“Sugar?” she asked.
“Never.”
“Cream?”
He pulled a face. “An army man doesn’t use cream. No cows following us around on the battlefield and all that.”
She blinked at him as if his words had confused her. “Yes, but you’re in London now.”
“Don’t want to get soft.” He cracked a grin at her.
She shook her head “That’s just silly, if you ask me. If you prefer cream, have some.”
“I don’t. But I’m much more interested in why my answer surprised you than whether I should take up requesting cream in my coffee.”
Lady Annabelle handed him the cup and saucer prettily. He took the pair and set it in front of him. Did he do that properly? No doubt these people had rules for precisely where to set coffee cups and saucers.
Lady Annabelle switched to pouring herself a cup of tea. With cream. “I’ve never heard a man say that he wants to marry for love.”
David considered her words for a moment. His parents had been in love. It was obvious in the way they treated each other. They talked, they laughed, they even held hands. They enjoyed dancing together in the great room of the cottage, too. “I suppose there are other reasons to marry. But love is the most important, as far as I’m concerned. It’s certainly what I’m after…eventually.”
Lady Annabelle finished stirring her tea and took a dainty sip. “You keep saying that word, ‘eventually.’ Does that mean you won’t be looking for a countess this Season?”
“I’m not arrogant enough to believe that love comes when you call, my lady. I may not be looking for it, but if the right match appears, I don’t want to miss it, either.”
“Oh, good. Then you won’t mind if I introduce you to some of the more accomplished ladies of theton?” She eyed him over the rim of her teacup.
“‘Accomplished?’” David frowned, pronouncing the word in an overly dramatic voice. “I’d prefer thekindladies, or thewittyladies, or thecleverladies.Accomplishedis not my first criterion.”
Lady Annabelle froze again for a moment, then nodded, before bringing the teacup back to her lips and taking another sip. “I only meant some of the ladies are more…desirable than others.”
David lifted his cup and took a sip of coffee. Smooth, refined. Not at all the harsh stuff he’d been served at camp. Would probably taste even better with cream. “Like you?” he asked.
Their eyes met over the rim of their respective cups and their gazes held for a moment. Finally, Lady Annabelle glanced away. “Yes, like me. Only younger,” she replied with a laugh. “I’m nearly considered on-the-shelf at my age.”
“Oh, how old are you?”
She glared at him. “Lord Elmwood,thatis a wholly inappropriate question.”
David chuckled. “I knew it the moment it left my mouth. But let me just say that if you’re on the shelf, apparently no one told those chaps who sent all the flowers.” He nodded toward the foyer.
She glanced at him sideways, rolling her eyes. “Those chaps who sent the flowers don’t care how old I am. They only want to win the unattainable.”
“I see.” David nodded. “It’s true that most men enjoy winning.”
“Horse races and marriage proposals should not be considered equal.”
“I agree with you.”
“You do?” She blinked at him as if she hadn’t understood what he’d said.
“Yes, and in addition to that…” David cleared his throat. “You apologized to me yesterday, but it seems I owe you an apology as well.”
Lady Annabelle cocked her head to the side, her brow was furrowed. “Apology for what?”
“I judged you too harshly the other night. I assumed you were incredibly vain, but it’s true that every man in Londonisafter you, if those flowers out there are any indication.” David wasn’t about to mention the betting pool at White’s. He didn’t need her to tell him thatthatwould be in bad taste, indeed.
She sighed and set down her cup. “You didn’t judge me too harshly at all, my lord. I can only imagine how truly vain I seemed.” Sincere regret sounded in her voice.
