“We shall remedy that soon enough, if this conversation has a satisfactory end.”
Miss Kinsey returned her open gaze to Lewis. “Never you mind Lord and Lady Howell and their opinions. They have said their piece. They get to live their lives according to their hopes and expectations. I would rather hear whatyouhave to say.”
“I… I… It is no secret that I am very fond of you.” Lewis knew he was blushing. He only hoped it made him seem endearing rather than foolish.
“Is that all?” Miss Kinsey’s face fell.
“Oh, no! That is to say… I did not want to overstep the mark. I would not want to startle you by saying too much too soon.”
“Mr. Bradford.” Miss Kinsey folded her hands and huffed impatiently. “I have seen pigs give birth. I am not so easily startled.”
“Ah.” Lewis was momentarily put off his stride. “That is… useful to know.”
“I amvery fondof you too,” Miss Kinsey declared. “Though I haven’t exactly made a secret of it. You know me to be a forthright sort of person. What these Munro ladies call ‘subtlety,’ I call ‘an outrageous waste of time.’ Which is why I spoke so plainly in the letter.”
“Yes. Yes, you did.” Lewis faltered. He felt he was losing the initiative. “I suppose the only question I must ask is…”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Yes, I will marry you.”
“Oh, er… that is good news.” Lewis was now quite flustered. “What I had meant to ask was whether you could bear to live in Munro. But the, er… other question…would have followed.”
Miss Kinsey waved a hand about nonchalantly. “I don’t mind the city so much. There is so much to do. I would be able to move more freely as a married woman than I do now as Ellena’s companion. We could attend more theater. I love the theater, but Lord Howell rarely takes us to a show. And our home would be less of a mausoleum than Munro House. Besides, you would not begrudge me a visit with my family if I missed them, would you?”
“Certainly not,” said Lewis, glad that the conversation was righting itself. “I would very much want for you to be happy. Of course, a certain measure of formality would be required when hosting the occasional dinner. But, by and large, the basics of decorum would suffice.”
“Like not running barefoot?” Jillian offered a lopsided smile.
“Exactly. Servants do need to respect their employers, or they will talk out of house. But that is not to say we could not go on a picnic and kick off our shoes…”
“That sounds fair. And we can host dances? Not a ball, of course. That would be too formal and we would not have the room for so many people. But a gathering for friends with music and some country reels.”
“Absolutely. Though perhaps you will want Lady Howell to assist you with the planning, at first. I believe there is much to organize before the music can begin. My mother rarely hosts a ball anymore for this very reason.”
Miss Kinsey clapped her hands. “I can’t wait! I shall write to my parents at once! After all, I cannot leave Munro now when you and I have so much to discuss What date shall I give for the wedding?”
“Miss Kinsey…”
“Oh, but you must call me ‘Jillian’ now. Or ‘Jilly.’ And I shall call you ‘Lewis.’ Dear, dear Lewis. And you must kiss me. Goodness, how I have waited for such a kiss from you!”
She tilted back her head and pouted her lips in readiness for said kiss.
Lewis stared at her. They were betrothed. How, exactly, it had occurred was a bit of a blur. He hadn’t actually asked for her hand. Not that he hadn’t planned to. It all seemed a little back-to-front. This was not how he’d wanted their lives together to start.
“Miss Kinsey. Jillian.”
“Yes, Lewis?” she answered, her eyes still closed, her lips returning to their puckered form.”
“Please open your eyes.”
She complied, her chin dropping, her eyebrows lifting in a question mark. “You do not want to kiss me? Are things done that differently in the big cities?”
“All in good time, my love.”
He slid down from the chair onto one knee, his hands cupping hers.
