Page 15 of The Secret Word
The warm feeling spreading through her had to be ignored. “I shall not be your property, whatever the law says,” she warned him.
“I should hope not, except in so far as I shall be yours. In fact, it could be said I was more your property than you aremine, since you are, in effect, paying for me. Or at least for my bloodlines.”
That was certainly a different way of looking at it, but it led neatly to the next question. “Why do you want to marry for money?”
Again, he didn’t hesitate. “Money is nice to have. I could afford to marry if the lady to favor me with her hand in marriage had less money than I have myself. I am well paid for the work I do, and I have been able to save. But grateful though I am to Billy, I’d like to leave his employ, Clem. If I married a poor woman, I could not afford to do that. Still, I would not be contemplating this course if I had not met you. In all truth, I like you, Clem. I think we could be good for one another.”
He was convincing, she’d give him that. But then, by his own account, he’d been raised by one rogue after another. Of course, he was convincing. On the other hand, none of the other suitors for her hand had bothered to court her at all. They had all applied their efforts to wooing her father, and if they spoke to her at all it was to talk about themselves.
Since none of them had won over her father, she did not have to consider them—though who else was Father considering?
“If you left your position with Mr. O’Hara, what would you do, Chris? Do you contemplate a life of leisure?” She did her best to keep her feelings about such a life out of her voice. Gambling, the endless social round, womanizing, foolish pursuits involving horses, overindulgence in alcohol and overspending on clothing. Those were the entertainments of the gentlemen she knew.
“I can hear your sneer, you know,” Chris said. “You despise the kinds of gentlemen who have made Billy rich, and so do I. No, I cannot see myself as a gentleman of leisure, though I doubt successful gentlemen have as much leisure as we think, since they have investments to manage and estates to run.
“But those are not for me. I have an idea—a dream, if you will. But we are already within sight of the gate. Can we leave discussion of that for tomorrow? I’d like to talk about your lady lessons. I have an idea about what sort of worm your father has in his brain box. May I tell you?”
A worm in his brain box. Clem, who had begun to bristle at the mere thought that Chris could teach her how to be a lady, giggled.
“Do tell,” she said, wondering if she really wanted to know.
“Your father, I am thinking, is not acquainted with many ladies of the ton, and so his opinion of ladylike behavior is formed from impressions he gained from others. He has paid for you to be raised as a lady—by which he means he has paid for a governess, I assume?”
“A series of them, and music teachers, dance tutors, painting instructors. I have mastered all the lessons I had a scrap of talent at, but please do not ask me to sing.”
One of Clem’s music teachers had suggested voice training, but the voice teacher resigned after two lessons, telling her father she was musical enough, as evidenced by her piano playing, but she had the voice of a crow, and should on no account be permitted to sing in public.
“So, you were as well-prepared for your come out as any other damsel, but I’m guessing that your father cannot attend events with you, and that he doesn’t know any suitable lady, so he hired one. Am I right so far?”
“Yes, Mrs. Bellowes. She was recommended by another mine owner, whose daughter she sponsored. The daughter married a baron.”
“And did the daughter meet the baron through Mrs. Bellowes? I am guessing not. I believe she has few contacts in the circles your father wants you to enter, and has been unable to attract invitations to the premier events or to introduce you tosuitable gentlemen. I surmise she has told your father that her failure to find you a husband is your fault.”
Clem jaw had dropped open again. How had she not realized that? “You are right. Now that you’ve pointed it out, it’s obvious to me. The lords and ladies the newspapers write about are never at the events I attend, and I have never been to any of the events that appear in the newspapers.Sheis the one who says I am not ladylike!”
“That is my guess,” Chris said. “Also, those suitors your father has negotiated with—I am assuming there are some?” At her nod, he continued. “I imagine they were critical of you as a negotiating tactic. The swine. ‘Plain’ and ‘no lady’.” He snorted. “You! They were either lying or blind.”
He sounded aggrieved, and Clem warmed to him still further. If this was all a strategy on his part, she would never forgive him.
“We are nearly back to Bagshaw, Clem. Please note that I have not overturned you! Will you come out with me tomorrow?”
“I will, Chris.”
He had been keeping his eyes fixed religiously on the horses, but at that, he turned to beam another smile at her. As he did, a dog rushed out of a small stand of shrubs and ran across almost under the horses’ hooves. Naturally, they startled.
In a blink, Chris had his attention back on them again, his hands firm on the reins, his voice, assuring the beasts in a calm soothing tone.
In a moment, he had them back under control. They shook their heads and snorted but trotted the last twenty yards to where Mr. Bagshaw waited as if nothing had happened.
“Well done, Satterthwaite,” he called. “Miss Wright, I told you, you would be safe.”
WouldChris keep Clem safe? She was increasingly convinced she could rely on him physically, but could she trust him with her heart?
Chapter Six
Billy approved ofChris’s driving lessons, and told him to take whatever time he needed. “You can ride well enough,” he commented. “But you’d better practice, Christopher. Get Barney Griggs to take you up to Wimbledon Common, and put you through your paces on Thunder.”
That was a facer. Thunder was Billy’s own thoroughbred. Chris hated to think what he was going to have to pay when the bill came due. “That’s very kind of you, Billy,” he said, wondering if Billy might respond to the hint. No point in asking straight out. Billy would only be offended, or at least would feign being offended. It was hard to tell with Billy.
