“Miss Merrington… Sophia… you talk about ribbons from nervousness, I am sure, but there is no need. You know what I am about to say. My visit to my father was timely, for it enabled me to tell him about you, and you may be sure I described you in the most glowing terms. Be assured that I have his full approval for all that I am about to say, for I know that must weigh with you.”
“Must it?” she said, her mischievous imp still driving her.
“Of course it must!” he said sharply. “My father is a marquess!”
“Oh yes! The Marquess of Pentavon — I looked him up in the Peerage. Such a distinguished history, and Pentavon Castle— I beg your pardon, sir. I interrupted you.”
“It is of no consequence,” he said stiffly. “My father approves of our match, that is the important point, so you need not hesitate on that account. He feels that a connection to the Duke of Brinshire is an excellent idea. And the duke himself has no objection, he as good as told me so. At least, he will give you a dowry, which is the same thing.”
“And my brother?” she said sweetly. “He is the one you will have to convince.”
“Merrington? Why should he object?”
“I cannot say, but he might. Gentlemen know more about other gentlemen than ladies do, after all, and he might know something about you to which I am not privy.”
“Great heavens, is this what you think — that I have some monstrous secret in my history?” Now he sounded quite cross.
“Did I not just say that I do not know what secrets you might have?”
“Well, I have none.”
“I am glad to hear it, although I should have supposed it so. I do not think you have the—” Hmm, courage? Imagination? “—the disregard for your family’s honour to do anything dreadful.”
“Thank you for that, at least. Good Lord, Sophia, you used not to be such a gabble-mouth! Will you let me say what I have come all the way from Gloucestershire to say to you?”
“I beg your pardon, sir. Pray continue.”
She bowed her head meekly, but inside her laughter was bubbling up and trying very hard to burst out. She could not wait to tell her sisters about this — but no, a private interview wasundoubtedly meant to remain private. Bother! They would have enjoyed the joke, she was sure.
“Thank you. Sophia…” He huffed in annoyance. “You have distracted me so much that I have forgot what I was about to say.”
She was so tempted to say‘You were about to propose marriage’, but the glower on his face deterred her. His patience was wearing thin. So she bit her tongue and waited for him to put his thoughts in order.
“Well, you know it anyway, I dare say. You must have heard it a thousand times — admiration and so forth. Wanting to share my life with you, that sort of thing. Let us dispense with all the flowery nothings and get to the point. Will you marry me, Sophia?”
Flowery nothings?Could he not even be bothered to make some show of affection? A few compliments — she did not ask for much. She was twenty-eight years old, a person of very little account outside her own family, so her expectations were low, and she had no wish for false declarations of love. But he ought to make some effort.
“I do not want flowery nothings, Daniel,” she said gently, “but I should like to know why precisely you want to marry me.”
“Well… the usual reasons,” he said, looking embarrassed. “I… Ilikeyou, Sophia. I think we should suit very well.”
“Where should we live?”
“Oh, that is all settled,” he said smugly. “The north wing of Pentavon. My oldest brother has it at present, but when he marries next month, he will move out to the western gatehouse — that is always kept for the heir, you see. So the north wing goes to whichever of the rest of us marries first, and I thought…” He must have realised how unflattering this line of thought was, for he finished lamely, “And I met you, fortuitously, and so I thought…”
That I would do,she mentally finished for him. But she was tired of teasing a man who provided so little sport, so instead she said, “How many rooms?”
“In the north wing? Four — parlour, dining room, bedroom, dressing room.”
“That is very small,” she said.
“It is perfectly adequate for the two of us, since any children will share the nursery with my brothers’ children. You can have the dressing room, if you like.”
“How kind. What is your income?”
He frowned. “That is no concern of yours. It will be enough to support a wife and children, that is all you need to know.”
“My pin money is very much my concern.”
