Page 17 of The Viscount's Code
“Are you always like this?”
“Like what?”
“So…cheerful.” He said the word almost with disgust, and Hope leaned back away from him, not pleased with how much his criticism hurt.
“I cannot see what is wrong with that.”
“Life isn’t cheerful. Life is hard.”
“So it is,” she said carefully. “I would never deny that. But how dreary it would be to focus on those aspects of it. Yes, difficult things occur more often than we’d like, but isn’t it better to enjoy the good parts?”
He let out a noise that was something like a harumph. “Until it comes crumbling down around you. And the higher you climb, the harder you fall.”
Hope considered what he said for a moment, before shaking her head vehemently. “I don’t believe that’s true. Pain comes either way.”
“Believe what you’d like,” he said, his eyes not leaving the book in front of him. “You’ve obviously never had anything untoward happen to you.”
“That is not entirely true,” she said, “although I have been fortunate, yes, I realize that. What happened that has caused you such pain?”
He finally looked up at her, his eyes focused and judging.
“You clearly do not understand, so I’m not going to waste my time speaking of it.”
“You began this conversation,” she said in exasperation, lifting her hands out to the side.
“So I did,” he replied tersely. “But your father was right. You should never have come in here.” He reached out and shut the book that was sitting open between them, moving it back to the other side. “You need to leave.”
“This is my house. I can go where I please.”
“Fine,” he said, his teeth gritted. “I amaskingyou to leave. I work better alone.”
“But—”
She could see only his side profile, and her breath caught. There was anger there, yes, but something more – pain. Pain that he did not want her to see.
“Very well,” she said quietly, pulling the gloves off her hands and setting them down carefully on the desk. “Best of luck.”
And with that she walked out, leaving him sulking behind her.
CHAPTER7
Anthony knew he had been an ass. But he couldn’t help it. There was something about Hope Newfield that got under his skin, that made him… feel things. And he didn’t like feeling things. Not at all.
Which was why he considered that his best tactic was to do as her father had requested and keep as much distance between them as possible. Fortunately, she had avoided him for the rest of the day, until the dinner hour had arrived.
“I have the most wonderful idea,” Lady Embury was saying now – of course, the only one talking.
“Oh?” Anthony’s mother said, and even he had to admit that there was light in her eyes that he enjoyed seeing again.
“The market is open tomorrow in Harwich. Why do we not attend?”
“Oh, Mother,” Lady Faith said in a disapproving tone. “I hardly think Lady Whitehall would enjoy herself there. It is simply people peddling their goods.”
“Not just that, Faith,” her mother said, raising a finger. “My maid tells me that tomorrow is a particularlyspecialmarket day. There is a fair travelling through town.”
“A fair.”
“Yes.” Lady Embury nodded emphatically. “They are bringing all kinds of exotic displays, as well as rides to partake in.”
