“Do you mean the physical attributes of a young lady?”
“No, thesetondiamonds are all going to be beautiful. But I refer to the less obvious qualities. Do you prefer someone quiet and thoughtful? Or someone cheerful who enjoys company? How intelligent does she need to be? Must she have musical talents? Must she enjoy a domestic life? Or a society life? You know, constant parties, teas, other social affairs?”
She was trying to be serious, but he simply looked stunned.
Perhaps it was too much to toss at him all at once.
She sipped the last of her tea and resumed the conversation from another angle. “Let us forget about these ladies for now. How about we make a list of the friends and family you wish to invite, get those squared away first.”
He cast her a wry smile. “You are treating me like a little boy again.”
She shook her head and laughed softly. “No, my lord. I shall never mistake you for that.”
Little boys did not have rugged, manly faces or eyes that bore straight into a girl’s soul.
“Would you care for more tea, Viola?”
“Yes, thank you. My throat is rather parched since I have been doing far too much talking. I shall stop now and give you the chance to speak your mind.”
He filled her cup with a jasmine tea that was her favorite and too expensive to ever purchase for herself. Perhaps the viscount’s cook, Mrs. Stringer, had prepared it especially for her. Or Mr. Greaves might have suggested it when he ordered the refreshments.
Her father had been vicar in this parish for decades and she had grown up knowing all of these congregants and their families, often visiting their homes when someone took ill, or simply delivering food if they hit a rough patch in their lives.
She knew them as well as one would know one’s own family. “My lord? Do you not like the idea of starting with a list of friends and family?”
To her frustration, he continued to say nothing for the longest while.
Was he going to back out of this endeavor?
She clenched her teeth and forced a smile, wanting to be patient with him but not about to sit around and pamper him. As the silence persisted, she set down her cup and rose. “Perhaps you might ponder these questions tonight and send word to me tomorrow once you are ready to talk.”
He emitted a low growl. “Sit down, Viola.”
Goodness, that sounded commanding.
She plopped back in her chair.
“And stop tossing me those impatient looks. I do not need your assistance with the others on my guest list, only with the young ladies to be invited. The selectfewyoung ladies to be invited.”
She gripped the sides of her chair to calm herself down, for he had never used this tone of voice on her before, not even this morning while drunk and hating himself. It was quite daunting. “Um, how many is a few?”
“Let’s start with three.”
“Only three?”
“I do not want them all descending on me like a plague of locusts.”
“Well, that is going to charm them,” she said dryly, wishing she had better control of her sharp tongue. She understood this was difficult for him, but that did not give him the right to take it out on her. “They’ll sense at once this is all you think of them.”
“They might, but none of them will care. I am wealthy in my own right and next in line to an earldom. They will overlook just about any failings in me.”
“You are quite cynical. I am sure the parents of any of these girls will want to see them happily settled to a man who will not demean their precious daughters. What good parent would ever want to see their children unhappy?”
“No, Viola. What any good parent wants is to see their daughter well settled. Whether she is content or not is up to her. The marriage does not have to be a love match, but must provide comfort and financial security for her and her offspring. The rest of it, what she makes of her life, is up to her.”
He had gentled his tone, and although he still spoke with irritating cynicism, she could not deny that much of what he said was true. “Seems you understand this game far better than I do. Why am I even here? You have dismissed all of my ideas.”
“I have not dismissed them or you. The truth is, I have no idea what I want. All I know is what I don’t want, and that is someone who is a pale imitation of Jillian.”
