She huffed and looked away. “I merely like to know my standing among the gossips.”
His self-satisfied chuckle irritated her immensely. “The gossips have no one with whom to compare you. You stand alone, my lady.”
“Well, then.” Now she didn’t know what to say. “Have you any other questions for me?”
“Yes,” he said, thoughtfulness ringing in his tone. “What made you decide to take a chance on me even after I admitted I needed your dowry?”
“Your eyes.”
“My eyes?”
She didn’t know exactly how to explain it. “Some say the eyes are the windows to the soul. When I look into yours”—she sheepishly tipped her head—“I see a good man. A man who has endured a great deal. A man whom I would like to trust and not have him play me for a fool.” She dared to lock gazes with him. “Can I trust you, my lord? Do you swear to be honest?”
He stopped walking and turned her to face him. “The answer to both is a resounding yes, and please know I understand that words mean little if they are not backed by actions. While we are courting, I hope to convince you that you can always trust me. I hope to erase alldoubts that must surely be there because of my circumstances.”
“There is that soul,” she whispered, impulsively touching his cheek. “Not that I am an expert, but I find it hard to believe that a ruthless cove could possess such eyes. Eyes that make me feel so safe.”
He started to kiss her hand, but Merry scooted between them and shepherded them onward. “Come along now, my naughty children. We must adhere to all proprieties.”
Drake grinned. “Yes, Lady Merry. Do forgive me, but your sister makes me forget myself.”
“That is why I am here to remind you,” Merry said with a smugness that made Felicity roll her eyes. “I am rather enjoying this newfound sense of power. Perhaps I shall offer my services as a chaperone to others.”
“That would throw Serendipity and Chance into quite the tizzy,” Felicity said as she and Drake resumed their stroll. “It would be quite the chore to find you a proper match if you are chaperoning others.”
“Serendipity is the eldest sister, correct?” Drake asked.
“Indeed, she is, something she likes to remind us of every chance she gets.” Upon noticing clouds gathering, Felicity closed her parasol. “Chance is the firstborn, then Seri is next.”
“Is the eldest not usually the first to secure a match?”
“She promised Mama she would not marry until the rest of us were settled in our own happily-ever-afters. Only then will Seri consider entering the Marriage Mart herself.” While Felicity was grateful for her sister’s sacrifice, she often wondered if that was Seri’s way of hiding from the inevitable, as all the rest of them had tried.
“Chance will get her married off as soon as Felli and I are gone,” Merry said from behind them. “He’ll not be satisfied until he receives his full inheritance.”
At Drake’s quizzical look, Felicity explained, “For Chance to inherit full access to the Broadmere accounts, all of us, his seven sisters, must have happily settled down in love matches.”
“A love match is a rare thing,” Drake said. “Marriages are more like business agreements for many. I assume a sharp-eyed solicitor is watching to ensure those terms are met?”
“You assume correctly. Mr. Sutherland, the elder, has been the Broadmere solicitor for as long as I can remember, and he is training his son, Mr. Sutherland, the younger, to take his place once he retires.” Felicity had always liked both solicitors. They seemed to be kind and honest persons, which was not surprising. Mama and Papa would not have bothered with any other sort.
The soft rumbling of distant thunder drew her eyes to the sky once more. “I fear our promenade is soon to be over. Perhaps we should start for home.”
Scowling at the clouds that dared to end their visit, Drake nodded. “Allow me to escort you, ladies. With any luck, we should be able to make it to Broadmere Hall before the skies open up.”
“That would be very nice,” Felicity said, ignoring the smug looks of those traipsing off to the shelter of their carriages. “I find a brisk walk quite refreshing.”
Thunder rumbled again, louder this time.
“We had better hurry,” Merry said, “or we shall soon find ourselves refreshed by a good dousing.”
With her arm still looped through his, Felicity picked up the pace. Hearty laughter bubbled free of her as the three of them scurried down the lane, not quite breaking into a run, but walking a great deal faster than what was considered proper. The clean, fresh scent of the approaching rain rode high on the wind, urging them on. There was something exhilarating about running alongside the man who swore he was interested only in her, and even the threat of a rainstorm didn’t dampen his spirits. Her joy in the simple things was contagious. Merry and Drake joined in her laughter as they raced along like three children escaping their daily lessons. She had never imagined courtship could be this lovely.
Lightning flashed, making Merry squeal. “Oh my goodness! Here it comes!”
The sky opened up and kept its promise of a good soaking.
Felicity opened her parasol and tried to shield Drake and herself, but it merely slowed the drenching. Merry added her parasol to the mix as they all huddled together, but their efforts were futile. The silk and cotton of the frilly things filtered the water more than stopped it. The fashion accessory was meant to shield one from the sun, not the rain.
