Jovis returned a moment later, coughing softly to gain the Earl's attention.
“Well, where is she?” Lord Monweithe asked, irritated, but nevertheless keeping a wary eye on his prospective son-in-law.
“Beg pardon, my lord, but the Lady Elizabeth says as how she is doing some mending, she cannot come.”
“What! You tell that—” Monweithe started to exclaim but stopped in confusion seeing the shuttered look come over St. Ryne’s face. He looked at St. Ryne helplessly.
St. Ryne put his glass down and rose from his chair. Bowing to the Earl, a slow trace of a smile began to cross his face. “It isalways best to get over heavy ground as lightly as possible. May I have your trust, sir?”
“Ah, of course lad. No need to ask.”
“Good. Then I shall start as I mean to go on,” St. Ryne stated. He turned to Jovis. “Please conduct me to the Lady Elizabeth.”
Lord Monweithe looked carefully at St. Ryne, then nodded his consent.
St. Ryne followed the butler upstairs to a small parlor at the back of the house, forestalled his announcing him, and signaled the man’s dismissal with a jerk of his head. Smiling to himself in anticipation of the encounter, he opened the door.
The room was shabbier than the rest of the house, but its tall windows let in the streaming sunlight. Seated with her feet tucked up under her on a small, faded gold sofa by the windows, a stack of mending by her side, was the Lady Elizabeth Monweithe. She was wearing a much worn, faded blue gown that was tight across the bodice. Her long dark hair was pulled back and held by a silk ribbon. The sunlight shining on her hair showed glowing red and gold highlights. When she looked up as the door opened, her expression was one of exasperation at being disturbed yet again, but when she saw who stood there in the doorway, her color rose.
“You!”
Justin’s smile broadened. Closing the door, he leaned against it.
“What, my Elizabeth speechless again? For shame. Well, I’ll promise not to tell—we can’t spoil your reputation now.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked coldly, while her heart fluttered wildly in her chest.He came!
“What? Here? Standing—you haven’t asked me to sit yet,” he said easily, as he avidly drank in her appearance. She was more beautiful than he remembered.
“Don’t play games,” she ground out. “Why did you come to see me?”
“Now we are getting conceited, aren’t we? And just after one dance.” He watched her bite her lip in exasperation and laughed. “Actually, I came to visit your father.”
“My father?” Her voice shook.
“Certainly. It still is considered necessary for a suitor to ask the parents of a young lady if he may solicit her hand in marriage, isn’t it? At least, it was when I left for Jamaica. Personally,” he went on reflectively, “I’ve always thought the principals should decide such things among themselves first; however, I am in the minority, so I bow to convention.”
She sneered at him. “So, another of little Helene’s conquests.” A steel band tightened around her heart.
He cocked his head to one side as he regarded her. “That is exactly what your father thought. Perhaps I overreacted. No, you silly widgeon, it isyourhand I asked for.”
The color drained from Lady Elizabeth’s face and she slowly raised a white hand to her throat. Her stomach somersaulted. Swallowing convulsively, she stared up at him. The silence in the room was suffocating. Lady Elizabeth took a ragged deep breath. “How dare you. I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man alive. Get out!” she rasped, rising unsteadily from her seat and pointing toward the door. She could not take his teasing her. She knew of her reputation as a shrew. No gentlemen approached her. It was cruel of him to play with her in this manner.
In two strides St. Ryne was before her with her hand held securely between his.
“Thank you, my love. Since I know I am not the last man alive, nothing may stand in my way.”
Elizabeth sputtered, “S-s-swine! Trading on your birth as a nobleman.” She tried to wrest her hand away by pushing on himwith her other. “A common cit is a better man! Let me go or I’ll scream!”
“Please do, my love. Though I must admit it is an unconventional method of saying, ‘Yes, I’ll marry you.’ I would never want my Bess to be conventional. Of course, if you really want to be in a more colorful compromising position, I’m sure we can arrange that, too.”
Elizabeth glared at him then slapped him with her free hand.
St. Ryne froze for a moment, then gently slapped her back.
Lady Elizabeth’s cheeks burned with the audacity of her action and his unexpected reaction. She didn’t understand him at all!
“Leave me alone! I don’t know how you weaseled your way up here, and I don’t care—just leave!” she rasped, her voice rising, catching painfully in her throat. “I-I won’t marry you. Is that plain enough?”
