belted it at the waist.
Magda’s warning left her deflated. She crossed the
room to the window seat where she’d spent the previous
night. She knew herself to be a shrewd woman who understood human nature. She’d seen enough of the good
and the bad through her years of telling fortunes. She
could indeed read people like books, usually without error. Had she been so wrong about Giles?
“There, there, my sweetling,” Magda perched on the
edge of the bed, her tone not as condemning. “I know
you don’t want to believe me. Don’t take my word for
it. Test your thoughts. Tell me everything that happened
when you left for the fair this morning.”
Cate brightened at the prospect and shifted around in
the window seat to get comfortable. “Giles took me up in the curricle next to him so we could talk about our strategy, about our mutual need for discretion. I took it as a
good sign. He was not going to dismiss me out of hand.
We would explore the possibilities of my claim together.
“He made sure I could avoid the company of that odious FoxHaughton woman by seeing me attached to
Lady Isabella and Lady Cecile. After lunch we all went
shopping together, and he bought me a cake of French
milled soap. He squired me about all afternoon” She
paused, leaving out the bit about the races. “I am certain
we would have driven back in the curricle together if
Lady FoxHaughton hadn’t come down with a headache.
He treated me as if I were one of them, as if I belonged
in their circles. Not once did he imply I was less than
worthy of their company. We mustn’t forget all his kindnesses this morning with the gowns” Cate finished her
recitation of Giles’s good deeds, feeling confident that
Magda would have to secede some of her harsh position.
Magda fiddled with the pale-blue counterpane, tracing its patterns with a finger. “Have you thought why a
gentleman would go to such lengths for a stranger? For
a woman he does not know and who is not of his class?
More to the point, why would a gentleman do such
things for a woman who has the means to depose him
from his life of luxury?”
Cate looked squarely at Magda. “Because he is a good
man.”
Magda snorted. “You’re half right. He’s a man. Can
you not think of another reason? One that has more
logic?”
“No, I cannot, but I am sure you can. What do you
think?” Cate said testily from the window seat. Magda’s
pragmatism was becoming difficult to stomach, but she’d
been right about much in Cate’s life and she was the only
mother figure Cate had known. Difficult or not, it was
hard to turn away from Magda’s counsel.
“He wanted to show you a slice of his life and how
ill-equipped you are to assume a place in such circles.”
Magda held up her fingers. “First, the gowns. He sent
enough of them to impress you with their fine tailoring
and to swamp you with choices he knew you couldn’t
make between a carriage gown or a walking dress. The
clothes were meant to intimidate you. Second, he imposed on you a new name and a false identity because
he is embarrassed by your presence, not because he
wants to assimilate you into the house party. Third, he
kept you to himself because he doesn’t want you out his
sight. You’re too dangerous left on the loose. Fourth, he
bought you an effortless gewgaw-your precious soap
and ribbons-to show you how much you lacked. You
could not even afford one of those items on a whim.
Are you charmed now with your handsome prince?
Should I go on to examine the motives behind his facile
words on the verandah this evening?”
Cate swallowed hard. Magda’s logic seemed far
more reasonable than her own quickly paling assumptions. She had no proof to counter Magda’s claims beyond her intuition. Deep down in her heart, she knew
Giles was not as manipulative as Magda suspected.
Protective of his domain? Yes. Willing to fight her for it? Most definitely. But he would not fight
Magda’s warning left her deflated. She crossed the
room to the window seat where she’d spent the previous
night. She knew herself to be a shrewd woman who understood human nature. She’d seen enough of the good
and the bad through her years of telling fortunes. She
could indeed read people like books, usually without error. Had she been so wrong about Giles?
“There, there, my sweetling,” Magda perched on the
edge of the bed, her tone not as condemning. “I know
you don’t want to believe me. Don’t take my word for
it. Test your thoughts. Tell me everything that happened
when you left for the fair this morning.”
Cate brightened at the prospect and shifted around in
the window seat to get comfortable. “Giles took me up in the curricle next to him so we could talk about our strategy, about our mutual need for discretion. I took it as a
good sign. He was not going to dismiss me out of hand.
We would explore the possibilities of my claim together.
“He made sure I could avoid the company of that odious FoxHaughton woman by seeing me attached to
Lady Isabella and Lady Cecile. After lunch we all went
shopping together, and he bought me a cake of French
milled soap. He squired me about all afternoon” She
paused, leaving out the bit about the races. “I am certain
we would have driven back in the curricle together if
Lady FoxHaughton hadn’t come down with a headache.
He treated me as if I were one of them, as if I belonged
in their circles. Not once did he imply I was less than
worthy of their company. We mustn’t forget all his kindnesses this morning with the gowns” Cate finished her
recitation of Giles’s good deeds, feeling confident that
Magda would have to secede some of her harsh position.
Magda fiddled with the pale-blue counterpane, tracing its patterns with a finger. “Have you thought why a
gentleman would go to such lengths for a stranger? For
a woman he does not know and who is not of his class?
More to the point, why would a gentleman do such
things for a woman who has the means to depose him
from his life of luxury?”
Cate looked squarely at Magda. “Because he is a good
man.”
Magda snorted. “You’re half right. He’s a man. Can
you not think of another reason? One that has more
logic?”
“No, I cannot, but I am sure you can. What do you
think?” Cate said testily from the window seat. Magda’s
pragmatism was becoming difficult to stomach, but she’d
been right about much in Cate’s life and she was the only
mother figure Cate had known. Difficult or not, it was
hard to turn away from Magda’s counsel.
“He wanted to show you a slice of his life and how
ill-equipped you are to assume a place in such circles.”
Magda held up her fingers. “First, the gowns. He sent
enough of them to impress you with their fine tailoring
and to swamp you with choices he knew you couldn’t
make between a carriage gown or a walking dress. The
clothes were meant to intimidate you. Second, he imposed on you a new name and a false identity because
he is embarrassed by your presence, not because he
wants to assimilate you into the house party. Third, he
kept you to himself because he doesn’t want you out his
sight. You’re too dangerous left on the loose. Fourth, he
bought you an effortless gewgaw-your precious soap
and ribbons-to show you how much you lacked. You
could not even afford one of those items on a whim.
Are you charmed now with your handsome prince?
Should I go on to examine the motives behind his facile
words on the verandah this evening?”
Cate swallowed hard. Magda’s logic seemed far
more reasonable than her own quickly paling assumptions. She had no proof to counter Magda’s claims beyond her intuition. Deep down in her heart, she knew
Giles was not as manipulative as Magda suspected.
Protective of his domain? Yes. Willing to fight her for it? Most definitely. But he would not fight
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