He caught her gaze. “We’ve all squandered our fortunes and must resort to auctioning off some of our possessions in order to make ends meet. But there’s a limit to how much we can get rid of before we make a mockery of ourselves. There are certain expectations linked to our titles that must be met. So we’re trying to be discreet for the sake of keeping up appearances. Obviously, regular employment would be out of the question, but this was a viable option. It’s just a lot harder than I’d imagined.”
“Story telling is no simple feat.” Ada worried her lower lip while deciding how best to proceed. Although it was probably very unwise for her to spend additional time in his company, she wanted to lend Mr. Gibbs her assistance. Would her heart survive it? Only time would tell. One thing was certain and that was that she’d begun to care about him. She couldn’t therefore in good conscience turn her back on him when he needed her most. Decision made, she said, “I’m happy to help.”
“You are?”
“Absolutely.” She tapped her chin with her index finger while studying him. “Unfortunately, it will require starting over.”
7
Anthony watched in fascination as Miss Quinn jotted down notes on a notepad she’d collected. Her opinion of his writing had been both insightful and tough to hear. He’d thought the story he and his friends had come up with so far was much better than it apparently was. Listening to Miss Quinn point out the flaws had swiftly changed his standing on this.
The story was off to a boring start. Which meant there was work to be done. Lots of it.
“As I mentioned,” she said, “you need an obstacle between the hero and heroine. The more insurmountable this obstacle, the better. Readers should wonder how this man and woman will ever be able to bridge the divide between them and find the happily ever after they both deserve. So let’s start there. Any ideas?”
Anthony blinked. He considered the pure intensity with which Miss Quinn approached this new task. Her determination to help him coupled with the warmth and comfort he always felt when in her presence were enticing. A pity she was no more than a shopkeeper’s niece or he’d offer to court her in a heartbeat.
That wish, along with the purposeful beat it brought to his heart, was too poignant to be ignored. He gave a slow nod. “What if the earl were to fall for”—using shopkeeper would be too obvious—“a maid or an innkeeper’s daughter.”
“A class differences story?” Miss Quinn’s eyes twinkled with undeniable pleasure. “I like that a lot. It could be similar to Cinderella. If we use the innkeeper idea, the heroine might receive assistance from an older woman who comes to stay for a while. A fairy godmother type who helps her transform. Or maybe the heroine learns that she’s secretly the daughter of a baron, or a long-lost relation of the Prince Regent, or maybe…what? Why are you laughing?”
Anthony shook his head. “I’m simply enjoying myself, Miss Quinn. Please, do carry on.”
She pursed her lips in the most adorable way, tempting him to lean in and kiss her.
He refrained and then her uncle returned, reminding Anthony of the late hour. He ought to leave.
“I think we’re finally heading in the right direction,” Miss Quinn informed him when he thanked her for the tea and stood. “You should keep working on this, but I would advise you to read Miss Austen’s books too so you get a firm grasp of what readers expect.”
“That is excellent advice, though it does have one problem.” He tucked the papers he’d brought inside his jacket pocket along with the notes she’d made. “My editions have yet to arrive.”
“Ah. Right.”
“Anything I can help with?” Uncle James asked.
“Not unless you happen to have a spare copy of Pride and Prejudice lying about,” Miss Quinn said.
Her uncle rocked back on his heels. “Can’t say I do, but if it’s an urgent matter, why not lend him yours?”
Miss Quinn pressed her lips together while seeming to consider. She glanced at Anthony, who did his best to keep his features schooled and to not give away how much he hoped she’d agree. The very idea of closing himself away for the evening with one of her books had the most profound effect. His muscles tightened and sparks of awareness ignited against his skin, no doubt on account of the intimacy related to the gesture.
“Very well,” she said and promptly spun on her heel. Swiftly, she climbed the steep stairs near the back entrance and disappeared from Anthony’s view.
“Care to share your reason for needing the book?” Mr. Quinn asked once he and Anthony were alone.
“It’s supposed to be inspirational. I’m trying to write a novel, you see, and your niece suggested I research the sort of stories I’m aiming for.”
“An excellent idea.” Mr. Quinn sought Anthony’s gaze and held it. “I’m glad you’re here. Getting Ada out of the house has been a struggle. She refused to consider marriage when she was old enough to start looking for a potential match. Her sisters have wed but I think Ada feels she ought to stay here and help me. She has her own life to live though. Deuced hard convincing her of it, but then you came along and I did have some hope. Until we found out who you are and all that.”
Despite Anthony’s interest in Miss Quinn, he was slightly taken aback by her uncle’s blatant suggestion pertaining to marriage. Unsure of how to respond, he chose to navigate around it by saying, “Again, I apologize for the deception.”
“Oh no. I didn’t mean it like that. As far as that goes, I quite understand. It simply would have been grand if you and she were able to… Well, never mind.” He waved his hand and then Miss Quinn was scrambling back downstairs, forcing an end to the conversation.
Still, it had left Anthony reeling with a distinct sense of loss. He tried to shake it off but the truth was, he knew he wouldn’t be rid of it until he knew he would see Miss Quinn again – that the promise of spending more time with her lingered upon the horizon.
Maybe he was being stupid, but the connection he felt with her could not be denied. So he took the book she handed him and said, “Thank you for your company and for all the advice you’ve offered. I promise to return this to you as soon as possible, and when I do, I hope to provide you with some much better pages for you to read.”
A lovely pink hue tinged her cheeks. “I shall look forward to it, Mr. Gibbs.”
