Page 27 of The Secret of the Dashing Detective
“She’s not for me,” he said gruffly, not meeting her eye.
“Why would you say that?” his mother asked, studying him.
“Trust me,” he said. “We are from different worlds. I do not belong in hers, nor she in mine.”
“It seems to me that she is fitting in just fine. A bit odd with the meat thing, but I can see past that.”
Matthew snorted.
“She is comfortable for an evening, but it could never be much beyond that.” He tried to hide his sigh by lifting his glass and then taking a sip of the drink. “I never would have brought her here, truly I wouldn’t have, but Betsy saw me escorting her home and insisted. Juliana couldn’t help but want to come.”
“Her eyes stay on you.”
He shook his head. He couldn’t allow his mother to raise her hopes.
“You know I only want for you to be happy,” his mother said, patting his hand, and he couldn’t help his smile for her.
“I know you do,” he said, allowing some of his reservations to fall as his tone softened. “And you know how much I love you for it.”
“I do.”
“Please don’t place your hopes in Juliana,” he said. “She’s not the woman for me.”
“I am beginning to believe otherwise, but I will keep my opinions to myself as you clearly have not asked for them,” she said. “For now, know she is welcome here with our family anytime you choose to bring her.”
“Thank you, Mother,” he said quietly.
The rest of the evening passed rather quickly. Eventually Matthew was able to shake the sullenness that had overcome him. He supposed his melancholy stemmed from the fact that his mother was right. Julianadidseem to belong here, and there was a part of him that could picture her making her home with him, leaving all behind for the life that he could provide her.
But she was the sister of a duke, he reminded himself. She would never be for him, and he best get used to it.
He had no other choice.
* * *
Juliana was floatingon air as they walked home.
“Your family is so wonderful, Matthew,” she said, squeezing his arm. He had been reluctant to walk her home alone in the dark, but he didn’t have much choice.
“They can be overwhelming sometimes.”
“Not at all!” she exclaimed. “You have come to know my family. They are lovely but there is not that same feeling of… kinship that your family has.”
“We are from different worlds, which is obvious.”
“What does that matter?” she asked, turning to him. “That does not mean we cannot enjoy spending time with people who are new to us. And Ididenjoy spending time with your family. I would like to do so again.”
“I do not think that’s a good idea.
“Why not?”
His jaw hardened once more into that granite stare, and she sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to get far with him.
“What reason could there possibly be for you getting close to them?” He asked.
“Because I like them,” she said, wondering why he was being so surly. She decided that she’d had quite enough of it. She stopped walking and stood in front of him, her hands on her hips.
“What is wrong with you?” she asked, poking him in the chest. “We just had a lovely dinner, and you are here being nothing but difficult.”
