“I think it’s awful.”
“And it was, but it is not my place to judge anyone. Not after the way I’ve lived my life. Whatever reasons Mrs. Harris had, I’m sure I do not understand, but I will not criticize her.”
“Then you are a better woman than I,” Faith said.
“I’m a better woman than most, my dear, but that is beside the point,” Belle said haughtily, and while Faith was sure she was jesting, she couldn’t help but take note.
“Is that why Mr. Logan Harris is the way he is?”
Belle’s head tilted.
“What way is he?”
“Well, he’s… He’s always been so…”
But the words would not come. All that annoyed Faith about Logan had dissipated, only to reemerge into something different now, and she wasn’t sure who he was anymore. He had been kind to her since her stay at his house; he had even saved her since then. Not to mention his deep appreciation for art.
But she could not forgive his ownership of that painting. Mainly because of what it had meant to her when it had been painted.
Belle waited patiently for Faith to continue, but Faith stood instead and began pacing the floor, trying to solve the problem.
“Can one find someone attractive, even if they’re rude and brooding and overall ill-tempered?” she asked out loud and to no one in particular. “It just seems the opposite of what one would look for, doesn’t it? I mean, it simply makes no sense.”
“No sense at all,” Belle agreed, allowing Faith to continue.
“And if it doesn’t make sense, then how can it possibly be something sustainable?”
“How iswhatsustainable, my dear?”
Faith opened her mouth to answer but closed it. She couldn’t answer because she wasn’t sure what she was talking about. Instead, she rubbed the back of her neck with her hand and stared across the room.
“Nothing, I suppose.”
“Well, if you mean to ask how Georgie and I got on being so unsuited for one another, I’ll simply leave you with this. Love finds a way.”
Faith watched Belle as she stood up.
“And was it love between you two?”
“Oh yes, my dear. It was.”
Nodding quietly to herself, Faith felt even more confused than she had at the beginning of this revealing discussion. She might try to speak with Logan about what she did not know, but the very idea was unsettling. Her embarrassment over the painting was still at the forefront of her mind, and she couldn’t bear to even consider what he might think of her.
But perhaps she was judging him too harshly, assuming he would think the worst of her? He had kissed her ardently after the runaway horse incident and seemed genuinely concerned for her wellbeing. Whatever the case, Faith knew that she would eventually have to speak with him, and it would undoubtedly be tonight during the ball.
Faith finally permitted Belle to leave as the clock struck five o’clock, exiting the room first to ensure the hallway was clear. Andrews stood just outside the door and winked at Faith briefly to indicate that the coast was truly clear.
“Shall we go to dress for dinner then?” Belle asked, coming up behind Faith.
“Yes, but what do you think of tonight, wearing your finest dress?” Faith suggested.
“Tonight? But why?”
“Oh, no reason.”
Chapter Eleven
The ballroom atLismore Hall was not a large room. Indeed, it didn’t compare in size to the vast ballrooms of the Mayfair homes of London where Faith had spent time. But it had been decorated beyond compare for that evening’s festivities, and Faith was certain that she had never seen a more stunning room. The wood panel walls had been washed and waxed, causing them to shine, and with the chandeliers ablaze with dozens of candles above their heads against the barrel-vaulted ceiling, the room was filled with a golden glow.
