“Thank you, Sarah. I’ll be right there.”
She shouldn’t have come to the conservatory. She should have paced in the privacy of her bedroom or maybe even made a list of things to say to her father. Charlie was never going to be any help, and the truth was that she had gone to find him. He may be a dreadfully loose-lipped confidant, but he wasn’t a terrible listener.
But now the moment was upon her. She hoped her father wished to speak to her because he and James had spoken. All morning, she’d been praying that discussion went well. But if it hadn’t, it would just be the start of convincing him.
“I love him, Papa.” She whispered the words that seemed the most important point she could make. Whatever Papa’s misgivings, whatever arguments he might raise, he could not change the fact that James Pembroke had won her heart when no other man ever had. And more importantly, that he spoke to her, listened to her, cared for her as no other man ever had.
“Papa,” she said brightly as she stepped into her father’s study. “It’s a lovely coincidence that you wished to see me because I was hoping to speak to you today too.”
“Well, good. And we’d both like to talk with you.” He gestured at her mother, who Lucy hadn’t noticed sitting in a chair near the window. Her mother remained seated and the expression on her face, somewhere between reticence and worry, told her that all was not well.
She imagined all the ways a first meeting between James and her father might have gone off track. And then considered ways they might overcome any misgivings her parents had.
Something was terribly wrong if her father’s stormy expression was any indication.
“Have a seat if you will, my girl.”
Lucy chose a chair facing her mother’s and her father finally sat on a settee angled toward both of them.
“Tell us about your trip to Scotland.”
Mercy, this wasnotwhat she’d expected.
“Why did you return so abruptly?” her mother put in quietly.
“I...” Lucy had never been good at fibbing, at least not for her own benefit. She’d withheld information to aid friends. To keep secrets. But she’d never lied to her parents for any reason. Though she certainly didn’t feel as free to speak openly to them as she did to her aunt.
She drew in a shaky breath and contemplated how to toe the line between honesty and true openness.
“My trip was eventful. I met a gentleman that I came to care for. I thought he’d returned to London, so I did too.” Perhaps James hadn’t yet had a chance to meet with her father.
“You never mentioned this,” her mother said sharply.
“I returned so recently, Mama. We haven’t even dined together since I’ve been back. You and Papa had your dinner party to attend last evening.”
“How much do you care for him?” Her father’s voice held no emotion, which was odd for him. Very odd.
“A great deal. More than I’ve ever cared for any gentleman.” Lucy straightened her spine and looked at her father. “I love him, Papa, and I plan to marry him.”
“Lucy...” Her mother pushed the word out on a gasp.
“Mama, I know my own mind. I know my own heart. Don’t you trust that I know myself well?”
“First love can be rather consuming. It can blind you to a man’s faults.” Her mother spoke the words with a kind of quiet desperation.
When Lucy’s father tipped his gaze down and worked his jaw, she realized that he was not the man her mother spoke of. Her parents were enamored with each other, and she couldn’t remember her mother ever intimating that her father had faults, let alone pointing them out.
“If I were a debutante in my first Season, I would listen to words of caution more closely. But I’m four and twenty, Mama. I’ve waited a long time to feel this way. Even doubted I ever would. But now I know what I was waiting for. I’ve found it. And I don’t want to wait any longer.”
Her parents exchanged a lengthy look, their gazes locked as they communicated in that silent way they often did.
“May I tell you about him?” Lucy asked softly.“Even on a short acquaintance, I feel I know all the best, essential things about him.”
Her parents still held that secret communion of gazes, and after Lucy’s question, they nodded at each other. Something had been agreed, but what?
Lucy opened her mouth to start reciting James’s good qualities when her father lifted a hand.
“We do want to hear your opinion of the young man, of course. But maybe he’d like to hear too. Shall we have him join us?” Her father’s smile was suddenly mischievous.
