Over lunch, Selina told William about her impromptu visit to the grave, and he gave her a solemn look. ‘Laying ghosts?’
‘Making myself feel less guilty for not visiting her more after Cameron left,’ she muttered, choosing a granary bread roll from the waitress’s proffered basket. When the woman had gone, she said quietly, ‘The truth is, I’m not as kind as Bella was. Try as I might, I was never quite able to forgive Helen for seducing Sebastian behind my sister’s back.’
She had finally told William in detail what she’d discovered about the Bournes in her sister’s journals. He had been as shocked as her by the revelations, and angry too when he learned how Cameron had kissed her out at Dead Man’s Bluff, and agreed that he’d most likely been hoping for a position of influence with Peter once he came of age and inherited his father’s wealth.
‘You are a clever, level-headed young woman, Selina, and being a realist rather than “kind” is nothing to be ashamed of.’ William raised a glass and drank her health, smiling. ‘And now we come to my share of today’s conversation.’
She raised her brows. ‘Go on.’
William set down the glass, staring down into his wine with sudden hesitancy. ‘Selina, I know I’m not worthy of thehonour, and that I’m far older than you, though only by a dozen or so years,’ he said, stumbling over the words, his gaze lifting shyly to hers at last, ‘and you should feel free to throw your drink in my face even for daring to suggest it, but I wonder … That is, I would be the happiest man in the world if you would consent to be my wife, Selina Tiptress … I mean, Tiptree.’ He blushed rosily. ‘Tiptree,’ he repeated with careful emphasis, shaking his head. ‘Forgive me, I swear I practised that. Perhaps I ought to have gone over it again before making a fool of myself.’
Selina sat dazed, an odd buzzing in her ears. ‘I … I beg your pardon?’ She stared at him blankly. ‘You want to m-marry me?’
‘Is it so surprising?’
‘Yes,’ she said bluntly.
‘But all these months …’ He shook his head, looking bemused. ‘Visiting you at the hall, teaching you to drive, spending most of Christmas Day with you and the children … Not to mention all the kisses I’ve given you …’
‘You’ve only kissed me two or three times,’ she protested.
‘That’s two or three times more often than I kiss most women with whom I’m on first-name terms. And all the lunches and driving lessons? What did you think I was doing it for?’ His gaze clashed with hers, half-humorous, half-confused.
‘The estate …’ Her voice tailed off, and she blushed.
‘No,’ he said ironically.
‘No, I suppose not.’ She took a deep gulp of wine. ‘Golly.’
‘I take it that’s a no, then.’
She opened her mouth to say no, and then stopped herself.
His eyes narrowed. ‘I have a chance?’
‘I … I’m not sure.’
‘Good God, I have a chance.’ William leant back in his chair, drew a fat cigar from an inner pocket, caught her astonished eye, and hurriedly returned it to his pocket. ‘Quite right. You’re still thinking. The cigar will have to wait.’
‘You expected me to say yes?’
‘I was prepared for either yes or no. Yes, the cigar. No, continuing with our pleasant conversation,’ he said, grimacing, ‘before going home to lick my wounds as soon as decently possible.’
‘But me saying maybe threw you.’
‘As you say.’ But he was looking more cheerful. ‘So it’s a maybe.’
‘Perhaps.’
‘Oh, you …’ He laughed, but looked shaken. ‘May I ask what the chief stumbling block is? Then I could at least try to stack the odds in my favour.’
‘It’s not a stumbling block, as such.’ Selina met his gaze, feeling unexpectedly vulnerable. Right up until he’d asked her, she’d been sure she would not want to marry him. But the wordnohad refused to come, and she’d been surprised. She’d remembered how much she’d enjoyed their fleeting kisses, and felt a desire to have him kiss her again. Which could only mean one thing … She had feelings for this man. Feelings that refused to be suppressed. And there was no reason to suppress them, was there? She knew him to be a man of integrity, unlike her previous crushes, Johnny and Cameron – both weak-willed men, out to use her for whatever they could get. Yet there was still a nagging worry as she considered the possibility of a future with him. ‘It’s the children.’
William studied her intently. ‘What about them?’
‘If we married, you would still have your work here in town,’ she pointed out, ‘and as your wife, I would be expected to move in with you.’
‘True.’
