Page 74 of When the Rogue Returns
A quick glance at the dahlias filling the parlor made her amend that. He did have his sweet moments.
“You and Mr. Cale are very different men,” she said earnestly. “I like you both in different ways.”
“But youlovehim.”
She caught her breath. Did she? She had once. Could she again? “The point is that I don’t love you, which is neither of our faults, but just the way things are.” She smiled at him. “And you don’t really love me, either, do you?”
He frowned. “I don’t know. I don’t understand love. I like being with you. But then, I like being with lots of people.”
“Mary Grace?” she ventured.
A blush filled his cheeks. “She’s so beautiful, with her red curls and freckles. And sotall.Tall women are elegant, don’t you think?”
She would never have described Mary Grace as elegant, but now that she thought about it, the girl had potential to be so. If Isa gave her a few tips. “I certainly do.”
His face fell. “But she couldn’t possibly like me. Ladies who are young don’t understand me any better than I do them.”
“Ah, but Mary Grace isn’t the typical young lady, any more than you are the typical young gentleman. Give her a chance. She might surprise you.” She patted his arm. “And she speaks of you as if you’re the cleverest, finest fellow in the land.”
“Shedoes?” he said, his blush deepening.
Isa nodded. “And I know she’s really been looking forward to the house party, solely because you invited her personally. If you don’t go, and you disappoint all those people who are expecting you, she might not think quite so well of you.”
That point seemed to perturb him.
Isa heard a knock at the door and then low voices in the hall. “That’s probably her right now, since her great-uncle is driving us out there.” She cast him a sly smile. “Of course, if you brought your curricle, she could ride withyou, and Mr. Gordon and I could just follow behind you.”
That obviously flummoxed him. “I... I suppose that would be all right.” He steadied his shoulders. “IfI go, I mean.”
“Come now, lad, you have to go,” a voice said from the door.
Isa caught her breath. Her husband was here at last!
Tensing, Rupert faced Victor and scowled. “Why doyoucare if I go?”
“Because I’m going, too. And while I may not reallybe your cousin, I could use your friendship.” When Rupert looked skeptical, he added, “From what my wife has told me, you’ve learned that I’ve only been part of English society for a few months. I still find that world difficult to navigate. It would mean a great deal to me if you would help me figure out how to behave.”
Rupert snorted. “You don’t need me for that. You’re a duke’s cousin.”
“I wasn’t born knowing I was a duke’s cousin. And I certainly wasn’t raised as one.”
When Rupert looked surprised, Victor glanced to her, and she smiled her encouragement.
With a heavy breath, he explained, “My father was a soldier, so I grew up on the fields of battle. I know how to load a cannon, but not a dealer’s box for faro. I learned how to hunt for food, not for sport. I’ve never even been on a fox hunt.”
“You don’t say!” Rupert exclaimed, clearly shocked.
“I can drive a sword through a man’s heart, but not dance. I write reports, not verses. All the songs I know are too vulgar for the company of ladies, and I know no sonnets at all. Every time someone of high rank enters a room, I still need a friend to explain how I am to address them.”
Irritability crept into Victor’s voice. “And could someone please tell me what it means to ‘smell of April and May’? I can only assume it has something to do with flowers.”
“It means that two people are courting. Even I know that, cousin!” Rupert caught himself with a frown. “Sorry. I keep forgetting you’renotmy cousin.”
“No, but I hope you’re my friend,” Victor said earnestly. “Because I will certainly need one to make it through this house party, since your mother insists that I attend.”
“She’s good at insisting.” Rupert’s tone turned sullen. “She’s good at ruining my life, too. It looks as if she’s managed to separate me from Mrs. Franke—I mean, Mrs. Cale—after all.”
Victor gave a tight smile. “Your mother didn’t do that. My marriage to Isa ten years ago did. And you didn’t want to make a bigamist of her, did you?”
