He looked at a particularly ugly painting in the room he had no liking for. His rather haughty butler had told him it was a John Constable, a painting of great value.
Perhaps I could sell it and give the money to the orphanage two streets over. At least there, the money would do some good.
“What is our lesson for today?” he said, clearing his throat and trying to get to the crux of the matter. He went to put his elbows on the table again, but narrowly avoided it when he saw her frowning at him.
“Courtship.”
“I beg yer pardon?” he spluttered, his coffee cup tilting in his hand so that he nearly spilt it.
“Courtship,” she said again. She reached across the air between them and settled the coffee cup firmly in his hand. He jolted. Her hand was warm against his own. “A gentleman must know about courtly behavior, how to approach a lady, what the rules are –”
“I daenae care about those.” He put his cup down on the table. She leaned across again, nudging the saucer toward him to show he should be using it.
“But it is the done thing,” she said, practically rolling her eyes, clearly used to his objections by now. “You must know of these things now you’re in theton. There are certain ways to approach a lady’s father to ask for a blessing for a courtship, and then amarriage. There are rules when to send a lady gifts. For instance, no gentleman should send a lady gift unless they are courting.”
“He shouldnae?” He pulled at the necktie around his throat, feeling suddenly heated.
The gown I have purchased for her is nearly ready.
He’d received a note from the modiste that morning who said the gown would be ready by the next day, and she could send it straight to Charlotte’s house with a note from him if he liked. He shifted, fidgeting so much in his chair that Charlotte looked at him.
“You fidget like a boy,” she said with a giggle. “Gentlemen should be still and confident.” She showed him how and he mirrored her stance. He was startled to find that by sitting so straight, his back was not so sore. He supposed he slumped rather too much.
She may be right in that particular lesson.
“So, nay courtin’ couples should buy each other gifts? What if it is a gesture of gratitude?”
“It does not matter.” She shook her head. “Now, there are flowers, too. There is a tradition to buy roses, but there is an entire language when it comes to flowers.”
“A language!?”
“Yes.” She nodded, as if this was a plain and completely normal thing.
“I am nae learnin’ French here,” he said, reaching for one of the biscuits in front of him. She at once leaned forward and took out a small side plate from a stack Mrs. Philips had provided. She nudged it toward him to use with the biscuit.
“No. You are learning the ways of courtship.”
“Let us stop, here.” He put the biscuit down on the plate and leaned toward her, noting that she did the same thing. “Lady Charlotte –” at his words, she flinched. He rather wondered if she was shocked, he had used her title for a change without needing reminding. “I have nay intention of marrying at all.”
Her lips parted a little. Her freckled cheeks seemed to pale slightly, but he thought that must have been in his imagination as she rather hurriedly lifted her teacup to her lips and took a sip.
“No intention at all?” she said after the sip.
“None.” He shook his head. “I am content to stay alone.”
“Why?”
“That is a rather personal question, is it nae?” he said with a laugh. “We had a little drizzle this mornin’, did ye notice?”
“Ah, I wish I had never told you about how one should talk of the weather now.” She sighed and turned her attention down to her teacup. “I do not understand. You have no wish to court at all? None? What if you were to find a lady of whom you were fond?”
He shifted all the more in his seat, making the chair creak beneath him.
It was not helpful to be asked such questions by Charlotte of all people, those large blue eyes staring at him, and those full lips pressed together.
I am nae fond of her. I am nae.
He argued against the possibility and urged himself to sit straight again. He had to stop this line of questioning at once, and he knew by now that there was one certain way to make sure that Charlotte was distracted from this particular conversation.
