Anthony smiled and snaked an arm around Lark’s shoulder. “So you will likely be completely useless when it comes to rearing a young boy.”
“I imagine I can figure it out.”
“Mmhmm. Now. Where were we?” Anthony leaned forward to kiss Lark.
Lark put up a hand and pressed his fingers to Anthony’s lips. “I thought we were keeping an ear out should Henry need something.”
“We are. The room is right there. I’ll hear if he cries.”
“Is your nurse not due back?”
“Not for another hour at least. I believe she and her husband have gone to have dinner with his mother in Bloomsbury. That’s almost clear across town; it’ll take her some time to get back. I’m not suggesting we commit any acts that shall not be named right here on this sofa, but I do believe I would like to spend the next few minutes kissing you.”
Bloomsbury was only clear across town if one had a very limited idea of where in London it was acceptable to go, but Lark decided not to comment on that. Instead, he put his arms around Anthony and said, “You’ve thought of everything.”
“I’m very clever.”
“All right, all right.” Larkhadmissed this part of Anthony, the part that never took anything seriously. It was frustrating at times, but it was fun, too, and so Lark kissed Anthony and decided that whatever happened, he’d deal with it.
Chapter Seventeen
Louisa didn’t have to wait long for her confrontation with Daniel. He called on her the next day.
“I apologize for not coming to see you sooner, my dear,” he said as he sat with her in the drawing room. Louisa’s mother winked—winked!—on her way out the door.
“I saw you two nights ago at the Atherton ball,” Louisa pointed out. “So it is not as though you and I have been separated for a great deal of time. Although I am quite anxious to discuss something with you.”
“It’s just that I promised your mother we would get to know each other better before we got married so as to assuage your fears. She mentioned you were having second thoughts.”
Of course her mother had meddled. Father had still said nothing, but Mother seemed awfully invested in making sure this wedding happened. Louisa wasn’t sure what to make of it—beyond the business deal, what was her motivation?—but she decided to set that aside for now.
“I am indeed having second thoughts,” Louisa said. “It is why I wanted to speak with you. And what I have to say…it’s a bit…delicate.”
Daniel frowned. “All right. What are your second thoughts?”
“Well, first of all, I know…” Louisa frowned. How to say this? She glanced at the door. There was no shadow or anything to indicate her mother was lurking there, as though shewantedLouisa to put herself in a compromising position. Well, that wouldn’t be happening. “Look, let’s be honest with each other. We don’t really suit.”
“What are you talking about? I think we suit each other well.”
“We have so little in common. We often must go awkwardly digging for topics of conversation because we share so few interests. You don’t care about any of the things I’m passionate about, and I don’t care about any of the things you are. I suspect, once married, we will quickly become bored with each other’s company. We both deserve better than that.”
“Surely that can’t be true, though. We must have common interests that either we do not yet know about or that we will discover once married. I don’t care for opera, and you are not interested in birds, but…travel, say. I love to travel. Do you?”
“I haven’t done much travel, to be honest.”
“Well, see? That could be something we have in common. Once we’re married, I’ll take you to the Continent.”
Louisa shook her head. “It’s not just that, though. That is just the most easy-to-explain reason why I don’t believe we should get married.”
“How many reasons are there?”
Louisa closed her eyes and counted. “Four.” When she opened her eyes again, Daniel was staring at her with open shock. “Daniel. Surely you must be aware of some of the reasons.”
“I suppose that depends on what you think your reasons are.”
Louisa did not appreciate his patronizing tone. “Well, let’s see if you find any of these reasons persuasive. We have nothing in common. That’s one. The second is that you…prefer the company of your own sex.”
“What? Why, the very accusation—”
