“Of course we will,” Phineas agreed. “After all, if we’re going to be family now, we owe it to ourselves to spend as much time together as we can—really get to know one another.”
“Yes, and also, you’re one of the few people here who isn’t going to make me feel crazy,” Lady Eleanor said. “No offense to you, Your Grace.”
“Am I making you feel crazy?” He couldn’t keep a smile off his face at the thought that he might be affecting her just as much as she was affecting him.
Lady Eleanor laughed. “You’re making me feelfrustrated,” she told him.
“I expected you to deny that.”
“Why should I deny anything? You seem like a clever gentleman. Wouldn’t it insult your intelligence and your perceptiveness if I were to lie to you?”
“I suppose it would,” he agreed. “But most people lie to me anyway.”
“How do you stand it?”
“To be honest with you,” he said, “I’m not quite sure.”
“Well, it was a pleasure running into you for the second time nonetheless.”
“I suppose I’ll see you again later?” he asked her.
“I trust you will,” she said dryly. “It is my sister’s wedding, and my house, and you’re here for the whole week. It would take an act of God to keep us from encountering one another occasionally.”
She smiled at him and Phineas once more, and then she was off.
Nicholas shook his head. “She’s really something else,” he said. “I’ve never met anyone quite like that.”
“Are you upset that she was rude?”
“No, I’m not,” he said.
“If it helps you, that didn’t have anything to do with you. She’s like that with everyone. I did think she might find a bit more courtesy for the duke, but I suppose she wouldn’t be herself if she had.”
“You know her very well, then?”
“Our families have known one another for a long time. That’s how her sister and Jacob come to be getting married this week.”
“But not you and Lady Eleanor?”
“Oh, no, there’s nothing like that between the two of us. We’re great friends, but that’s all we’ve ever been. I know for certain that neither of us has romantic feelings for the other, nor will we ever.”
“She did mention getting married, though.”
“She thinks her father means to choose a husband for her over the course of this week.”
“So the choice hasn’t yet been made?”
“Not as far as I’m aware.”
“That’s interesting.”
“What are you thinking about?” Phineas asked him. “You have that devilish look on your face—how many times have I seen that expression right before you did something that got us into trouble?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Nicholas said.
“Don’t think I don’t see it. You’re scheming. Just be careful with your plotting. Eleanor may be brash and outspoken, but she is a dear friend of mine. I’ll be very unhappy if anything hurts her.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
