And yet, that was the crux of the matter, and one of the reasons he’d come to see Melinda tonight, for some much needed advice into the mind of the opposite sex. “I daresay I’ve been trying to do just that, but she’s rather adamant in her desire to remain unattached. How can I convince her otherwise?”
“Simple.” She shrugged. “You must seduce her.”
Grey snorted. “And here I thought you might have given me a reasonable answer.”
“Itisreasonable.” Her cheeks colored suddenly. “How do you imagine I fell in love with Eli so quickly? I was quite enamored of his kisses.”
“I can see I’m going to have to have a firm chat with my brother-in-law,” Grey muttered.
She laughed. “I think it’s a little late for that, don’t you?” She gestured to the baby he held. She lifted Mary out of his arms and said, “Now, go, and win the heart of your fair maiden.”
He rolled his eyes. “Shall I take my broadsword and chain mail?”
Grey rose and bent to kiss his sister’s cheek. “Thank you.”
As he straightened, the door opened and his brother-in-law strode in with a wide, welcoming smile. “I heard that you were here. I apologize for not greeting you earlier. I was in my study taking care of some business.”
Grey eyed the dark-haired man in a new light than before. With his spectacles and kind demeanor, he couldn’t imagine that he would have defiled his sister before they were wed. He started to do the math regarding when their eldest child was born and wondered if perhaps…
“Montrose,” Grey returned evenly, suddenly skeptical of the man standing before him.
Eli frowned curiously, but otherwise, he said nothing as he walked over and laid a gentle hand on his wife’s shoulder, peering down at their latest creation. In that moment, with the absolute love and adoration shining from his eyes that was mirrored in Melinda’s expression, Grey decided that whatever Eli had done to secure his sister’s hand had been worth it in the end, for they were happily in love.
He could only wish for the same ending with Araminta.
Grey quietly left the room.
Eight
Araminta’s mind was whirling with every minute that ticked passed on the ormolu clock on the mantel in her bedchamber. She knew what would happen if she met Lord Somers that evening—and that she would lose him if she didn’t.
He’d given her the choice.
The question that remained was what was she going to do?
She’d seen him depart with Osgood during intermission, and as she resumed her seat with her sisters to hear what had happened to the Nutcracker, Araminta realized that she hadn’t allowed a single word to penetrate her brain, although she had clapped along with the rest of the assemblage when it was over.
On the way back to their house, she saw that she wasn’t the only one reticent to join in Calliope and Olivia’s conversation regarding the entertainment. Isadora said little during the ride, and excused herself the moment they returned home. Araminta could only guess that she had been rather charmed by Osgood’s attentions, and when they were stripped away, she was feeling rather bereft. For as much as they all prided themselves on being women who wanted to live independently from a man, when a member from the opposite sex noticed a lady and showered her with attention, it was hard to remain unaffected. Females had their pride too.
But while she didn’t imagine that the marquess’ affections could be sincere, especially when Araminta figured out that Lord Somers had convinced him to attend the reading in order to distract Isa, the earl had told Araminta more than once that he wished to further their courtship.
But how could she believe that to be true? They had only shared a handful of interactions. What had made Lord Somers so determined that he should haveheras his wife?
Araminta sat down on the edge of her four poster bed and put a hand to her pounding head as the clock chimed the hour of eleven. She was already dressed for bed, having dismissed her maid some time ago, so there was no reason for her not to already be under the covers, her eyes shut and starting to fall into dreamland.
And yet…
She couldn’t help but glance outside at the softly falling snow and imagine the earl sitting inside of his carriage, waiting to see if she would arrive, wondering if she would join him so that they might allow Scandal Lane to live up to its torrid reputation.
She saw his face in her mind, the black hair and those piercing blue eyes. She imagined his hands touching her bare skin as his lips found hers…
Stop it!She stood up and threw back the covers of the bed, determined to ignore the yearning in her heart that dared her to break all the rules. She climbed underneath the coverlet and pulled it up to her chin, laying her arms over the top on either side, as if trying to pin herself in place.
She adjusted her head on the pillow, but try as she might she did nothing more than stare at the ceiling above her. She squeezed her eyes shut and imagined the field full of white puffy sheep as they grazed on the grass near her father’s estate. Her throat thickened suddenly, as her mind took her back to her childhood, for she craved those carefree days when he had been alive.
She still mourned his loss, but she kept those tears to herself in private, not wishing to upset her sisters. It had been bad enough when they had to pack up and leave the estate to some unknown heir that would eventually move in with his family. While Araminta and her siblings knew each wooden board that creaked, and that one of the portraits of their ancestors that lined the gallery was never perfectly straight, no matter what they did to correct the problem, and the library had over one thousand volumes, it didn’t matter, because it was no longer their home.
Perhaps that’s why her mind was making her consider the earl’s proposal, because deep down, she wanted that sort of life again. She missed confiding in her father and the comforting hug he would give her when she was upset. But she didn’t want to distance herself from her sisters by going back on her word. To lose their trust would be to lose…what was left.
