Daniel’s eyes widened, his heart stopping. “Pardon?”
“What have you done?” she repeated. “I am no fool, Daniel.”
He took a shallow breath.
Does she know? How could she know?
In the evenings, he had often seen his mother in the window of her bedchamber, observing the gardens below with a faraway look in her eyes. But not at almost two o’clock in the morning, surely. And her eyes were not what they had once been either, so it stood to reason that she could not have witnessed the kiss in the cedar tree.
That kiss…
His heart sighed, his lips tingling as if that precious moment had happened just five minutes ago, not days ago.
“I am afraid I have no notion of what you are referring to,” he said stiffly.
If she suspected something, she would have to accuse him—he would not do the incriminating for her.
Amelia narrowed her eyes. “I am aware that you and Phoebe are often locked in a quarrel of some kind, and that is why I know you have done something.” She shook her head. “She is, at present, not speaking to you, and deliberately avoiding you. So, I should like to know what it is you have said to upset her, and then I would like to know what you intend to do to remedy it.”
She does not know…
Daniel breathed a small sigh of relief.
“I have not said or done anything,” he replied as calmly as he could. “I do not know why Miss Wilson has no desire to speak with me. Perhaps she has come to the conclusion that quarreling is a waste of her time, when Joanna and I are so clearly devoted to one another.”
Amelia snorted so loudly that Daniel blinked in astonishment. “Balderdash!” she said. “You are more devoted to that green silk cravat around your neck than you are to Joanna Wilson. Indeed, I cannot fathom why you are continuing with this charade when she is woefully unsuitable for you.”
“Pardon?” Daniel could not believe his ears.
Indeed, he almost burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation, for everything he wanted seemed to be twisting around until it was opposite to his initial intention. Just as his own doubts about Joanna were beginning to grow, Phoebe had begun to relent, acting as nothing but a chaperone whenever Daniel and Joanna took their walks together. And just as Phoebe had resigned herself to the match with Joanna, his mother had suddenly decided to show her disapproval.
This is ludicrous!
His brain was on fire.
“I do not favor the girl,” Amelia replied curtly. “She is sweet, she is charming, she is beautiful—she is all of those things, yes—but she is not right for you. I think she is too young and too fixated on the wrong attributes, and I think you would be a fool if you marry her. Of course, I am just your mother; I do not get the final say, but… I think you are missing something remarkable because you are looking in the wrong place.”
Daniel shook his head, still in disbelief that this was happening. “You did not argue before.”
“I did, but I realize now that I was too discreet with my opinions,” Amelia replied. “Sadly, there are few men who understand the nature of subtlety. You are not one of them. Your father was, but… I suppose I should be grateful that you did not inherit everything from him.”
His heart wrenched, realizing her meaning. She clearly believed that, simply because he was her son, he would somehow escape the curse of the Barnet men. He did not want to be the one to tell her that sickly inheritances like that could not be wished away, nor did he want to be the one to tell her that she was wrong, for there was a very slim chance that she was not. Therehadbeen Barnet men who lived long lives, after all, just few and far between.
And that is why it must be Joanna.That is why it cannot be… the lady that I cannot forget. That is why it must be one kiss, nothing more.
Indeed, his mother’s attempt at intervening was the final straw. How could she, of all people, not trust his decisions? He was no simpleton. He knew his own mind. And he knew that this was the best course for him if everyone else would just cease leaping in with their unwelcome opinions.
“Iwillmarry Joanna. No matter what you may think about my pursuit of her, sheisthe woman for me, no matter what you have all been saying behind my back,” he said curtly, barely holding onto his temper. “You cannot change my mind. No one can.”
Amelia sniffed. “You will not hear my alternative suggestion?”
“I fear I cannot stop you from suggesting it, though I shall tell you again, it will not be heeded,” Daniel replied, trusting in his conviction.
Amelia shrugged. “I think you know who it is already.”
“If I did, we would not be having this conversation,” he reminded her. “I do not have the vaguest notion of whom you are referring to.”
Amelia rolled her eyes. “Phoebe, of course. I have seen the way you look at her, and I have seen the way she looks at you. I have seen your conversations and the way you make one another smile when you are not sniping at one another. As for that, it is a promising sign of passion, my boy! Yes, I rather think the two of you would be infinitely more agreeable as a couple than you and Joanna. I am sorry, but that is my opinion, and I am so rarely wrong in such matters.”
