“I am quite well, Miss Ruskin. I hope you enjoy the refreshments set out.”
“I’m sure I will.” She smiled at the man as he quietly backed out of the room.
“You startled him,” the viscount said with some amusement.
She sighed. “You are treating me as you would an honored guest, but I am merely the vicar’s daughter. Obviously, I do not know the rules in a fine house.”
“I suppose we do have our rules, but kindness is always permitted. I do not fault my guests for being polite or showing courtesy to those in my employ.” He poured her a cup of tea as he spoke, and then placed strawberries and a lemon cake on her plate. “We grow our own strawberries in the conservatory. Have you ever seen it?”
It felt so odd to be served by him, but he appeared to be quite comfortable in performing the task. “No, never. I have only ever been in this visitor’s parlor and your back garden where Lady Jillian held her tea parties.”
“Never been given a tour of my home?”
She shook her head. “Never. But I would love to see the conservatory, if I may?”
He nodded. “I’ll show you this house from top to bottom before we are done with this project of ours. Let’s get to work now, shall we?”
“Yes, but do you have aDebrett’s? I’m sure you must. Having it close at hand will help.”
“What for? To tell you who the noble families with a long lineage are as opposed to the crass and presumptuousnouveau riche?”
By his tone, she knew he was speaking with light sarcasm. “My lord, there is nothing wrong withnouveau riche. They bring fresh blood into the noble lines. I also suspect these interlopers with their new blood have been infiltrating the aristocratic bloodlines for centuries. Girls were often betrothed during childhood to men they never would have chosen for themselves. So they discreetly sought their…you know…elsewhere.”
“Pleasures?” He grinned. “You are blushing quite profusely, Viola. I thought you were forthright and confident about everything.”
“Not all things.”
“I am merely teasing you. You may kick me if I provoke you. You are a little know-it-all, but there is an innocence about you I find quite refreshing. This makes you irresistible to tease.”
“You had better stay on my good side, my lord,” she said, grinning back at him, “or I might select utter crones for you and make your weekend party a misery.”
He laughed. “You will never do it. You are far too softhearted and want very badly to set me on the right path. This why you are perfect for the task. Earnest, honest. Caring. Ah, you are blushing again.”
“I am not used to such compliments.”
“Accept them as facts, for these are your qualities. Everyone thinks so.” He took a sip of his tea, the delicate cup looking quite out of place in his big hands. They were nice hands, his fingers long and well-proportioned, but not smooth as one would expect from a gentleman of leisure. Well, he was often out in the fields with his farmers and did take interest in his mills, stables, and other enterprises. The only duty he really shirked from was in finding another wife upon whom to breed heirs.
“My lord, I think we should stop talking about me and concentrate on the qualities you seek in the young lady you would take as your wife.”
He grimaced. “My head will explode if I am required to give it thought. Can you not simply decide for me?”
“Absolutely not!” Her eyes widened in horror. What was wrong with this man? She would kick him if he weren’t in such obvious torment. “I know this has to be difficult for you.”
“It is excruciating. Is there not another way?”
She took a deep breath.
Why was he making this so hard for both of them?
“All right. What if…that is…” She took another deep breath. “Should I…perhaps…should I assume you would like her to have the same qualities as Lady Jillian?”
“No!” He raked a hand through his hair. “I am not looking for a twin of my wife. Do you understand what I am trying to say?”
She nodded. “The young lady must bring her own unique qualities to the marriage.”
“Yes, Viola. That is it exactly. You instinctively understand this. And this is why you must be the one to help me.”
He seemed so convinced of it, she knew it was a waste of breath to attempt to dissuade him. “Let us start with another question, better phrased than the first. What qualities in general attract you?”
