warmth radiating from his body made her tingle. Everywhere. “You aren’t considering his proposal, are you?”
“I may have no other choice,” she said softly, maintaining eye contact.
He blinked and took a step back. “I’m certain you will have other options, Charlotte.”
Momentarily bereft at his withdrawal, she shook her head. “Speaking of choices, I’ve been working on a list of potential brides for you, just in case you decide not to pursue Princess Tarasova.” His interest in Anna seemed to have waned recently, but she still owed him something in return for bringing her to the attention of the ton .
He held his hands out, palms up. “Were you planning to tell me who is on the list?”
“Of course.” They moved in unison down the corridor. “Princess Tarasova is by far your best option. Rumor has it she will inherit all of her father’s holdings in Russia, and the duke is expected to settle a substantial portion on her.”
He clasped his hands behind his back. “Who else is on your list?”
“Lady Grey,” Charlotte said less confidently. “She’s a bit timid at first, but she’s charming once you get to know her.”
“Hmm. She was quite terrified when we danced at the Paddon ball. She trembled throughout the set.”
“Your good looks and charismatic personality must have overwhelmed her.”
He shot her a heart-stopping smile.
“You should also consider Lady Hoskins. Though she appears quiet initially, you’ll discover she’s quite intelligent upon closer association. As the daughter of a duke, she exceeds your requirements.”
He seemed overly interested in the pattern of the parquet floor and didn’t answer immediately. “I’ll take your suggestion under consideration.”
Charlotte raised her eyebrows. “Have you spent any time with her this week?”
“I’m afraid she’s too…perfectish.”
She stopped and turned toward him. “Perfectish?”
He lowered his head and gazed into her eyes. “Yes, perfectish. It’s a clear indication that some horrible fault will come to the surface the moment you’ve irrevocably declared your intentions.”
She allowed one corner of her mouth to curve upward. “Well, then. I guess it’s a good thing I could never be considered perfectish.”
His eyes darkened as he leaned closer. “No, you are certainly not too perfectish.”
She struggled to catch her breath and turned away from his intense gaze. “Where are we?” They had been walking much longer than should have been necessary. Marley Hall was exceptionally large, but surely they should have reached the main stairwell by now.
“In the east wing.”
“I thought you were concerned about leaving the duke and duchess waiting. Have you lost your way in your own home?”
Sebastian shot her a sheepish smile. “They’re not actually waiting. I was the one impatient to get started, but now that you’re entertaining me, I feel no particular need to hurry.”
“Odious man,” Charlotte mumbled under her breath, turning away to hide her smile from him.
…
A few hours later, they had toured several of the outdoor gardens, and Sebastian was still stewing over Horace’s behavior toward Charlotte. He fought the urge to return to the house and pummel the man. His temper wasn’t improved by the addition of several other members of the house party who made a last-minute decision to join the garden tour. Nor was it improved by Charlotte’s incessant prattling about her seemingly never-ending list of possible matches for him, none of whom he was remotely interested in.
He had yet to approve of a suitor for her. Determined to hold up his end of their agreement as well, he had invited several eligible gentlemen to spend the week at Marley Hall. Though there was nothing conspicuously wrong with any of them, he couldn’t bring himself to recommend even one of them to Charlotte.
Not wanting to be accused of neglecting his duties as host, he attempted to focus his mind on the tour
“I may have no other choice,” she said softly, maintaining eye contact.
He blinked and took a step back. “I’m certain you will have other options, Charlotte.”
Momentarily bereft at his withdrawal, she shook her head. “Speaking of choices, I’ve been working on a list of potential brides for you, just in case you decide not to pursue Princess Tarasova.” His interest in Anna seemed to have waned recently, but she still owed him something in return for bringing her to the attention of the ton .
He held his hands out, palms up. “Were you planning to tell me who is on the list?”
“Of course.” They moved in unison down the corridor. “Princess Tarasova is by far your best option. Rumor has it she will inherit all of her father’s holdings in Russia, and the duke is expected to settle a substantial portion on her.”
He clasped his hands behind his back. “Who else is on your list?”
“Lady Grey,” Charlotte said less confidently. “She’s a bit timid at first, but she’s charming once you get to know her.”
“Hmm. She was quite terrified when we danced at the Paddon ball. She trembled throughout the set.”
“Your good looks and charismatic personality must have overwhelmed her.”
He shot her a heart-stopping smile.
“You should also consider Lady Hoskins. Though she appears quiet initially, you’ll discover she’s quite intelligent upon closer association. As the daughter of a duke, she exceeds your requirements.”
He seemed overly interested in the pattern of the parquet floor and didn’t answer immediately. “I’ll take your suggestion under consideration.”
Charlotte raised her eyebrows. “Have you spent any time with her this week?”
“I’m afraid she’s too…perfectish.”
She stopped and turned toward him. “Perfectish?”
He lowered his head and gazed into her eyes. “Yes, perfectish. It’s a clear indication that some horrible fault will come to the surface the moment you’ve irrevocably declared your intentions.”
She allowed one corner of her mouth to curve upward. “Well, then. I guess it’s a good thing I could never be considered perfectish.”
His eyes darkened as he leaned closer. “No, you are certainly not too perfectish.”
She struggled to catch her breath and turned away from his intense gaze. “Where are we?” They had been walking much longer than should have been necessary. Marley Hall was exceptionally large, but surely they should have reached the main stairwell by now.
“In the east wing.”
“I thought you were concerned about leaving the duke and duchess waiting. Have you lost your way in your own home?”
Sebastian shot her a sheepish smile. “They’re not actually waiting. I was the one impatient to get started, but now that you’re entertaining me, I feel no particular need to hurry.”
“Odious man,” Charlotte mumbled under her breath, turning away to hide her smile from him.
…
A few hours later, they had toured several of the outdoor gardens, and Sebastian was still stewing over Horace’s behavior toward Charlotte. He fought the urge to return to the house and pummel the man. His temper wasn’t improved by the addition of several other members of the house party who made a last-minute decision to join the garden tour. Nor was it improved by Charlotte’s incessant prattling about her seemingly never-ending list of possible matches for him, none of whom he was remotely interested in.
He had yet to approve of a suitor for her. Determined to hold up his end of their agreement as well, he had invited several eligible gentlemen to spend the week at Marley Hall. Though there was nothing conspicuously wrong with any of them, he couldn’t bring himself to recommend even one of them to Charlotte.
Not wanting to be accused of neglecting his duties as host, he attempted to focus his mind on the tour
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