A loud clearing of a throat from Luella had him blinking out of his wandering thoughts, then blinking again when he realized he’d completely lost track of the conversation. “What was the question again?”
“I asked what you did when Pauline started sobbing,” Camilla said as Luella began watching him a little too closely.
His collar suddenly took to feeling a tad too tight. “Ah, well I clearly didn’t give her one of those hero moments, because instead of sweeping her into mystrongarms, I told her that equestrians had no business weeping when they were in the saddle because a rider should always keep their wits about them for obvious safety reasons.”
Camilla’s eyes twinkled. “Definitely not a hero moment, but may I assume her tears immediately dried up after you told her she had no business weeping?”
“Too right they did, which suggests she really wasn’t in distress in the first place, but before I could comment on that, Pauline hopped to the ground, called me a monster, and stalked off. I was then paid a visit by her father, Albert, who informed me that, although I was one of the wealthiest men in the state, I wasn’t to even consider courting his daughter from that point forward because Albert would never want his little precious to be involved with a brute like me.” Owen sat forward. “And that is exactly why I wouldn’t have thought Curtistine, who, again, is friends with Pauline, would have ever turned a romantic eye in my direction.”
“But you sat with Curtistine’s family during a church service not long after taking the Longerbeams out to dinner,” Luella pointed out after she handed Meemaw a slice of pie.
“Only because Curtistine was lingering by the entranceway of the church and invited me to sit with her family since I arrived late to the service and there was limited seating available.”
Camilla eyed him over the rim of her coffee cup. “You do know that sitting with a specific young lady at church lends the impression a gentleman has courting on his mind, don’t you?”
Owen blinked. “Does it really?”
“You didn’t know that?”
“How could I know that?” Owen asked. “It’s not as if there’s a manual out there that states all these little everyday occurrences that women apparently take to mean they’re being courted.”
Camilla set aside her cup. “Perhaps I should consider penning such a manual because I never realized gentlemen could be so naïve about such matters.”
“And maybe I should write a manual as well because calling a gentleman naïve isn’t exactly what I’d consider proper manners, especially coming from a lady who once won a prim-and-proper award.”
A widening of the eyes was Camilla’s first response to that. “I must beg your pardon, Owen, because you’re exactly right. That was a most improper thing for me to say, and I truly have no idea what’s wrong with me lately since I don’t normally make a point to insult people.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you, dear,” Meemaw said before Owen could do more than blink at what had certainly been an unexpected admission. “You’re obviously already more than comfortable with my grandson, which has allowed you to unbutton that cloak of propriety you’ve clearly been keeping buttoned up for far too long—something that’s incredibly telling, if you ask me.”
“The only thing that’s telling is that I’ve clearly taken leave of my senses,” Camilla argued before she turned to Owen. “But to return to the Longerbeam situation, if you didn’t have courting on your mind, why did you invite the entire Longerbeam family to accompany you to view whatever it is you’re in the process of building, which I’m going to assume isn’t a second house?”
Owen gave his jaw a rub. “My invitation was merely a result of Mr. Longerbeam having mentioned over that second dinner how much he enjoys fishing. Since I’m in the process of damming up a stream to make a fishing pond, I thought he’d find the damming process interesting. I also thought, since the dam is located quite a distance up National Road, that he might like to make it a family event so he’d have company during the trip up and back.”
He rose to his feet and took the plate of pie Luella was holding out to him. “Unfortunately, Curtistine completely misread the situation once she and her family arrived at the dam. She somehow came to the conclusion that I possess a romantic nature simply because I’d set up a picnic luncheon for everyone to enjoy.”
“What happened next?” Camilla asked.
Owen handed Camilla the slice of pie before he retook his seat. “I think we should just leave it at she misread the situation because the rest of the story is somewhat embarrassing.”
Camilla arched a brow toward Luella. “What happened?”
Luella didn’t hesitate to grin. “Curtistine took one look at the charming picnic scene, raced up to poor Owen, wrapped her arms around his neck, told him that of course a house would be perfect by the pond, and then asked if he was agreeable to holding a late-summer wedding.”
Camilla was suddenly directing her arched brow his way. “I hope you’re about to tell me that Luella is mistaken.”
“She’s not,” Owen admitted. “And after I untangled myself from Curtistine, I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that what should have been a pleasant afternoon spent by my pond turned anything but pleasant, especially after Mr. and Mrs. Longerbeam began extending me their heartiest congratulations, and I ... well, I think I may have stammered something about an enormous misunderstanding, and then ... the conversation went downhill from there.” He blew out a breath. “The Longerbeams haven’t spoken to me since, and Curtistine has added her name to the very long list of ladies who evidently believe I’m some type of fiend.”
Camilla frowned. “I imagine therewerehard feelings when you apparently rejected what almost seems like a proposal from Curtistine, but I’m not certain I understand why she thought you were building her a house. From what you’ve said, you already have a house in the country, so why would you build another one?”
“I think she assumed we’d want to have our own house once my parents returned from France.”
“I thought you mentioned your parents weren’t intending on returning to the States anytime soon.”
“Oh, they’re not, especially since, according to Mother’s letters, they’re relishing their lives in Paris and don’t miss Wheeling in the least.”
“That’s not true,” Meemaw said. “Your parents will abandon Paris in a heartbeat once they learn about your upcoming engagement, and to a New York socialite at that.” She settled a knowing eye on him. “You know your mother, dear. Betty Lou won’t be able to resist the opportunity to crow about her son managingto get himself engaged to a proper lady, one whose social status will certainly be the envy of every lady of ambition throughout Wheeling.”
“You do recall that I’m not actually engaged to your grandson, don’t you?” Camilla asked.
