She glanced up at him while absently reaching in to stroke the top of the mama cat’s head. The creature must have felt more secure, for it purred and leaned against her fingers.
“There is nothing between Lord Foxford and me besides a burgeoning friendship. And even that is impossible because of our sexes. Soon, he will choose a wife from among the eligible young ladies, and that will be that.”
She hadn’t expected her father to laugh, but he did.
“My practical Purity. You can’t fool me. At dinner, the man was your shadow, and then he nearly declared his devotion right there next to your pianoforte.” He shook his head. “I behaved like a dunderhead whenever I was around your mother, too. From what your mother tells me, Foxford has been worse on more than one occasion.”
“Notbecauseof me,” Purity insisted. “He was already lacking certain niceties when I met him. In fact, that’s why I spend time with him, to help him.”
“Is it now?” Her father’s tone was one of disbelief, and his Diamond blue eyes danced.
“Father, don’t ask me in such a fashion.” She looked down at the kittens, all sucking with vigor while the mama cat curled around them, her eyes closed contentedly. “I was tutoring the man. That’s all.”
“It sounds a little stretched on the loom, my girl. That Foxford would seek help from you, a lovely earl’s daughter, without any ulterior intention, and that you are no more interested in his lordship than assisting him to find a wife.”
She shrugged. In truth, she had grown increasingly fond of the baron, nor could she deny to herself how his kisses inflamed her, constantly making her yearn for more.
“I suppose I think him interesting.” That was all she would allow herself to confess.
Her father nodded. “I’m honored you are comfortable speaking to me. While I may never think any man good enough for you, I can see where he might have some charms. After all, he is a titled gentleman with a fortune, and he belongs to a good club, although not the same as my own. I don’t know much about his family, but I also haven’t heard anything bad about them either. His father died when he was young.”
“I did not know,” she said softly.
“Apart from his wealth,” the earl continued, “I also have eyes. Foxford is not unattractive.”
“No,” she agreed, starting to squirm like one of the kittens.
“And he seems to be smitten with you.”
She wrinkled her nose. “If you say so, Father.”
“Then there is the matter of his reputation.”
Her eyes flared open. “Yes, there is that.”
“Many a young man of high birth and comfortable wealth find themselves spoken about in the papers, the topic of all kinds of nasty gossip.”
“I don’t care for gossip,” she said.
He nodded. “I know, and you are a sensible girl. Sometimes, gossip is an outright lie. Sometimes, it is merely an embellishment of the unflattering truth. Who knows what is the case with the Fox?”
“You’ve heard him called that, have you?”
“I have,” Lord Diamond said. “And a few other devilish monikers.”
“What do you think?” she asked, rising to her feet.
This time, her father smiled broadly. “I think I am the luckiest of men to have children who want my opinion and listen to it.”
“Of course, I do. After all, you and Mother have already gone through all this in the distant past.”
His smile died. “Not that distant. I’m not as old as Methuselah.”
“No, Father.” She hid her smile at his touch of vanity. “I didn’t mean that, but I am eager to hear your estimation of Lord Foxford.”
“If I didn’t think him redeemable based on your mother’s opinion, then he wouldn’t have been allowed in our home a second time, nor found himself at my dining room table seated next to my gem of a daughter.”
“What if he is a libertine through and through?” Purity couldn’t help asking, realizing she was wringing her hands and immediately ceased the awful habit.
