AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You seem well able to converse now,” Verity whispered, glancing up to me. “Or is it because they are married women?”
“They simply are not you.” The words flew from my mouth without a thought.
“I knew it.” She frowned heavily. “But what have I done to offend you, sir?”
“Nothing,” I replied quickly. How had I so badly caused this misunderstanding!
“Then what makes me different?”
I fixed my lips to answer but there was nothing…nothing at all I could say but the truth. And the truth frightened me to admit.
“I see. Very well, I will not force you.” She turned her face from me and the sheer movement alone caused me to fear hurting her feelings.
The truth would hurt me and my silence would offend her.
How maddening it was that her feelings already took greater precedence to me than my own.
I exhaled softly and simply said, “I did not speak during our dance because I was nervous. Currently I am still nervous and to avoid embarrassing myself I chose silence. But that has given way to misunderstanding between us.”
When she finally met my gaze, I knew what she would ask so I braced for it.
“Why on earth would you be nervous? I did not think myself to be so unnerving.”
“The fault lies with me, for being so greatly enamored with you,” I said softly and when she once again looked to me I dared not look away. “I was and am nervous due to my feelings for you, Lady Verity. That is what makes you different to me. I beg your forgiveness.”
Her gaze was unflinching and I could not at all read her expression. My courage now gone, I quickly made conversation elsewhere with Henry.
Damn me!
Damn this racing heart of mine.
Verity
The dinner had ended with the promise of another dinner later in the week at Lord and Lady Fancot’s home. It was quite obviously a plot designed to bring Henry and Hathor together. However, I could not help but think it would also bring Dr. Darrington and me together once more.
His words…they left my head spinning.
The fault lies with me, for being so greatly enamored with you, he had said. I was certain I had misheard, or at the very least misunderstood his meaning. But since he wished to leave no doubt, he stated he had feelings for me.
How could he have feelings for me? We hardly knew each other.
And what…what was this sensation? I reached to touch my chest, rubbing over my heart as if I were trying to keep it from jumping up and down.
So strange.
“Are you awake?”
I glanced to the door to see Hathor’s brown face poking in. The moment she saw me sitting up in bed she smiled, rushing in and closing the door behind her. Since I was still dressed for the evening, she hopped onto my bed.
“Did Aphrodite let you do this often?” I asked her.
“Yes. Why?”
I shook my head. “Very well, I concede. Now, what brings you here? Oh, what else but the topic of marriage?”
“Ah right, you much prefer the halls of Oxford or Cambridge?” she mocked me in return.
“Is that so strange?”
“Yes, and that Dr. Darrington is even stranger,” she shot back to my annoyance, but just as I was about to speak she added, “I have never heard a man advocate for us ladies in such a manner before. It is surprising, is it not? I have never minded drawing rooms, I love drawing and I enjoyed playing the pianoforte, I only stopped because I feel so inferior to Devana’s talents. Not once did I find myself forced, but he made me wonder what other young ladies feel. Then you go and boldly claim you are one of those other young ladies. Do you truly hate it?”
“Not every day,” I replied, pulling my knees to my chest and resting my head on my knees. “Sometimes it is relaxing. But I do think of other things. Like seeing other countries and peoples.”
“Marry Dr. Darrington and you might get your chance.” She laughed at me.
“Hathor!” I snapped as now the idea filled my head. “Me and Dr. Darrington? That—”
“Relax, I speak in jest. Obviously, that would never work.”
“Because he wishes not to marry?”
“No, Verity, because he is illegitimate,” she reminded, as I had in fact forgotten. “What a shame, though, for if he were not he’d be quite the catch for most young ladies. Handsome, young, skilled, and interested in a woman’s mind.”
How easily she could just say that, was she not embarrassed to admit it? Wait, why would she be? Why was I?
My mind was a mess; all I could see was his face.
“Should your focus not be on Henry?” I questioned, seeking to not speak of the doctor anymore.
“No.” She frowned, her brown eyes now gazing up at the top of the bed. “He is not the one for me.”
