“His mother is a wise lady. I have no doubt she has figured it out.” The dowager countess paused for one awful second while Amelia held her breath in anticipation. “Her son, however, is in my opinion completely ignorant of the fact. Which is probably just as well since you now have the opportunity to court him without him being the wiser.”
“Court him?” Amelia stared at the middle-aged woman who stood before her with sparkling eyes of mischief. “A woman cannot court a man.”
“Why not? This project has presented you with the perfect opportunity, Amelia. It is a chance for you to spend more time with him, for him to see how valuable you are.”
“Please stop.” She wasn’t so sure she could stand the thought of pinning her hopes on such a dream. “I don’t believe I would care to marry him even if he asked.”
Lady Everly’s eyes widened before narrowing into a pair of slits. “What did he do?”
“It’s more a question of what I did.” She shook her head while thinking back on her encounter with him at the house. “He was furious with me when he realized I’d lied about having a headache so I could go and see Mr. Gorrell instead. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was so unlike him and so very... terrifying, in a way. Not because I fearedhimas such. It was rather his sanity that concerned me.”
Sighing, Lady Everly nodded. “There is no doubt in my mind that you should have been honest and that you should not have gone to that part of town on your own without proper escort.”
“But Coventry’s reaction—”
“Was out of proportion, perhaps, but he is a man of principle, Amelia. Surely you must know this. So if he swore to protect you and you deliberately thwarted this attempt, you cannot be overly surprised by his anger with you.” Reaching out, she clasped Amelia’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before releasing it once more. “The important thing is that you are able to prove to him now that you did what you did for a very good reason. Mark my word, you bamboozled him today and as long as you can continue to do so, he will have no choice but to fall in love with you.”
Confounded by her prediction, Amelia said nothing in response. But as she followed Lady Everly back into the parlor to collect her papers, she couldn’t deny the thrill sweeping up her spine. Perhaps there was a chance after all to win Coventry’s heart. It was probably a slim chance, but it was a chance nonetheless, and she’d be a fool not to take it.
Chapter 10
After worrying over what to wear since going to bed the previous evening, Amelia eventually selected a white gown with dark blue embroidery on the sleeves and hem. The bodice was modestly cut, and embellished with a pretty silk ribbon that encircled her torso and hung down her back. So when Coventry finally arrived to escort her, she was satisfied that she looked her best. He, of course, was nothing short of outstanding, dressed in a navy blue jacket and beige-colored breeches. His boots, which were likely newly polished, accentuated the length and sturdiness of his legs in not just a fashionable way, but in a masculine one too.
“Allow me,” he said once they’d taken their leave of Lady Everly and Juliette and descended the outside steps to where his carriage awaited. Amelia’s maid, Heather, had chosen to sit outside with the driver, for which Amelia was grateful since she enjoyed being able to speak with Coventry in private.
He held out his hand and she paused, struck by the way the sun washed over his hair to highlight streaks of golden honey. His face was clean shaven, the planes of his cheeks so smooth she was tempted to reach up and test the surface with her fingers. Anticipation lingered in the confines of his bold brown eyes while his lips curved a little to the left—a slight tilt that spoke of an amused sort of pleasure.
One of his eyebrows drew up in expectation, and she chose not to linger any longer, her hand settling neatly in his before she stepped up into their conveyance. He climbed in behind her and claimed the opposite seat.
“You look lovely today.” His comment was spoken as the carriage rolled into motion and began its meandering progress toward Piccadilly.
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
He pressed his lips together and studied her. “Do you think it might be possible to avoid saying Your Grace? I would prefer for you to call me Coventry.”
“I do call you Coventry,” she reminded him.
“Yes, but you also say Your Grace a lot, and frankly, I don’t much care for it.”
“Oh.” She considered that bit of information. “I thought I was supposed to use the honorific as much as possible, so I do so whenever I remember to.”
Chuckling, he leaned back into his seat to portray a pose of complete relaxation. “That rule mostly applies to when you are not well acquainted with the peer in question, but you and I are friends. We have certainly known each other long enough for you to be slightly more at ease around me.”
“But no given name.”
He gave her an odd sort of look. “No. That wouldn’t really be done when even my mother insists on using my title.”
Amelia sighed. “Forgive me, but I find that terribly strange and difficult to adjust to. I still call my brother Raphe. Huntley doesn’t come naturally.”
“I suppose it is a matter of what you have been used to.” He glanced out the window for a second before returning his attention to her. “For theton, addressing a gentleman by his title denotes respect. Only a very close friend one has known since childhood would ever consider forgoing the use of it.”
“Surely wives are also permitted to do so.”
“Hmm... opinions on this vary. Some probably do address their husbands by their given names when in private.”
“Will you do so when you marry?” The question slipped out without her even thinking.
He stared at her before shifting a little as if with discomfort, then told her plainly, “I do not know. It is not something I have really considered since I have no immediate plan to snatch up a wife.”
