. Miss Chloe is a fine woman; the two of you could make a happy pairing indeed.”
Happy. That is what I want.
Leo couldn’t help thinking of the emptiness of his apartments these days. How much better would it be to come home and find Chloe there?
“You must go ahead with this plan.” Benjamin was topping up his brandy glass as Leo looked to him, puzzled. “I shall help too. I wish to lend Miss Chloe enough money to rent her shop for the first quarter. That should help her to turn over a profit quickly.”
“You are certain? Benjamin, that is very generous.”
