like to discuss this with you.”
“Of course we will. Tell me, how did you find out he had returned? I haven’t received a visit from the earl. Unless Newton failed to deliver his message to me.” Bertram started searching the covers. “Where’s my bell?”
“Papa, please wait before you summon Newton.” She took hold of his hand and kept him from ringing the bell as his fingers closed over it.
“All right, let’s start at the beginning. Tell me how you know that he is in Town.”
“Lord Stonehurst was really quite shrewd.” Too designing. “I met him at the first party I attended last night. Uncle Archer introduced us.”
Bertram rose from his pillows. “Archer knew he was in Town and didn’t take the time to tell me? I’ll have a word with him about that.”
“No. Apparently, Lord Stonehurst wanted to surprise all of us.” Indeed he had. “He just showed up at the Worsters’ party last night unannounced and demanded he be introduced to me with no forewarning.”
All of a sudden Bertram laughed out loud, a rich healthy laugh. She was pleased to see her father display energy. Her spirits lifted just listening to him. She hadn’t seen him so alive in months.
She didn’t want to sound like a grumbling child but she hadn’t expected her father to be so amused. “I didn’t find his behavior humorous, Papa.”
“Of course you didn’t, but I do. What a clever man your fiancé is. That is exactly something I would have done in my younger years. I approve of his tactics. Maybe he will be a good match for you after all, dear girl. I like his style.”
Her father seldom made her bristle, but his attitude about Lord Stonehurst’s antics was not what she expected. “Only a man would appreciate that kind of behavior. I thought it not only inappropriate but inconsiderate as well.”
Bertram chuckled again. “I’m sure you did. No doubt he watched you from afar before he approached. I can understand him wanting to get a good look at you before he met you.”
“That’s exactly what he did.” Though Mirabella was sure he hadn’t liked what he saw.
She hated to tell her father what she must when he was feeling better than she had seen him in a long time. But it had to be said before he went any further. “Papa, I don’t want to marry the viscount.”
“Nonsense, girl. This has been set for years. You know how important it was to me that you have a titled husband worthy of you and your inheritance. From what you’ve just told me, this man is up to the task.”
“I know it is what you have wanted all these years, Papa, but I find that it’s not what I want.”
“You are merely getting jittery now that he is here. Perfectly understandable.” He patted her cheek with a warm hand and smiled gently at her. “Not to worry, they’ll go away in time.”
No, she just needed to be free of him so that she could continue her search for the man who seduced Sarah, and so she could stop thinking about how much she would have liked to get to know him.
“It’s more than that.” She paused and went over her speech in her mind, the same story she told Camden which was as close to the truth as she could get without mentioning Sarah.
I can’t marry him, Papa, because I have disgraced you, myself, and my fiancé by allowing certain young gentlemen to walk with me in the gardens and kiss me. I assumed he would never return and claim me for his bride, and I didn’t want to go through life without being kissed.
That made her sound and feel absolutely wretched. No wonder Society dictated young ladies shouldn’t be left alone with a gentleman.
Her father took hold of her hand and held it in his. “Mirabella, I see this has upset you. Everything is going to be all right now. I was so afraid the viscount wouldn’t return, and I knew I must see you wed before I die.”
“Papa. Don’t say things like that.”
“It’s true.”
An ache started in her chest. How could she tell her father how
“Of course we will. Tell me, how did you find out he had returned? I haven’t received a visit from the earl. Unless Newton failed to deliver his message to me.” Bertram started searching the covers. “Where’s my bell?”
“Papa, please wait before you summon Newton.” She took hold of his hand and kept him from ringing the bell as his fingers closed over it.
“All right, let’s start at the beginning. Tell me how you know that he is in Town.”
“Lord Stonehurst was really quite shrewd.” Too designing. “I met him at the first party I attended last night. Uncle Archer introduced us.”
Bertram rose from his pillows. “Archer knew he was in Town and didn’t take the time to tell me? I’ll have a word with him about that.”
“No. Apparently, Lord Stonehurst wanted to surprise all of us.” Indeed he had. “He just showed up at the Worsters’ party last night unannounced and demanded he be introduced to me with no forewarning.”
All of a sudden Bertram laughed out loud, a rich healthy laugh. She was pleased to see her father display energy. Her spirits lifted just listening to him. She hadn’t seen him so alive in months.
She didn’t want to sound like a grumbling child but she hadn’t expected her father to be so amused. “I didn’t find his behavior humorous, Papa.”
“Of course you didn’t, but I do. What a clever man your fiancé is. That is exactly something I would have done in my younger years. I approve of his tactics. Maybe he will be a good match for you after all, dear girl. I like his style.”
Her father seldom made her bristle, but his attitude about Lord Stonehurst’s antics was not what she expected. “Only a man would appreciate that kind of behavior. I thought it not only inappropriate but inconsiderate as well.”
Bertram chuckled again. “I’m sure you did. No doubt he watched you from afar before he approached. I can understand him wanting to get a good look at you before he met you.”
“That’s exactly what he did.” Though Mirabella was sure he hadn’t liked what he saw.
She hated to tell her father what she must when he was feeling better than she had seen him in a long time. But it had to be said before he went any further. “Papa, I don’t want to marry the viscount.”
“Nonsense, girl. This has been set for years. You know how important it was to me that you have a titled husband worthy of you and your inheritance. From what you’ve just told me, this man is up to the task.”
“I know it is what you have wanted all these years, Papa, but I find that it’s not what I want.”
“You are merely getting jittery now that he is here. Perfectly understandable.” He patted her cheek with a warm hand and smiled gently at her. “Not to worry, they’ll go away in time.”
No, she just needed to be free of him so that she could continue her search for the man who seduced Sarah, and so she could stop thinking about how much she would have liked to get to know him.
“It’s more than that.” She paused and went over her speech in her mind, the same story she told Camden which was as close to the truth as she could get without mentioning Sarah.
I can’t marry him, Papa, because I have disgraced you, myself, and my fiancé by allowing certain young gentlemen to walk with me in the gardens and kiss me. I assumed he would never return and claim me for his bride, and I didn’t want to go through life without being kissed.
That made her sound and feel absolutely wretched. No wonder Society dictated young ladies shouldn’t be left alone with a gentleman.
Her father took hold of her hand and held it in his. “Mirabella, I see this has upset you. Everything is going to be all right now. I was so afraid the viscount wouldn’t return, and I knew I must see you wed before I die.”
“Papa. Don’t say things like that.”
“It’s true.”
An ache started in her chest. How could she tell her father how
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