suggested such a notion was nothing short of foolishness.
Be that as it may, Miranda thought, there were other attributes on her long-held list that could hardly be lain on Lord John's doorstep. For a moment she was hard-pressed to remember a single one, but then one by one they came back to her.
Elegant… now there was a lark, given Lord John's ramshackle appearance and dilapidated home.
Or well-read. Only if she included the faces of playing cards.
Good company? He'd demonstrated his capacity for that trait when he'd ordered them from his property.
But what about passion?
Miranda bounded to her feet, frightened by the familiar ache of desire that spread quickly through her limbs when she put those two together.
Passion and Lord John… it was a dangerous combination, and she didn't trust these tangled feelings he brought forth inside her.
They listened to reason and common sense about as well as the Langley sisters.
And the girls had gotten her this far—she didn't dare discover what they could do with their remaining time at Thistleton Park if they continued unchecked. Or worse, what her rebellious thoughts would have her considering.
No, it was time to make it very clear that their matchmaking was to cease and desist.
"While it is commendable that you would like to see me suitably settled"—they all grinned at her compliment, but their joy was short-lived—"it is hardly proper to start matching people without their consent."
Pippin shot an "I-told-you-so" sort of glance at her cousins and took a step away from Felicity, as if to distance herself from the forthcoming censure.
Miranda warmed to her subject and continued, "I do not desire a match with Lord John, and you will end your efforts immediately." She shot a hard look at each one until all three nodded in agreement.
But there was a glint in Felicity's eyes that suggested the girl wasn't ready to completely relent, so Miranda added, "I suggest we spend a good part of today revisiting your accounting, and then if all three of you get your columns tallied correctly, we can sketch this infamous folly."
They groaned, for not one of them liked lessons in ledgers, but none of them offered any complaints; they knew they could find themselves adding and subtracting for the rest of their lives if they weren't careful.
"Come along," Miranda said, starting back down the path.
Pippin ambled alongside her. "I can see why you wouldn't want to marry Lord John. His house is dreadful."
Tally concurred. "Such a dreary place."
"Yes, but with the right hand and management, it could be quite respectable," Felicity said.
Miranda's gaze rolled skyward. The girl was utterly incorrigible.
"In his favor, his stables are fine enough," Pippin said. "He's got a couple of real goers in there. Funny that a man with such limited means would have such expensive cattle."
"Such is the way with men like Lord John," Miranda pointed out. "They put their money into fancy horses and harebrained ventures and not into the foundation of their estate. It is why Miss Emery cautions all of you to be on your guard against rakes and wastrels."
Tally bent over and picked up Brutus, carrying him along in her arms. "Can you even call Lord John a rake?" she asked. "Isn't he rather old for such things?"
Not really
, Miranda wanted to tell them. And while he certainly wasn't the same Corinthian he'd been all those years ago, when he'd held her at Miss Emery's, even for those few moments, he'd left her shaken and tempted by his charm and the masculine power that seemed to surround him.
No, Lord John was still a dangerous rake. And worst of all, as a woman grown she was only too aware as to what that meant, and how any good sense she held seemed to flee in his presence.
Her heart beat faster, her breathing became more shallow, her limbs were unresponsive.
Perhaps that was the inherent danger of a rake, she concluded; he left a lady so flustered, so diverted, that she wasn't able to fend off
Be that as it may, Miranda thought, there were other attributes on her long-held list that could hardly be lain on Lord John's doorstep. For a moment she was hard-pressed to remember a single one, but then one by one they came back to her.
Elegant… now there was a lark, given Lord John's ramshackle appearance and dilapidated home.
Or well-read. Only if she included the faces of playing cards.
Good company? He'd demonstrated his capacity for that trait when he'd ordered them from his property.
But what about passion?
Miranda bounded to her feet, frightened by the familiar ache of desire that spread quickly through her limbs when she put those two together.
Passion and Lord John… it was a dangerous combination, and she didn't trust these tangled feelings he brought forth inside her.
They listened to reason and common sense about as well as the Langley sisters.
And the girls had gotten her this far—she didn't dare discover what they could do with their remaining time at Thistleton Park if they continued unchecked. Or worse, what her rebellious thoughts would have her considering.
No, it was time to make it very clear that their matchmaking was to cease and desist.
"While it is commendable that you would like to see me suitably settled"—they all grinned at her compliment, but their joy was short-lived—"it is hardly proper to start matching people without their consent."
Pippin shot an "I-told-you-so" sort of glance at her cousins and took a step away from Felicity, as if to distance herself from the forthcoming censure.
Miranda warmed to her subject and continued, "I do not desire a match with Lord John, and you will end your efforts immediately." She shot a hard look at each one until all three nodded in agreement.
But there was a glint in Felicity's eyes that suggested the girl wasn't ready to completely relent, so Miranda added, "I suggest we spend a good part of today revisiting your accounting, and then if all three of you get your columns tallied correctly, we can sketch this infamous folly."
They groaned, for not one of them liked lessons in ledgers, but none of them offered any complaints; they knew they could find themselves adding and subtracting for the rest of their lives if they weren't careful.
"Come along," Miranda said, starting back down the path.
Pippin ambled alongside her. "I can see why you wouldn't want to marry Lord John. His house is dreadful."
Tally concurred. "Such a dreary place."
"Yes, but with the right hand and management, it could be quite respectable," Felicity said.
Miranda's gaze rolled skyward. The girl was utterly incorrigible.
"In his favor, his stables are fine enough," Pippin said. "He's got a couple of real goers in there. Funny that a man with such limited means would have such expensive cattle."
"Such is the way with men like Lord John," Miranda pointed out. "They put their money into fancy horses and harebrained ventures and not into the foundation of their estate. It is why Miss Emery cautions all of you to be on your guard against rakes and wastrels."
Tally bent over and picked up Brutus, carrying him along in her arms. "Can you even call Lord John a rake?" she asked. "Isn't he rather old for such things?"
Not really
, Miranda wanted to tell them. And while he certainly wasn't the same Corinthian he'd been all those years ago, when he'd held her at Miss Emery's, even for those few moments, he'd left her shaken and tempted by his charm and the masculine power that seemed to surround him.
No, Lord John was still a dangerous rake. And worst of all, as a woman grown she was only too aware as to what that meant, and how any good sense she held seemed to flee in his presence.
Her heart beat faster, her breathing became more shallow, her limbs were unresponsive.
Perhaps that was the inherent danger of a rake, she concluded; he left a lady so flustered, so diverted, that she wasn't able to fend off
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