“I detest being called Lady Teviot,” she announced as she settled on the settee, surprised at the relief with her confession.
“It is your title,” Valentine reminded as he took a seat opposite her.
“It also belongs to my former mother-in-law. My husband is dead and his brother assumed the title,” Lavinia answered.
He frowned and it was likely because he could not understand.
Lavinia took a sip of her wine and wondered how much she should explain and then decided that if she were going to have Valentine as a dinner guest, and the fact that he would be her neighbor for the next fortnight, that she might as well forge a friendship. “The name has unpleasant emotions associated with it and I wish it was not mine.”
Goodness! She had felt this way since she had buried her husband but this was the first time she had ever admitted it. Not even her siblings knew but there was something freeing in telling Mr. Valentine.
He eyed her with confusion, or was it concern.
Not that it mattered as she was determined to enjoy her holiday regardless of what her future held, whether it be here, or back to her duties in her brother’s home and as Valentine was no stranger, she forged on. “Could you do me a favor?”
“If it is possible,” he answered and watched her with what she now deemed to be suspicion, which would never do as she was not up to anything nefarious.
“I am on holiday and as I would like to enjoy my time in Seaford, would you be opposed to calling me Lavinia while we are here?” Oh, it was a bold request but she would absolutely love to go for two weeks without hearing the name Teviot. Except the servants would address her as such, but that did not mean that Mr. Valentine must.
“I have no objection, so long as you call me Demetrius.”
She sucked in a breath as her pulse hitched. She’d not considered that he would ask to be addressed by his given name. “I could not.”
“Then I cannot grant you the same courtesy,” he answered.
“Yes, but you do not hate your name.”
He opened his mouth, as if he wished to deny her words, then said nothing.
“Please?” she nearly begged.
“I have stated my grounds. You address me as Demetrius or I address you by your title.”
Did she dare? “So long as we do not do so when we return to London as it would not be proper.”
“I would not dare show such disrespect,” he assured her with a partial smile and warm humor in his brown eyes.
“Dinner has been served,” the housekeeper announced.
Lavinia came to her feet, as did Demetrius.
How often had she seen him look at her in such a manner? Often it was when she was pointing out the flaws in agreements that he had drafted.
Though, they truly had not been flaws, she just preferred certain sections be worded differently.
In truth, she enjoyed their conversations and sometimes arguments because he listened and treated her with respect, as if her opinion was valued even though she was a female.
As he escorted her into the dining room, Lavinia couldn’t help another small smile. Even if she came to no conclusions about her future, perhaps a fortnight doing as she wished for herself would be enough.
Little shocked Demetrius but when Lady Teviot asked him to call her Lavinia he nearly choked on his wine. Such was not done, especially by someone of her standing. Christian names were reserved for family, or deep friends, or someone with whom a deep intimacy is shared. He was nothing more than her brother’s solicitor.
She was also the last person he would have ever thought to make such a request.
His opinion of Lavinia had always been that she was proper, stern and even rigid, almost as if she were afraid to let anyone close. Yet, despite all of that, he enjoyed being in her company and being called to task when sections of an agreement were not written in a manner of which she approved.
Was she at all the person he thought her to be or was this a side of her that he will only see while on holiday? Would she then return to the woman he had come to know in London?
He’d even seen the hint of a smile a few times today which was something that he had not witnessed before either.
