No longer able to face him, she crossed over to the front window and swept the panels of lace aside. “All the names are different, my lord. Never fear.” After all, it would seem strange indeed if every dashing hero in her love stories was called Matthew. “Your cousins must be quite cold by now. Should you not get them home?”
“They have throws. I am sure they are fine.” He joined her at the window. “What say you, Fortuity? If you gave your stories to me today, I could read them tonight and start speaking with publishers tomorrow.”
The idea of allowing her stories out of her possession made her bristle. Her precious tales were the last of her privacy, the last of her soul, the deepest imaginings of her heart. How could he expect her to hand them over like yesterday’s tattle sheets? “I am not comfortable with that, my lord, but I thank you.” She kept her gaze locked on the street outside the window, willing him to go away and leave her to the task of licking her wounds.
“Not comfortable with what? I must read them to more intelligently convince the publishers of their worth.”
Fisting her hands, she forced herself to look at him. “Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“This,” she said, hissing the word through her clenched teeth. “Go home, Matthew, and busy yourself with whatever viscounts do.”
His dark brows drew down, and he dragged in a deep intake of air. “I cannot give you marriage, my dear little wren, but I cangive you my friendship and help you achieve your life’s dream. I beg you—please—let that be enough.”
“I think it best we part ways and be done with it.”
“With my help, your stories will be published. The title pages will read:written by Lady Fortuity Abarough.Alone, you have no option other than your brother using his power to coerce someone into accepting them. Is that what you wish? For your tales to be published because of coercion?”
“Is that not what you offer?” she snapped. “Using your connections to force your business acquaintances into doing what you wish?”
“No.” He scowled at her. “I intend to read your stories and sing their virtues until every publisher I know begs for permission to be the one to put your books out into the world. I shall start a bidding war for your tales.”
“For one who has never read them, you think highly of my writings.”
“That is why you should give them to me today.”
“No. My stories do not leave my possession. If you are to read them, you may do so in my presence, then give your opinion.” She jutted her chin higher, determined to hold strong. “They are all I have, Matthew, and I daresay I do not trust allowing them into your household without myself to guard them.”
“I would guard them,” he said in a hurt tone.
“The way you guarded the details of today’s outing?”
He flinched and bowed his head. “I understand, my lady.”
“Good day, Matthew. Take your cousins home. Get them in out of the cold.”
He fixed her with a stare that sent a shiver through her. “Only if you promise to bring your stories to me tomorrow. Bring your sister or however many sisters you deem appropriate to protect your reputation, although I will take great pains to ensure that Agnus is also there as a proper chaperone. In fact, as far asanyone is concerned, you are coming to visit her. I daresay it would be too great a stretch of the imagination for anyone to believe you are coming for tea with Eleanor.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to do this for you,” he said. “Ineedto do this for you.”
“Why?” she asked again, softer this time.
“Because this is the only thing I can offer you, Fortuity. Please, allow me to do this.”
Chapter Four
“Ithink youshould tell the fool to make up his mind,” Grace said. “From what I overheard yesterday, the man loves you but is too great a coward to admit it to himself.”
Fortuity clasped her gloved hands tighter inside her fur muff and shivered as the Broadmere carriage drew ever closer to Ravenglass Townhouse on Chesterfield Street. It was a damp, bone-chilling day, and the task at hand only made her colder. “I think you should remember that eavesdropping is most rude.”
“Do not be a hypocrite, sister. I have seen you lean in close to take in conversations you were not a part of.”
“We should turn around and go back home.”
“We should not.” Grace wagged a finger at her. “The more he is around you, the more he will realize his life is incomplete without you at his side.”
