Her teeth began to grind over that bit of ridiculousness. “As surprising as I’m certain you’ll find this, Elbert, I’m not all that keen to adhere to any of your suggestions right now. What I am keen to do, though, is learn more about other deficiencies you believe I possess so I’ll be better prepared to brace myself for any uncharitable comments sent my way after you toss me aside.”
“As I’ve already mentioned, it would be better if you’d do the tossing.”
“And as I just said, I’m not in the mood to entertain any of your suggestions right now. Therefore, please feel free to continue enlightening me about my evidently numerous and varied shortcomings.”
Elbert opened his mouth, but instead of vocalizing a list of additional inadequacies, he was suddenly all smiles again, unquestionably because Miss Katherine Drayton and her sister, Julia, were now wandering past them on their way to a table, both ladies smiling broadly Elbert’s way, although they barely inclined their heads to Drusilla as they passed.
Given that Elbert was considered one of the most handsome gentlemen within society, and that ladies were consistently determined to garner his attention, no matter that he was engaged to her, the warm smiles weren’t exactly out of the ordinary.
“I hope the Drayton sisters didn’t notice us arguing,” Elbert murmured as he pulled his attention from where Katherine and Julia were now being assisted into chairs across the tearoom and settled a scowl she most certainly didn’t deserve on her.
After glancing back to the sisters, who were now whispering furiously behind gloved hands as they continued looking Elbert’s way, Drusilla returned Elbert’s scowl. “I would saythey definitely noticed there’s something’s amiss between us, but I have no idea why you’d be concerned about that. I would think people witnessing us engaged in a public argument would benefit your decision to end our engagement, not harm it.”
“The last thing I want is for society to conclude the two of us parted on less-than-amicable terms, as that would hardly benefit my, or rather, ah, your reputation. That’s why I’m now going to encourage you to discontinue glowering at me and smile at me instead.”
“I have no intention of summoning up a smile to make it appear we’re enjoying a lovely afternoon tea instead of engaged in a most disturbing affair. Truth be told, I’m finding it difficult to abstain from shrieking at you like a common fishmonger right now.”
“You’re far too prim and proper to resort to shrieking.”
“You say that as if being prim and proper is yet another fault of mine.”
Elbert gave a shrug of shoulders that were covered in fine wool. “I suppose it is a fault at that, as there have been numerous ladies who’ve broached your exceedingly proper attitude with me, and they weren’t broaching it in a complimentary fashion.”
“Ladies have told you they find me too prim and proper?”
“Indeed.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Exactly what have they said about the matter?”
He returned the narrowing of the eyes. “I’m not appreciating this new demanding attitude of yours, but to answer your demand—know that I once sat between two young ladies at a dinner who regaled me with stories about your escapades when you attended the Sherwood Academy for Young Ladies together.”
“I doubt they had many stories to regale you with as I never participated in any lively escapades while I was in school.”
“That was evident fairly quickly since their stories revolved around all the time you spent in the library, reading your way through every etiquette and decorum book your finishing school offered.”
Drusilla ignored the knot that began forming in her stomach at the mere mention of the hours she’d spent in the library—ones not spent because she’d been enthralled with learning everything she could about proper manners, but spent because her proficiency with her studies had earned her a small bit of praise from a father who’d been disappointed with her from the moment of her birth, as he’d been hoping for a son.
She’d even gone so far as to amass her own personal library dedicated to matters of etiquette, filling the space with tomes devoted to proper table settings, what wines were best paired with dinner selections, and how to achieve a pleasing effect when composing watercolors.
Her father, Morton Merriweather, had made a point of complimenting her dedication, which, given her desire to please a man who was mostly absent from her life, exactly explained her decision to become the most proper lady the Four Hundred had ever seen.
Not that her determination seemed to have paid off. In fact, it almost seemed to have had the opposite effect.
Needing a moment to get thoughts that were now skittering madly about in order, she selected a cucumber sandwich from a plate set in front of her, took a dainty nibble, and returned her attention to Elbert.
Annoyance was swift when she realized he was now watching Miss Thelma Whitting, who was sitting at a nearby table with her mother, although Thelma wasn’t paying any notice to her mother but fluttering outrageously long lashes at Elbert instead.
Drusilla cleared her throat, then cleared it a second time, which finally had the desired effect of Elbert dragging his attention away from Thelma.
“Was there something else you wanted to add about your diligence to your decorum studies?” he asked, but only after he’d glanced back to Thelma, sent the lady a warm smile, then cocked a brow Drusilla’s way.
She forced a hand that had taken to clenching to relax. “I wouldn’t think I’d need to defend my attentiveness to my studies, as ladies are expected to excel with everything pertaining to proper manners.” She took a second to smooth out a wrinkle she’d just spotted on the tablecloth. “As I’m sure you’re aware, we women in the upper echelons of society are raised with the sole expectation of making an advantageous match and providing our husbands with a wife who’s always above reproach.”
“Of course I’m aware of that.”
“Then why, pray tell, does it sound as if you agree with those other ladies and believe I over-excelled with my pursuit of achieving the pinnacle of proper decorum?”
“I didn’t say I was in agreement, although I readily admit I was taken aback to learn from those ladies that most of the student population at Sherwood Academy found you somewhat insufferable.”
