felt as though he had been punched in the chest at the sound of her name.
Thurston, Camille means everything to me.
Like a youth, he felt flushed. I can certainly understand that. She's a lovely girl. Oh God, what had he done? Did he know that they had kissed? He felt like an errant boy about to get a ferocious scold, but it was well deserved. And he waited nervously.
The question I want to ask you he looked Thurston right in the eye is just how lovely is she to you? He didn't mince words, and Thurston almost flinched. He deserved what was happening to him. He had no right to flirt with a girl of her age, yet surprisingly, Beauchamp didn't seem upset, but Jeremiah had to deal now with what he had asked him.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean.
You heard what I said. Just how attractive is my daughter to you? Oh my God '
Very attractive, of course, sir. But I must apologize if I have offended you and Mrs. Beauchamp in any way ' I ' there's really no excuse for
Hush! Men always behave like fools around her. Old, young, they all go half mad when she turns those blue eyes on them, and she's well aware of her own powers, Thurston, don't delude yourself. I wasn't complaining about any affront. I was asking you a direct question man to man. But perhaps I'd best explain myself first. She's what I love most in this life. If I had to give everything up, business, money, house, wife, and save one thing ' Camille would be it. She's all I really care about, he considered his words and then thought better of what he'd said, just about, anyway. He grinned, and then his features sobered again. And I want to get her out of the South. This is no place for a bright girl. They're all fools here, overbred, overrun, with no money left, and the ones who have the money, like me he looked honestly at the man sitting across from him aren't the kind of man I want for her. They're crass and uncouth, unrefined, and more than half of them aren't as smart as she is. She's a remarkable girl in many ways, the best of two worlds, but because of that, she doesn't fit here. The men like her granddaddy are all weak and whining and poor, the others aren't good enough. Thurston, there is no one good enough for her here. Not in Atlanta, or Charleston or Savannah or Richmond, or anywhere in the South. I was thinking of taking her to Paris next year, and introducing her to the aristocracy. Jeremiah found himself wondering how Beauchamp would have managed that, although at times it was amazing what money could do. In fact, I've been promising her that for a long time. But when you walked into our house last week ' Thurston, I had an amazing idea. Jeremiah felt his entire body grow cold. His whole life was about to change, and he knew it. You're the perfect man for her. And she appears to be very taken with you. Jeremiah thought instantly of the kiss she had attacked him with the day before, and it had been far from repugnant to him. You're a good man. I've heard it from everyone, and I like you myself. And I trust my instincts above all, and my instincts tell me you'd be good for her. It's not everyone who could handle Camille. Jeremiah laughed at that, it was really an overwhelming thought, and he found himself staring at his host. Well? What do you say? Would you be interested in marrying my daughter, sir? It was the bluntest question that had ever been put to him, like buying cattle or land or a house, and yet he had an insane desire to say yes. He had to take a deep breath and set down his glass before responding to his host, and the silence sat between them like a boulder in the room.
I'm not quite sure where to start, or what to say, Beauchamp. She's a remarkable girl, there's no doubt about that. And I am deeply flattered by all that you've said. It's easy to see how deeply you care about the girl, and she's richly deserving of the feelings you bear for her. Jeremiah could feel his heart pounding again, it seemed as though it hadn't stopped since the
Thurston, Camille means everything to me.
Like a youth, he felt flushed. I can certainly understand that. She's a lovely girl. Oh God, what had he done? Did he know that they had kissed? He felt like an errant boy about to get a ferocious scold, but it was well deserved. And he waited nervously.
The question I want to ask you he looked Thurston right in the eye is just how lovely is she to you? He didn't mince words, and Thurston almost flinched. He deserved what was happening to him. He had no right to flirt with a girl of her age, yet surprisingly, Beauchamp didn't seem upset, but Jeremiah had to deal now with what he had asked him.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean.
You heard what I said. Just how attractive is my daughter to you? Oh my God '
Very attractive, of course, sir. But I must apologize if I have offended you and Mrs. Beauchamp in any way ' I ' there's really no excuse for
Hush! Men always behave like fools around her. Old, young, they all go half mad when she turns those blue eyes on them, and she's well aware of her own powers, Thurston, don't delude yourself. I wasn't complaining about any affront. I was asking you a direct question man to man. But perhaps I'd best explain myself first. She's what I love most in this life. If I had to give everything up, business, money, house, wife, and save one thing ' Camille would be it. She's all I really care about, he considered his words and then thought better of what he'd said, just about, anyway. He grinned, and then his features sobered again. And I want to get her out of the South. This is no place for a bright girl. They're all fools here, overbred, overrun, with no money left, and the ones who have the money, like me he looked honestly at the man sitting across from him aren't the kind of man I want for her. They're crass and uncouth, unrefined, and more than half of them aren't as smart as she is. She's a remarkable girl in many ways, the best of two worlds, but because of that, she doesn't fit here. The men like her granddaddy are all weak and whining and poor, the others aren't good enough. Thurston, there is no one good enough for her here. Not in Atlanta, or Charleston or Savannah or Richmond, or anywhere in the South. I was thinking of taking her to Paris next year, and introducing her to the aristocracy. Jeremiah found himself wondering how Beauchamp would have managed that, although at times it was amazing what money could do. In fact, I've been promising her that for a long time. But when you walked into our house last week ' Thurston, I had an amazing idea. Jeremiah felt his entire body grow cold. His whole life was about to change, and he knew it. You're the perfect man for her. And she appears to be very taken with you. Jeremiah thought instantly of the kiss she had attacked him with the day before, and it had been far from repugnant to him. You're a good man. I've heard it from everyone, and I like you myself. And I trust my instincts above all, and my instincts tell me you'd be good for her. It's not everyone who could handle Camille. Jeremiah laughed at that, it was really an overwhelming thought, and he found himself staring at his host. Well? What do you say? Would you be interested in marrying my daughter, sir? It was the bluntest question that had ever been put to him, like buying cattle or land or a house, and yet he had an insane desire to say yes. He had to take a deep breath and set down his glass before responding to his host, and the silence sat between them like a boulder in the room.
I'm not quite sure where to start, or what to say, Beauchamp. She's a remarkable girl, there's no doubt about that. And I am deeply flattered by all that you've said. It's easy to see how deeply you care about the girl, and she's richly deserving of the feelings you bear for her. Jeremiah could feel his heart pounding again, it seemed as though it hadn't stopped since the
Similar Books
