It was Kiernan’s turn to gape. Bellamy had purposefully orchestrated the time together alone at the pond. No doubt he’d hoped the rain would force Kiernan and Alannah to talk, maybe even confess their feelings to one another.
Torin was staring at Kiernan, amazement softening his features. “Mr. Shanahan cares about Alannah? Enough to marry her?”
Bellamy nodded. “Oh aye. He does. And he’s finally admitting it.”
Kiernan couldn’t respond, was still speechless over Bellamy’s cleverness. He should have seen it, especially after watching him match his two sisters. But he’d underestimated the fellow.
On the one hand, Kiernan didn’t want Alannah having to learn about his true feelings for her this way, secondhand from Bellamy. On the other hand, he was relieved he no longer had to deny to himself and everyone else that he liked Alannah.
The question was, did she like him enough to marry him?
Alannah’s shoulders had stiffened, and her body had turned rigid.
“I thought it was only fair,” Bellamy continued nonchalantlywhile nodding toward the paper Alannah was holding, “that Alannah knew your list of qualifications for a wife before she agreed to the match.”
Kiernan’s heartbeat slammed to a halt against his chest. What was Bellamy doing? The list wasn’t for Alannah. He didn’t want her to see it, not even a single line of it.
Kiernan darted forward. He needed to get the paper from her, needed to throw it away. Because that’s where the list belonged—in a rubbish heap.
18
Alannah’s chest squeezed painfully.
Kiernan had a list of qualifications he wanted in a wife. And she didn’t meet a single one of the items written in his bold handwriting:
Qualities Needed in a Wife:
From high society
Well-bred
Educated
Manage a large house
Host parties to entertain business associates
St. Louis native
Familiar with important people
Polished
Poised
Pretty
From a wealthy family
Substantial dowry
Ach, maybe she did meet a couple of his prerequisites. She was pretty. She knew that well enough from the compliments and attention she drew from men, even from him.
She was also educated. She might not have gone to a school for long, but her mam had made sure she could read and write from an early age. She’d loved reading and so had made sure Alannah and her siblings had loved it too.
But the rest of the list? Alannah fell short in every area that was important to Kiernan. She wasn’t from the same social class, had grown up in a laboring family, had never managed a home or hosted parties, wasn’t from St. Louis and didn’t even like the city, had no notion of who was important in his social circles, nor did she care. She wasn’t polished or poised, was instead herself, flaws and all. Her family had no wealth and therefore would never be able to give him asubstantialdowry.
Before she could tuck the list away in her pocket, it was ripped from her grasp. She spun to retrieve it only to find Kiernan under the pavilion, backing away from her with the sheet.
