He took the tea but waved away the plate. “Thank you, but no.”
“The tarts are very good, my lord. I would warrant they are as fine as the baked goods your cook made for us at your Joyden’s Wood estate.”
They stared at one another, both recollecting being at his country home. She would love to recapture the sentiment of the best day of their short friendship.
He cleared his throat. “I have no doubt.”
“Well, you must doubt, my lord, until you taste. How could you not? Anyway, our cook will be insulted.”
“Very well.” Vincent leaned forward, snatched a tart from the plate, and took a large bite. As he chewed and swallowed, his face changed, becoming less tense. With him looking more relaxed and friendly, Brilliance could just observe him silently.
She, too, ate a tart. Strangely, she was content simply looking at him without the need to make the usual polite prattle in order to keep the quiet moments at bay.
“This is nice,” she said before taking a sip of tea. “Perfect. Sometimes, there is nothing better than a cup of tea. Please drink yours before it grows cold. And then tell me about Mr. Castern’s visit.”
Vincent sipped the tea, and then, oddly, he began to smile. “How do you make me happy by doing nothing but being yourself?”
She shrugged, although basking in his compliment. “It’snotme. It’s the tea and tarts. Who wouldn’t be happy with these? I don’t think I have ever cried while eating a custard tart.”
He set his cup down. “I assure you, itisyou. Lady Brilliance, I know we have had a rocky start, but I want you to know that I hold you in the highest esteem.”
She felt her cheeks warm. “And I, you, my lord.” The day was looking up. “Are you courting me after all?”
His long hesitation gave her the answer, and she wished she hadn’t asked again. Moreover, despite what she had only just said, Brilliance could easily imagine crying while eating a tart and letting warm salty tears fall into her tea. She wanted notto be in love with the man seated opposite, but it was so very difficult to rein in her feelings when he was being pleasant.
When he was saying kind things about her.
When he was looking so dash-fire handsome he made her toes curl!
“What about Lord Redley?” he asked, answering her question with one of his own. “And his wonderful father with their ever-growing income? Gold sovereigns blossoming like weeds in a field,” he finished by mumbling under his breath.
The notion of money growing in a field struck her funny. Her amusement grew when she considered that Vincent could have said any type of flower.Weeds! Was he jealous?He seemed to want an answer.
Brilliance liked Lord Redley. She didn’t love him. She might come to love him, and in any case, she had no intention of living as though she had no prospects left. She had prospects a-plenty.
“I have been keeping company with Lord Redley. We were out last night in fact.”What more could she say?“He is a good dancer.”
“A good skill to have,” Vincent said tightly, then sipped his tea, appearing out of sorts again.
“I suppose if one is at a ball, yes, it is,” she agreed. “But it is a common skill, unlike yours and Mr. Castern’s.”
Vincent blinked and set his empty cup on the table. “I am a fool. I had nearly become distracted from why I wished to speak with you. When Ambrose Castern came to my home, he didn’t seem ashamed and apologetic as one would hope. In fact, he was threatening.”
Brilliance felt blood rush into her head.
“He threatened you? After stealing your work? How dare he!”
That would not stand, as long as she was Vincent’s friend. She was an earl’s daughter. While she didn’t put on airs, and wasn’t really sure what that meant anyway, she knew her fatherwas powerful. And by some reason of association, she had a little power, too.
“How can I help?”
Vincent shook his head. “You misunderstand. He did not threaten me,” he said. “He threatened you.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Brilliance wished they had spent more time talking about the high esteem in which Vincent held her. Instead, as soon as he’d explained how Mr. Castern had made vague threats, Vincent said he had come because he felt it was his duty to warn her.
“Your duty,” she echoed softly, thinking that didn’t sound very romantic.
