‘Would you be violently opposed to me helping her with the school?’
He ran a hand through his hair. ‘She is not still planning to open a school in the dower house?’
‘She told me she was.’
‘That damned woman! I told her I would make good her jointure.’
‘Maybe she doesn’t want you to make good her jointure. Maybe she would prefer to be independent.’
Sebastian stared at his sister. ‘You don’t understand,’ he began.
Connie grinned. She crossed to her brother and pushed him lightly in the chest.
‘You like her, don’t you? I knew it!’
Sebastian opened his mouth to protest but ended up subsiding onto the stool. He buried his head in his hands.
‘Not a word, Connie. I’ve already made a prize idiot of myself with her once. I’ll not do it again.’
‘Why not? I don’t know who Inez was, but she has been dead a long time. Isabel is lovely and lonely. I fail to see where the problem lies.’
‘There’s no problem, Connie. Just... damn it... she’s still in mourning and we’ve only known each other a short time.’ He held up a warning finger. ‘You’re interfering in something you have no business in.’
Connie merely smiled. ‘I am interfering because I can clearly see two stubborn people I love who are incapable of admitting how they feel about each other.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’ve got eyes in my head, Bas, and I would wager my necklace that she feels the same way about you.’
Sebastian looked away, unable to meet his sister’s appraising gaze.
‘She has her own plans, and you’re correct, she desperately wants to be independent. I have no right to interfere in her life.’
‘Hmm,’ was all the answer his sister gave him.
‘What should I do?’ he asked, looking up at her.
‘I think,’ Connie said slowly, ‘that you better say something soon or you will lose her to the school and Manchester.’
She crossed to the door and opened it. Before leaving, she turned and looked back at him with a smile.
‘There’s the gong. I will see you at dinner, Bas.’
Chapter Forty-One
Freddy folded himself into the chair across from Sebastian, crossed his legs and steepled his fingers.
‘I gather our dear sisters had something of a contretemps this morning,’ he said.
Sebastian said nothing for a long moment. ‘What of it?’
Freddy rolled his eyes. ‘The female of the species is an unpredictable beast.’
‘Well, I would thank your sister to mind her own business in future and respect Connie’s privacy.’
Freddy held up a placatory hand. ‘Oh,bien sur, my dear cousin. I have spoken most firmly with her and told her she is to apologise forthwith to Constance. We can’t have these petty domestic squabbles disturbing our peace, not with the ball only a few days away. I am sure by tomorrow morning all will be forgiven and forgotten.’
Sebastian held his peace. Connie may well forgive, but she would be unlikely to forget.
