Our nephew’s welfare should be our greatest mutual concern. I fear I have been guilty of forgetting that.”
“Something else we have in common.” Hadrian paused in the act of filling her wineglass. “If we keep on at this rate, it may soon be hard to tell us apart.”
“I am certain there will always be plenty of differences between us.” Was that such a bad thing, though? She and Daphne had been as different as could be yet they had always got on well together. “For instance, I am prepared to admit when I’m wrong.”
As soon as those words slipped out, Artemis wished she could recall them. Not because they weren’t true, but because she did not want to spoil this fragile harmony.
But instead of firing back a scathing retort, Hadrian chuckled. “So you are, and I reckon it is a good quality in others. I do not mean to boast when I say I am seldom wrong…in matters of business at least. I would not have succeeded if I’d made a great many mistakes or spent a lot of time doubting myself.”
“No.” Artemis took a sip of her wine. “I don’t suppose you would.”
“I hope you will pardon me for talking in terms of commerce, but it is what I know best. It seems to me that virtues and vices are all head and tail of the same coin.”
Artemis mulled the notion over for a moment. “I believe I see what you mean. Someone who is courageous might also be foolhardy at times. Or someone who is confident might be too proud.”
“Just so.” He seemed pleased that she’d grasped his point so readily. “I reckon the tail side of being right so often is that I have trouble admitting my occasional mistakes.”
A bubble of laughter gushed up from somewhere inside Artemis. “You even have trouble admitting that you have trouble admitting you are sometimes wrong.”
He took a deep draught of wine, as if fortifying himself for a challenging task. “It is a bit of an effort, yes.”
“Then may I assume this entire conversation is a very roundabout way of offering an apology?” Artemis scarcely recognized the note of banter in her voice. She sometimes thought such things for her own amusement, but she’d never dared say them out loud, especially to a man like Hadrian Northmore.
To her amazement, he did not take offense, but flashed her a shamefaced grin. “You might take it that way if you were minded to. Especially if it would persuade you to accept my proposition.”
“Proposition?” The word took Artemis aback, reviving memories of the previous night, when he had offered to oblige her by consummating their marriage.
“About working together to make the rest of our journeyto Durham as painless as possible for young Lee. And for our ears. Remember?”
“Of course.” She felt foolish for allowing her thoughts to leap so quickly to that other matter. “I am willing to do whatever is necessary.”
“Capital!” Hadrian reached across the table, offering her his hand. “Then let us seal our agreement as I am accustomed to in business.”
As she extended her fingers, Artemis marveled at the turnabout that had taken place between them in the past twenty-four hours. Did Hadrian regret the things he’d said to her last night? Was his sudden show of cordiality another attempt to signify he was sorry, without admitting he’d been wrong? Or was it only a measure of his desperation to keep Lee pacified for the remainder of their journey?
They clasped hands for a fleeting instant before she pulled away. Even his most innocent touch flustered her.
Given the reluctant manner in which Artemis shook his hand to seal their agreement, Hadrian feared she might not keep up her end of the bargain. But as their post chaise rolled toward the market town of Stamford the next morning, he was forced to admit he’d been mistaken.
Yesterday’s rain had ended, leaving the spring air fresh and the sky a cheerful blue, dotted with tufts of cloud. All along their route the meadows were full of cows and sheep grazing.
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