“But you truly do care.”
Her hands at her sides once more, Thea stared out over the water. “I want to marry for love.”
The irony in his voice was unmistakable. “Does Miss Miller have a well-heeled and wealthy suitor she has not told her brother about?”
“No,” Thea replied, wheeling on him. “But that does not mean it is not possible. Why should I not marry the man I fall in love with, Freddie? Why is it that the servants and the peasants in the village can marry for love, but I cannot?”
Stepping lightly toward her, her brother smiled as he gently tucked strands of her black hair behind her ear. “Because we of the aristocracy are expected to marry for the benefit of the family, Thea. Even I cannot marry for love. If a Duke or an Earl were to propose a union of our families and estates by marrying me to his daughter, then I can hardly refuse.”
Thea did her best not to sulk. She knew he was right. She had been raised from infancy to know that her place was to marry a man who her father selected, or in his place her brother, to beget heirs of her husband’s family line. It was her duty. Her mother had instilled that principle into her, and would no doubt have swooned to hear Thea’s rebellious talk of marrying for love.
“I know,” she said softly. “I just wish it did not have to be that way.”
Freddie’s warm and loving expression grew into a playful grin. “It is those romance novels you constantly read that are putting such notions into your head. Perhaps I should ban them from the library.”
Although she knew he was joking, and that he read those same books as lavishly as she, Thea feigned horror and outrage that he dared to threaten such an atrocity. “You do, Freddie Miller, Viscount of Willowdale, and I swear I will spread honey in your bedsheets and pour ants into it.”
Freddie jumped, his expression horrified, and scratched at his arms. “Do not eventhinkof doing that again, Thea. My God once in a lifetime was enough. I still have nightmares.”
Crossing her arms over her breasts, Thea smirked. “Thatwas for the snake you set loose in my chambers.”
Freddie gaped. “But it was aharmlesssnake. Those ants bit me all over.”
“Just so you know I am not to be trifled with, brother,” Thea declared, her nose up. “I can and will make your life very difficult indeed. Now, what were you going to do with the romance books in the library?”
Freddie eyed her with no little humor. “I expect they will stay put. But please consider helping me find you a suitable husband.”
Startled, Thea’s nose drifted down, her eyes widened. “You mean that? You will let me help decide?”
“If it means no more biting ants in my bed,” he replied, his tone dry, “I will do anything.”
“Freddie.”
“Oh, all right,” he snapped. “Yes, because I love you, Thea. I want what is best for both you and the family, even if it means permitting you to get involved.”
Thea wanted to throw her arms around his neck, but as Freddie was a terrible stickler for protocol and for what was proper and what not, Thea refrained from such an obvious show of affection. But she gave him such a warm, happy glowing expression, Freddie harrumphed and turned his face away, clearly out of countenance.
“Yes, well, it is time for luncheon, Thea,” he said, half turning toward the grand estate house that had been in their family for generations. “Come along.”
Strolling at his side, Thea noticed the footman that waited attendance upon them, and a wide smile crossed her features before she could halt it. Liam Carter had been her friend since both of them were little, until she grew older and her mother put a stop to it.
“Well-bred ladies do not associate with the hired help, dear,” she had said, her dark hair in a perfect coiffure. “Do not get your fingers dirty.”
While she resented her mother’s implication that her friend Liam was ever dirty, Thea obeyed her mother and ceased inventing new hide and seek games with Liam. Taller and of greater width than her brother, Liam owned shaggy red-gold hair and brilliant green eyes, the heritage of his Scottish sire. The son of the Willowdale’s family housekeeper, Liam’s sailor father died at sea when he was but a baby.
Thea, while maintaining a polite social distance with Liam and the other servants, never forgot how much she liked Liam, or ever forgot their games. Freddie feigned a distaste of such antics with the son of a mere housekeeper, but Thea knew her brother had watched from hiding and envied them.
“My Lord,” Liam intoned formally, bowing low, his voice deep and rich with the tiniest Scottish flare in his accent. “Miss Miller. The butler wishes to inform you that luncheon awaits your pleasure.”
“We are on our way now,” Freddie replied, hardly seeing Liam at all. “Thank you.”
Unwilling to treat the servants as though they did not exist save when they did something wrong, Thea dipped her chin into a sober nod toward Liam. “Mr. Carter,” she said as she and Freddie passed him, “thank you very kindly.”
She liked the way his green eyes sparkled when they looked at her, the somber yet fullness to his voice when he saidMiss Millerand, most especially, she loved seeing the near reverence in his strikingly handsome face. He bowed again, his scarlet and silver livery pristine.
Aware of him following them as she and Freddie strolled toward the house, Thea resisted the urge to turn and gaze upon him again. She certainly did enjoy staring at him.He is too good looking for my own good.She hardly heard Freddie speaking until his very last words.
“ – party for you.”
