‘And several men showed considerable interest in you during the Earl of Northwood’s ball,’ he added.
‘Hmm,’ was her only response.
‘Not to be too indelicate—’
‘Oh, please don’t let me stop you—be as indelicate as you wish.’
He ignored the implied insult. ‘Not to be too indelicate, as you alluded on the night of the ball, being engaged to a duke will elevate your status in men’s eyes and you may receive a lot more attention.’
She made no response.
‘Am I wrong in assuming you still want love and marriage?’
‘What one wants and what one gets are not always the same thing.’
‘Miss Whitmore, I’m sure such things are still within your grasp. If you just made a bit more of an effort.’
She stopped walking, turned slowly and looked up at him, her eyes blazing. ‘If I did what?’ she said, enunciating each word slowly.
‘I’m not blaming you,’ he rushed on, trying to undo the damage. ‘After that terrible experience in your first Season, I can see why you want to keep men at arm’s length, and that is why you have developed a reputation for having a sharp tongue. But not all men are like that blaggard. There are some good men out there who would make an ideal husband.’
‘Men like you?’ she asked, fire still burning in her eyes.
‘Well, no, obviously not.’
‘Like the Earl of Northwood?’ Her words were full of derision.
He flinched, remembering how Henry had talked about the debutantes he had invited to his house. ‘Well, no, not Henry. Better men than me and my friends.’
‘Then there’s Edgeware and Templeton. They’re not rakes, but can you really imagine me married to a man who can talk about nothing other than how much game he managed to bag during the shooting season?’
‘All right. Yes, these are all among the list of men I wouldn’t advise you to marry. I’m just saying, despite what you seem to think, my entire sex is not completely useless.’
‘I didn’t say that.’
‘It certainly sounded like it.’ Jacob wasn’t sure why he was being so defensive, especially as part of him agreed with her. Aristocratic men did tend to fall into one of two groups; the men he associated with, who could perhaps be described as rakes if no other label was available, and the men whose company bored him. The ones who did indeed spend all their time talking about shooting game on their estates or boasting about the bloodlines of their hounds and horses.
‘Let’s just say that with each passing Season the wallflowers’ corner has become more and more attractive,’ she said with finality, once again resuming their walk.
‘A pity,’ he murmured. ‘Well, if you’re not going to marry, and you can’t become a politician, lawyer or cartoonist forPunch, do you have any idea what you will do with your life?’
‘Fortunately, my father has made it clear that, no matter what my fate, he will always support me.’
He nodded, relieved to hear that. ‘And what will you do with your time?’
‘I always have my art. That is my passion and it consumes me. Once my mother finally accepts my status as a spinster, I intend to spend my days painting and providing art lessons so I am not a complete financial burden on my father.’
He could point out that most art teachers were male, but that was no doubt something of which she was also aware.
‘Have you taken art lessons yourself?’
She sighed. ‘Yes, like all young ladies I learnt how to paint watercolours of pretty flowers and trees in the same manner that young ladies have been painting pretty flowers and trees since time immemorial. My art teacher seemed oblivious to all the changes that have taken place in the art world, and certainly did not think young ladies should dabble with anything as messy as oils or draw anything other than—’
‘Pretty flowers and trees,’ he finished for her.
‘Exactly. My teacher had seemingly never heard of Impressionism, never mind the modern movements that have developed out of Impressionism.’
‘That’s terrible,’ Jacob said, not entirely sure if he had either.
