The second category encompassed everyone else, beginning with debutantes with besmirched reputations, disreputable widows, illegitimates, middle class, and—it went without saying—dancers, courtesans, and prostitutes.
Miss Jones, as Addison saw her, fell into the first category. He’d not considered before that she also fell into the second one.
He’d not truly comprehended her reasons for refusing his proposal. He had heard them, but not listened. If he had, he might have already surmised that as far as she was concerned, she believed herself to be wholly in the unmarriageable category.
Rowan had realized this about her. Of course, he had.
So why did Addison feel a persistent need to treat her as though she was in the first? Was it because his desire to marry her had more to do with the woman herself than the circumstances of her birth?
Because in being honest with himself, honor was no longer the only thing compelling him to get her to the altar.
“I’m taking a young woman driving tomorrow afternoon, Brown. Please inform Tibbs to have the curricle ready at fifty minutes past one.”
“I hadn’t realized any suitable young ladies were residing in town just now,” his manservant commented. “One of the ladies on your mother’s list, by chance?”
“God, no.” Addison exhaled. Of all the uncertainties surrounding Miss Jones, he was in no doubt that his mother would not approve of her. She tended to see matters in black and white.
As his father had. And his grandfather before him.
Addison bid his valet good night, extinguished the last remaining candles, and climbed into bed. He would see her tomorrow. He would drive her to one of the more private sections of the park. He would discover whether that kiss had been an anomaly.
* * *
“The Duke of Bedwellis taking you driving?” Bethany paused in spreading the jam on her morning toast to pin a questioning gaze on Collette.
“He’s likely showing his appreciation for her efforts with his sister. They do have a prior association, darling.” Chase said, hardly pausing before taking another bite of bacon, while Collette squirmed beneath her sister-in-law’s all too knowing gaze.
“The duke’s sister was one of my top students in the few days I spent at Miss Primm’s. He was in need of reassurance that the school is the best place for her.” Collette picked at the egg on her plate. She was nervous for the day, and whenever she was nervous, her appetite went into hiding.
“I’m not certain that school is an appropriate place for any young woman of character,” Chase added. “Not while Primm bows to the wishes of the likes of that Metcalf woman.” It was a sore spot for him, and Collette appreciated his loyalty.
“She didn’t have much choice,” Collette gently reminded him. “And Miss Shipley wrote me an excellent reference. She said neither she nor Miss Primm were happy about letting me go, but they stood to lose nearly half their students otherwise.”
“Not sure I’d count those sorts of students a loss,” he grumbled.
“Chase.” Bethany placed her hand on his. “It’s not fair to blame the girls for their parents’ actions. That’s twenty girls whose lives would have been uprooted.” But then she smiled. “And speaking of uprooting lives, Chase has agreed to take me down to Brighton for a short holiday before winter sets in. We’re going to be leaving tomorrow.”
A look of adoration passed between her brother and his wife. It was almost as though he knew her secret already. Bethany flushed and raised her toast to her lips.
Collette wouldn’t be surprised if Bethany had told him the night before. She doubted they kept anything from one another very long.
What would it be like to have someone like that in her life? Her father had loved her mother in his own way but not in that all-encompassing way her brother loved Bethany.
“When you go with the duke, you’ll want to be sure to wear a bonnet. And a wool coat as well. When I ventured into the garden this morning, the winds were already picking up.”
If the weather turned, the duke would have an excellent reason to cancel their appointment. Did she want that?
She didn’t.
Because as unsettled as he made her feel, she also liked talking to him. She liked… him.
“I hope it doesn’t rain,” she said.
“It won’t,” Chase declared without looking up from his food. “The weather doesn’t dare inconvenience dukes. Or so Blackheart would have me believe.”
And just as her brother predicted, the storm held off.
Although the sky was gray and gloomy hours later, the streets remained dry, giving Collette every reason to expect her escort for the afternoon to present himself at the allotted time. Because of course, he would arrive precisely on the agreed upon hour, and she would be prepared to receive him.
