She couldn’t tell from the way he emphasized the words if he was asking a question or making an observation. Still, she felt obliged to answer.
“Of course I care. To a certain extent we all care, but we can’t care to the point that we live in fear of others’ opinions, that we allow them to change who we are. We must be willing to stand up and defend what represents the very core of our being. Otherwise what is the purpose of individuality? We’d be nothing but imitations of each other, and I daresay we’d all be rather boring.”
“I don’t think anyone with any sense could ever accuse you of being boring. As a matter of fact, you are the least boring person I know.”
His admission made her uncomfortable, because it pleased her far too much. Shouldn’t his love be the least boring person he knew?
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She looked down at her gloved hands, nestled in her lap. He shifted until he was sitting directly in front of her. He took her hands in his. His were so large. With his thumbs, he began stroking her knuckles.
“Is your wound hurting?” he asked.
She lifted her gaze to his. “No.”
She wanted to lean into him, wanted to press her lips to his. It was wrong of her to want so much from him, when his heart belonged to another.
“I was thinking that it might be a good idea to have Dr. Graves join us for dinner tomorrow night,” she said.
He narrowed his eyes. “Why?”
“It would make it seem more like a true social dinner, rather than simply you and Frannie dining with me looking on.”
He released his hold on her, leaned back, and crossed his arms over his chest. “Do you fancy him?”
She was taken aback by his tone; it had taken on an unfriendly edge, as though he were
—heaven forbid—jealous. “I like him. Of all your friends, he seems the most polished.”
“You don’t like Jack?”
“Not particularly, no.”
“Why?”
“I’m not exactly sure. I don’t”—she shook her head—“I don’t quite trust him.”
“And Jim?”
“Jim?”
“Swindler.”
“Ah, yes, the one with the unfortunate name. I really formed no impression of him.
Rather he seemed to blend in with the woodwork.”
“He’s good at that.”
“How does he make his living?”
“He’s an inspector with Scotland Yard.”
“So everyone is reputable except for Mr. Dodger.”
“Jack doesn’t force people to sin.”
“But he makes it very easy for them to do so.”
