Page 55 of Marry in Secret
Her mouth tightened. She waited. “Is that all you have to say?”
He didn’t say anything. He’d said all he had to say.
She tapped her foot, a sure sign of rising temper. “How about ‘Thank you, Rose, for having faith in me, thank you for deciding to keep the vows you made me in that little church outside Bath’?”
“I am honored by the faith you have in me. But as I’ve told you repeatedly, I think it’s misplaced.”
“Well, we’ll just have to agree to disagree, won’t we?” She glared at him, and then suddenly a smile broke through, like sunlight through the clouds. “Oh! We’re having our first fight, aren’t we? Like a proper married couple. But I’m too happy today for a proper fight.”
She linked her arm through his and started to walk. “Now, is that the only reason you came today, to be all surly and disagreeable and”—she slanted a sultry glance his way—“delicious?”
Delicious?“What a revolting notion! I am not—men arenotdelicious.”
“Oh, pooh, what would you know? You’re a man.” She led him down a narrow path. The garden path, Thomas thought to himself. This merry dance he’d been warned about and seemed utterly unable to resist.
They reached a small rustic bench beneath a spreading beech tree. She wiped it with a handkerchief, picked up a fallen leaf and sat down, patting the seat beside her. “So we’re only going to flirt now, is that it? No kissing or anything? I don’t mind—I adore flirting with you—but I can’t help feeling there’s something more serious on your mind.”
There was.
“Do you know who administers your fortune?”
She didn’t blink, just thought for a minute, twirling the leaf gently between finger and thumb, and said, “I think it’s Phipps, Phipps and Yarwood. At least that’s who the family has always dealt with.” She nodded. “Yes, I’m sure it’s them.”
“Would you go with me to see them? And bring your marriage lines?”
She gave him a long thoughtful look, then nodded briskly. “I will.”
“Just like that? No further questions?”
“I trust you, Thomas.” She twirled the leaf between her fingers again. It flew out of her hand and floated to the ground. “I know there’s more you’re not telling me, but I won’t pester you about it. You’ll tell me when you’re ready.” Her confidence in him was breathtaking.
He wasn’t sure he would tell her. And she sure as hell shouldn’t trust him—trust anyone so blindly with all her worldly possessions. Though legally all she owned was already his. It was the way of the world.
But the ways of the world were neither fair nor just. He knew it better than most.
He rose. “Can we visit Phipps, Phipps and Yarwood? Today, I mean.” The sooner he got it done the better.
“Yes, of course. I’m quite looking forward to it. I’ve never been to a lawyer’s establishment before. Places like that don’t encourage females to visit.”
Arm in arm they walked back to where Kirk was waiting with the horses. “We’ll go straight after breakfast. You’ll take your breakfast with us, of course.”
“Er.” He’d as soon take his breakfast with a tiger as eat with Cal Rutherford glowering at him.
“You’re family now, remember,” she said firmly. “You eat with us. It’s time Cal faced facts and accepted that you’re his brother-in-law.”
Thomas resigned himself to a bout of indigestion.
***
“Do you know what that swine has done?” Cal glared at his brother-in-law, Galbraith. He was on his way to his club and had bumped into Galbraith in the street.
“No, but I feel sure you’re going to tell me.”
“I’ve just been to see the family lawyers—nothing too important, just some leases that need renewing—andhehad just been there. With my sister!”
“Unusual.”
“Yes, poor old Phipps was still reeling at having a lady visit his dusty offices. But that’s not the point. The old fellow was so discombobulated, he let it slip that that blackguard was dipping his dirty great fingers into Rose’s fortune.”
