“When I realized that she was gently bred, of course I couldn’t take advantage of her situation. So I brought her here.” After a moment, he added stiffly, “I assure you, nothing improper occurred.”
“God forbid that I should consider her turning up in your bed as improper,” Lady Selbourne said dryly. Her shrewd gaze went back to Nicole. “Is what Philip says true, Miss Chambord?”
Nicole nodded miserably.
Her fingers drumming on the right arm of her chair, Lady Selbourne studied her potential daughter-in-law. At length she said, “Well, you’ve a practical mind, and that’s no bad thing.” Switching to French, she said, “Tell me about your family.”
Seeing that Nicole was speechless, Philip said helpfully, “Her mother is related to a count.”
“Which one?”
Finding her tongue, Nicole said in French, “The Count du Vaille, but the connection is remote.”
Lady Selbourne bit her lip absently. “The Count du Vaille? He’s also a distant relative of mine, so you and I are in some way related. Where in France did you live?”
Still in French, Nicole sketched in her background and the story of how her family had been forced to flee to England.
Lady Selbourne thought for a moment, then began tapping one dainty foot. “Très bien. With the du Vaille connection, the world can be told that you are a cousin to whom we offered a home. After a few months of proximity, no one will be surprised if there is a happy announcement.”
Nicole gaped at Lady Selbourne. “You mean that you would approve of such a match?”
Philip’s mother gave her son an affectionate glance. “I have been doing my best to find my son a suitable bride, and you are the only girl who has caught his fancy. Philip is very like his father—an easygoing Englishman, but once he makes his mind up, nothing will shake him from his path. While I would certainly not approve of him marrying a courtesan, I have heard nothing about your past that disqualifies you from becoming his wife.”
Voice choked, Nicole exclaimed, “But he can’t possibly marry an unknown female with no reputation! He knows nothing of me.”
“I know that you’re honest and lovely and brave and kind, and enchantingly unexpected,” Philip said. “What more do I need to know?”
“But…but I could be lying about everything,” she said helplessly.
“You are the most ruthlessly honest female I’ve ever met!” he retorted. “I may not have muchsavoir faireor a deep understanding of the female mind, but I do know that.”
Lady Shelbourne gave a low chuckle. “Resign yourself, Miss Chambord. If Philip has decided that he wants to marry you, you had best accept it. Granted, his proposal was cabbage-headed in the extreme, but I’ve always found his judgment to be sound.”
She got to her feet. “I think it’s time to leave you young people to sort this out.” Leaning over, she scooped up Merkle, who was sniffing inquiringly about her slippers. “You’re a pretty little puss. Would you like a Christmas ribbon around your neck? Not red, that would clash with the orange in your fur. Green would be better.” She glided out of the room, the calico cat draped across her shoulder.
Nicole stared after her until the door closed. “I’ve never met anyone quite like your mother!”
“She is rather remarkable. You remind me of her a bit.” Philip caught Nicole’s hand and drew her over to sit beside him on the sofa. “Now, ma petite, shall we discuss our future?”
“How can we have a future?” she protested as she settled next to him. “We hardly know each other.” She swallowed hard, determined to keep her head. “Why do you want to marry me?”
He smiled. “I rather think I’m in love with you. Isn’t that the best of reasons?”
She gave him a level look. “ ‘Rather think’ isn’t enough. I don’t want to be one of your broken-winged birds or injured hedgehogs that you take in from pity.”
Philip’s laughing face sobered. “I might try to help a waif because of pity, but I’m not foolish enough to marry for such a reason. I enjoy your company, I admire you, and I desire you. If you turn me down, it’s myself I’ll pity, not you, for I’ve never met another woman with whom I could imagine spending my life.”
His hand tightened on hers. “But just as you don’t want me to propose from pity, I don’t want you to accept from gratitude or desperation.”
“I wouldn’t,” Nicole assured him. “I’ve seen what love should be like between man and wife. I won’t settle for a marriage that is merely convenient.”
He caught her gaze with his. “Do you think that someday you might be able to love me?”
Philip’s nearness and the warmth of his eyes were rapidly disabling her logic. Looking away from his face, she whispered, “Last night I realized that I was falling in love with you, but it never occurred to me that you might reciprocate. You made it very clear that you didn’t want a wife.”
“I didn’t. I still don’t want ‘a wife.’ What I want is you,ma petite, for now and always," he said softly. "I’ve never thought of marrying before. Now that I’ve met you, I can think of nothing else.”
He gently brushed a curl from her temple. “I know this is very sudden. There’s no need to rush to a decision. Since this is a house of mourning, it will be several months before a betrothal could be announced. That will give us time to become sure of our feelings. As my mother said, you can be a distant cousin come to keep her company. No one will question that.”
