Page 32 of Snapdragons
Aldric looked above and behind Niles to where the gentleman in question was standing. “What did you do?”
“I was simply my charming, delightful—”
“Unattached,” Lucas added.
“Wealthy,” Kes tossed in.
“—self,” Digby finished. “That immediately made me Mr. Seymour’s favorite person at Pledwick Manor.” Then, quite obviously to Wilson, he said, “The ribbon should be tight, but the hair should be allowed to be softer.”
“DidMissSeymour also find herself similarly intrigued by the charming, delightful, unattached, wealthy host of this unexpected house party?” Aldric asked.
“The Irish lass is currently attempting to nab herself a CornishPuppy,” Lucas said.
“And that Cornish Puppy still doesn’t want to be nabbed?” Henri asked.
Niles shook his head only to have Digby place his hands on either side of Niles’s face to hold him still.
“My deepest apologies, Your Majesty.”
“We require only a moment more of your cooperation,” Digby said, using such a regal tone that Niles couldn’t be certain if thewereferred to both him and Wilson or if Digby was referring to himself in the royal plural.
Careful to keep very still, Niles said, “This Cornish Puppy hasn’t changed what he wants for himself and his future. And being courted or wooed or whatever else this game is being called isn’t changing that. It feels too...” How did he explain why Miss Seymour’s efforts rankled the way they did?
“Coercive?” Aldric suggested.
That hit close to the mark, though it was not precisely what he was feeling. “I just don’t know if she’s sincere. I’m not saying she’s a liar,” he quickly added. “But I don’t like the idea of being... manipulated.”
“We’ll not let that happen,” Aldric said.
Niles made no argument that Miss Seymour was, in fact, interested in him and was courting him because she genuinely wanted to marryhimand wasn’t merely marrying the person who’d been chosen for her. All the other Gents had been swooned over and been the recipients of sincere adoration. All of them.
Except him.
“You said another year would see you with the £150 you lack?” Lucas asked.
“Assuming my family welcomes me home and saves me the expense of lodgings outside of the Season.” No matter how upset they were with him, they couldn’t cut him off financially; hisincome was stipulated in legally binding contracts. It hurt that he’d taken solace in that of late. His connection to his family had always been warm and secure. He’d risked all of that by rejecting his duty to his grandparents.
“I wish I had the money to lend you,” Lucas said.
The others added their voices to the wish. Niles knew his friends well enough to have already guessed that every last one of them would have helped him financially if they could. Even though Lucas, Kes, and Digby had money enough to live quite comfortably, they all also had expenses attached to their estates. They didn’t have much truly disposable income. Henri and Aldric barely had income, despite being sons of extremely wealthy families.
“Is there a possibility of finding an estate at a lower price?” Aldric asked.
“Not one that would provide me with the additional income I need to be eligible for a parliamentary seat.” He didn’t need to explain to any of them why that was so crucial. They knew his ambition, no matter that it was not often discussed among them.
“We’ll see you safely through your current difficulties,” Henri vowed.
Behind him, Digby said, “Your second lesson in being a gentleman’s gentleman, Wilson, is that you’ll sometimes overhear private conversations, but—”
“I know how to keep my mouth shut, sir,” Wilson said. “And for Lord Jonquil, who saved my life, I’ll keep every secret he needs me to.”
Lucas looked entirely convinced of the young man’s sincerity, which was reassurance enough for Niles. As Wilson gathered the tools of his sought-after trade, Digby stepped around and joined the Gents.
“Thank you,” Niles said to them. “I’ve managed to get myself into quite a bind. I don’t know how I’d survive this without all ofyou.”
“Do you remember,” Aldric said, “Stanley saying to us that everyone has a dream, but only the truly fortunate ones get to live theirs?”
Niles remembered that well.
