Fetching Mary’s nightgown, Amy proceeded to help Mary into it. “It seems to me that this is the perfect way in which to fall in love with someone. Your eyes have not yet been distracted by looks, allowing your heart to make an unbiased decision.”
“I suppose so,” Mary said as she thought of the time she’d spent in Signor Antonio’s company. “But that is neither here nor there since I doubt I will ever see him again. He wants to remain anonymous for some reason while I... Even if he turned out to be a duke and made me an offer, I am still not sure that I would be able to accept.”
Folding Mary’s gown, Amy placed it carefully in the trunk at the foot of the bed. “Because of your work?”
“You know how important it is to me, but thetonwill never approve of what I am doing and neither will a gentleman. If I marry, my husband will demand that I give it up so as not to cause a scandal.”
“If he loves you, he might help you continue as you have been doing thus far, disguised as Lucia.”
“It is highly unlikely and certainly not a risk that I am willing to take without a great deal of consideration first. Not as long as I need the income.” Seating herself on the low bench in front of her vanity table, Mary began removing her earrings.
“Speaking of which,” Amy said, crossing to Mary’s bedside table, “this letter arrived for you earlier this evening. It looks as though it is from Lord Carthright.” She placed it on the vanity in front of Mary, then reached for a comb and proceeded to pull it through Mary’s hair.
“I was wondering when I would hear from my brother again,” Mary said as she fingered the shiny blob of wax that sealed the paper shut. Reluctantly, she tore it open, unfolded the paper and read, her stomach tying itself into knots as she did so. “He requires another five thousand pounds.” Raising her gaze Mary stared into the mirror. “The investments he made, following our last correspondence, were not to his advantage.”
Amy’s hands stilled. A few seconds passed, and then, “I know it is not my place to say this, my lady, but I do wish that you would refuse him for once.”
“There is also Carthright House to consider,” Mary murmured. “I daresay that he was ill-prepared for the expense of running such a large estate. The repairs have been extensive. I saw the need for a new roof myself when I last visited.”
“Even so, he is a grown man, my lady. Perhaps it would be wiser to insist that he stand on his own two feet.”
“My conscience will not allow it, Amy. Not when I have the means by which to help him and especially not since my help is intended to ensure that he will eventually be capable of supporting himself in a home that is worthy of his title.”
“LordCarthright is a lucky man to have so generous a sister.” Amy wove Mary’s hair into a long plait.
Mary sighed. “He is my brother. If the situation were reversed, I am sure that he would do the same for me.”
The look Amy gave her in the mirror disagreed. “I doubt we will ever know since such a situation is unlikely to occur. If I were you, I would still inform your parents of his situation.”
“They are half a world away,” Mary said. “There is little they can do.”
“You are right.” Reaching for a ribbon, Amy tied the end of the plait securely in place.
“I will send a letter to the bank first thing in the morning,” Mary said decisively as she refolded the letter and set it aside.
Catching her eye in the mirror, Amy asked, “Does this mean that you will be giving up on your mystery man?”
Mary blinked. “What choice do I have? Lord Carthright still needs me and as long as that is the case, I do not see how I can possibly encourage any man to pursue me. Besides, I have already told you that my aunt has forbidden him from doing so.”
“True. But has she placed the same restriction on you?”
“To think otherwise would be deliberately ignorant.”
Amy shrugged. “If you like him as well as your blush suggests, then I think perhaps you should try to spend more time with him. He clearly has secrets of his own if he does not wish for you to know who he is. I think it may be likely that he will not only understand your situation better than most, but that he might be more accepting.”
Chapter4
“You look terribly tired,” Lady Foxworth remarked the following day at breakfast. “Did you not sleep well?”
“Not particularly,” Mary replied. She’d been too busy thinking about Signor Antonio and about what Amy had said about trying to spend more time with him.
“Well, you did have a very exciting evening, so I do not blame you.” Spooning some sugar into her tea, Lady Foxworth stirred the hot beverage before taking a dainty sip. Dipping her head toward Mary, she then lowered her voice to a whisper and said, “And in case you failed to notice, you are still the subject of attention.”
Glancing along the length of the table, Mary caught a couple of gentlemen staring in her general direction with unfeigned interest. They nodded politely in response to her awareness, whispered a few words to each other and served her a pair of brilliant smiles. Flattered, Mary smiled back at them before turning away. “It makes no sense.”
“Of course it does, my dear. You are far more beautiful than you give yourself credit for and last night, dressed in that gown you were wearing... well, you can see the result for yourself, surely.”
Mary scrunched her nose. “I hope this does not mean that I am going to have to fight off a hoard of annoying suitors.”
