The vicar insists he will do well as a scholar."
"Yet Augustus tells me there is some impediment to his being accepted."
There. It was better to come out with it directly than to beat about the bush any longer.
Selina had turned a shade paler under his assault, and Richard admitted to himself there had been something confrontational in his tone.
"Yes," she said, meeting his gaze head on with a proud glance. "My father was accused of cheating at cards when he was at Cambridge." She waited for his reaction, but when none was forthcoming, she went on, "The matter was never resolved, and, so, he was expelled. Unfortunately, his masters at Eton were informed. Mr. Newman, our vicar, says it will be useless for Augustus to apply under his name."
It had been easy for Richard to keep a bland expression, for he had suspected something as bad as this. All he cared about at the moment was that she had trusted him enough to tell him about her father's disgrace.
Unless, he reminded himself, she simply could not withstand his challenge to her pride, which was more than likely.
"Which is why you applied to take the name Trevelyan," he remarked.
Selina started. Her eyes grew round. Richard felt a breath of suspicion drifting past the nape of his neck.
"I did not think I had mentioned any name," she said.
Chapter Seven
Selina stared at Richard, who seemed to have frozen. He blinked once, then twice, before he finally said, "Yes, you did. Though earlier, when I first arrived. You presented yourself as Selina Trevelyan."
His tone was perfectly firm, but Selina could have sworn something had discomfited him. Distracted by more pressing concerns, however, she waved that thought away.
"So I did," she admitted ruefully. "And it seems I did so very foolishly, as things turn out, for our application was denied."
Richard stared at her silently. Long enough for Selina to fear she had disgusted him with her troubles. She ought never to have blurted them out, but the truth was she had half wondered how he would react to her father's story. Would he be quick to turn his back on them both?
Her heart beat stronger as he took a step nearer. She could feel the comforting warmth of his presence.
"Augustus is a fine chap," Richard said. His strangely hesitant note seemed to make the air move between them. "Much more deserving than half the boys at Eton. Is there anything I can do to see that he succeeds?"
His offer poured warmth inside her, like a strong cup of tea spreading swiftly through her veins. It weakened her at the knees, making her long to lay all her troubles before him.
But that would be a mistake. She could not inflict all her woes upon a man, even so kind a man as Richard, without running him off.
And, she remembered suddenly, she had forgotten entirely about his tea.
Tossing him a flustered smile, she hurried past him and swept the boiling kettle from the fire. He seemed taken aback, until he saw what she was about, when he insisted upon taking the heavy kettle from her hands as if she did not lift things far bigger every day.
Pouring the water into the pot she held for him, Richard frowned, deep in thought. This shared task brought their heads together. From no more than a foot away, Selina studied the light flickering over his sculpted features, the glint of its reflection in his dark, wavy hair, the strong curve of his lips. A tingling sensation, as if the world were trembling beneath her feet, made her rock towards him.
All at once, he seemed aware of her scrutiny. His eyes met hers. The gleam in their blue depths threatened to take her breath away.
His gaze fell to the front of her night-rail. Selina felt a responsive surge before she recalled with a flash of shame, how grossly improper this all was.
She quickly turned away and bustled about the room, noisily fetching cups and saucers and milk. Richard was watching her. She could feel his gaze between her shoulder blades. She could almost imagine the fun that
"Yet Augustus tells me there is some impediment to his being accepted."
There. It was better to come out with it directly than to beat about the bush any longer.
Selina had turned a shade paler under his assault, and Richard admitted to himself there had been something confrontational in his tone.
"Yes," she said, meeting his gaze head on with a proud glance. "My father was accused of cheating at cards when he was at Cambridge." She waited for his reaction, but when none was forthcoming, she went on, "The matter was never resolved, and, so, he was expelled. Unfortunately, his masters at Eton were informed. Mr. Newman, our vicar, says it will be useless for Augustus to apply under his name."
It had been easy for Richard to keep a bland expression, for he had suspected something as bad as this. All he cared about at the moment was that she had trusted him enough to tell him about her father's disgrace.
Unless, he reminded himself, she simply could not withstand his challenge to her pride, which was more than likely.
"Which is why you applied to take the name Trevelyan," he remarked.
Selina started. Her eyes grew round. Richard felt a breath of suspicion drifting past the nape of his neck.
"I did not think I had mentioned any name," she said.
Chapter Seven
Selina stared at Richard, who seemed to have frozen. He blinked once, then twice, before he finally said, "Yes, you did. Though earlier, when I first arrived. You presented yourself as Selina Trevelyan."
His tone was perfectly firm, but Selina could have sworn something had discomfited him. Distracted by more pressing concerns, however, she waved that thought away.
"So I did," she admitted ruefully. "And it seems I did so very foolishly, as things turn out, for our application was denied."
Richard stared at her silently. Long enough for Selina to fear she had disgusted him with her troubles. She ought never to have blurted them out, but the truth was she had half wondered how he would react to her father's story. Would he be quick to turn his back on them both?
Her heart beat stronger as he took a step nearer. She could feel the comforting warmth of his presence.
"Augustus is a fine chap," Richard said. His strangely hesitant note seemed to make the air move between them. "Much more deserving than half the boys at Eton. Is there anything I can do to see that he succeeds?"
His offer poured warmth inside her, like a strong cup of tea spreading swiftly through her veins. It weakened her at the knees, making her long to lay all her troubles before him.
But that would be a mistake. She could not inflict all her woes upon a man, even so kind a man as Richard, without running him off.
And, she remembered suddenly, she had forgotten entirely about his tea.
Tossing him a flustered smile, she hurried past him and swept the boiling kettle from the fire. He seemed taken aback, until he saw what she was about, when he insisted upon taking the heavy kettle from her hands as if she did not lift things far bigger every day.
Pouring the water into the pot she held for him, Richard frowned, deep in thought. This shared task brought their heads together. From no more than a foot away, Selina studied the light flickering over his sculpted features, the glint of its reflection in his dark, wavy hair, the strong curve of his lips. A tingling sensation, as if the world were trembling beneath her feet, made her rock towards him.
All at once, he seemed aware of her scrutiny. His eyes met hers. The gleam in their blue depths threatened to take her breath away.
His gaze fell to the front of her night-rail. Selina felt a responsive surge before she recalled with a flash of shame, how grossly improper this all was.
She quickly turned away and bustled about the room, noisily fetching cups and saucers and milk. Richard was watching her. She could feel his gaze between her shoulder blades. She could almost imagine the fun that
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