Raphael laughed. “Much too big to be hoping someone on a corner might direct you where you want to go. It’s a bloody city, old chap, not a little town or village.”
Duncan could have wrung the man’s neck at that point, for getting his hopes up, then shooting them down again. His expression probably said that was what he was thinking, because Raphael took at least one step back.
But then he grinned cheekily and said, “I could get you out of this mess.”
“E’en if that were true, which I’m doubting, why would you?”
“Gads, you needn’t look so suspicious. No ulterior motives, I assure you. I’m just aware that there is another you would prefer to marry.”
Knowing just how frequently Raphael tended to mention his young sister, Amanda, and that he would probably like to get out of the chore of chaperoning her about, which would only be accomplished by her own marriage, Duncan didn’t doubt that was who he was referring to.
So he assured him, “You’re wrong, mon. dinna want tae marry her.”
“No? Well, knock me over, I really think you mean it.” And then with a sigh of his own, “Very well, so I was wrong. But I’m still willing to help.”
“How?”
“By asking Ophelia to many me instead, of course. I’m probably the only one shewouldthrow you over for.”
Duncan couldn’t restrain a snort. “That’s a bluidy high opinion you have o’ yourself, mon, likely tae rival her own opinion o’ herself.”
Raphael chuckled. “Hardly. We’re talking titles here, which is all she’s really interested in, that and the wealth that comes with them. Don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s actually you she wants. And the title I will be inheriting does happen to be a bit more lofty than yours.”
“E’en if it might work, which it willna, couldna ask you tae make such a sacrifice.”
“What sacrifice? I’m not talking about actually marrying her,” Raphael said with a shudder. “Merely asking her, doing the engaged thing for a bit, then breaking it off. I’ll even do the gentlemanly part and let her do the breaking. Save face and all of that. Then no one’s hurt, you escape this fate worse than death, I get back to my usual pursuits of debauchery and the like, and everyone’s happy.”
“Except Ophelia, who still has this enemy o hers who can at any time ruin her wi’ the information she has,” Duncan pointed out. “What is tae stop Mavis from spreading her tale if Ophelia doesna marry me? Getting her engaged tae you won’t prevent that, will merely turn the tale into the full-blown scandal we’re trying tae avoid.”
Raphael frowned, having momentarily overlooked that wrinkle. “Well, hell, you really are in a fix then, aren’t you? So what are you waiting for? Come to think of it, I haven’t been to Manchester in a while myself. Think I’ll join you. Two of us can cover much more area than you can alone. For that matter, let your grandfather know, so he can send his people there as well.”
Much as Duncan hated to admit it, and he still didn’t like the roundabout way Raphael said things, the man was turning out to be likable after all.
Forty
Sabrina was getting on with her life. She found that if she could keep Duncan out of her mind, she could even laugh again when she felt like it. Of course, it didn’t take much for a spurt of tears to sneak up on her either, but for the most part, she managed to appear her old self as she went about her normal routines.
There had been one exception when poor Robert Willison had stopped to talk to her on her trek through Oxbow and had been treated to one of her spurts. He’d beensoupset when she burst into tears in front of him that he’d gone off to fetch three of his neighbors to help.
By the time everyone converged on her, though, she had her emotions back in hand and had blamed the tears on a speck of dust that was bothering her eye, and reminded her audience that a good cry was the best way to wash one’s eyes. They’d looked at her as if she were daft, but then, people often did look at her that way when she got into one of her silly moods, so that was nothing out of the ordinary.
Her aunts had decided she was “recovered” as well, though it had never been discussed just what her malady was. They knew it had to do with Duncan, but by unspoken agreement, they weren’t going to badger her about it. It did come up occasionally, though. How could it not when Duncan’s wedding was still the major topic of the neighborhood, and so it was hard not to mention it?
But they were back to thinking of other gentlemen who might “do” for her, and just last night when they were gathered in the parlor together after dinner, Alice mentioned a newcomer to the neighborhood.
“Sir Albert Shinwell is his name. He’s building a manor house on the other side of Oxbow near that lovely meadow there. I heard he’s just come into an unexpected inheritance, and decided on Oxbow for his country retreat.”
Hilary nodded, adding, “People do tend to spend a lot of money when it’s new money. Odd, that, but it happens all the time.”
“I’ve heard he’s also building in Bath and in Portsmouth. Sounds like it was quite a big inheritance.”
“He’s not married, nor ever has been,” Hilary put in. “That has been confirmed.”
“And he’s young,” Alice thought to add. “Not quite thirty yet.”
Sabrina had no trouble figuring out where the conversation was heading by then. “I’ll get around to meeting him, just donotbring him here to meet me.”
“We wouldn’t do that, dear, at least wouldn’t,” Hilary assured her.
