An Affair of the Heart by Joan Smith

you, so don’t think it.”
    “You will never nab anyone if you go on in this childish fashion when you get to London. I should think that with three sisters you would have more—more sense,” he finished up lamely.
    “I am not going to London. I have decided tonight. You have decided me. If this is the way gentlemen behave in London, I have no desire to meet them.”
    “What, only because I have said you were looking pretty!”
    “Laughing at me! You think because you are a marquis with twenty thousand pounds a year you may act as you please.”
    “News certainly travels fast,” he said ironically. God, he might as well wear a sign.
    “Yes, particularly when you go bragging about it, as if that made you something special, only because you were born into a title and fortune, and have never done the least thing to merit it.”
    “Bragging! I hope I am not so crude as that.”
    “Well, you are, for the very first time I ever saw you, you told me you were the Marquis of Claymore, with twenty thousand a year.”
    “Strange I have no recollection of the occasion.”
    “You were so disguised you don’t remember,” she retaliated.
    He didn’t believe her, and thought she had the story from someone else. Lady Siderow perhaps, and was only trying to cover up her error in letting it slip out. “Unwise of you to antagonize me, wasn’t it?” he asked coolly. “You won’t meet many marquises, with twenty thousand a year.”
    “I hope I don’t meet any more, if they are all as odious as you.”
    “You will find they are. The dukes with twenty-five thousand are even worse, but it doesn’t prevent their marrying the prettiest girls in town.”
    “You are insufferably conceited and arrogant and—”
    “And rich,” he finished for her, as she appeared to have run out of compliments. He was in such ill humor at this calling down that he had to return the blow in some manner. “You know, Ellie, you are pretty stupid yourself. Before our little ... chat, it had been my intention to offer for you.” The idea had occurred to him, fleetingly.
    She heard it and gasped. “You have saved us both an unnecessary embarrassment then,” she replied in a chill tone, “by not doing so.”
    “So it seems.If you are quite sure you are in no need of help, I shall return to the ballroom.”
    “Why should I need help from you?” she snapped, which had the effect of getting his lordship to his feet and on his stiff-legged way back to the ball, and leaving her alone to sniffle into her wet hankie with renewed vigor.
     

Chapter Seven
     
    The next morning Rex Homberly was surprised and delighted when his friend suggested an early remove to Bath. “Not going to make a pitch for Ellie, then?”Rex asked.
    “No, it was Wanda I preferred. Perhaps the whole thing was madness.”
    “Always thought so m’self,”Rex said sagely, nibbling his thumb. “Whole thing will be forgotten by the fall. Silly to go shackling yourself for life to a pretty widgeon like Wanda only because the Rose broke your heart. Well, Wanda is to have Hibbard, after all. Mama had it of Mrs. Wanderley last night, so if you don’t fancy Ellie, we might as well leave for Bath this afternoon.”
    “Let us go this morning.”
    “Thought I’d ride over and congratulate Miss Wanda on the announcement. Mama says I should. You ought to come too, Clay. No point in letting her think she’s got you all cut to shreds. Wouldn’t satisfy her. Let her see you’re merry as a grig before you go.”
    “Very well,” Clay agreed readily, and felt a stirring of anticipation that had nothing to do with seeing Wanda.
    They rode out around ten. During the tripRex asked, “Wonder if she’ll go to London next year.”
    “She says not,” Clay replied.
    “That so? Well, Hibbards don’t have a London residence, but I’m surprised she don’t try to talk him into renting one.”
    “Hibbards? Did you think she would stay with Wanda? I thought it more likely she would go to