“Who says she isn’t ready?” Henry asked.
“Well, she certainly seems very upset tonight,” Duncan said.
“That wasn’t about the idea of courtship,” Henry said. “She was fine when we were all in the sitting room talking things over, remember?”
“I don’t know if I’d have said she wasfine,” Thomas said. “She did seem a bit uncomfortable, didn’t she? I thought it was just because she didn’t like me—”
“She doesn’t like you?” Henry asked.
“I don’t know,” Thomas said. “I’ve never gotten the impression that she did.”
“Well, regardless,” Henry said, “she’s upset this evening because of the way Lord Milton treated her, not because she’s worried about courtship.”
Duncan held up his hands as if to ward the both of them off. “I was wrong to raise the subject today,” he said. “I should have spent more time speaking with her, making certain that I knew what she wanted and what she was prepared for. I should have gotten a definite answer from her before I spoke to either one of you.”
“I’m sure she’ll come around,” Henry said.
Duncan wasn’t so sure. Valeria had seemed so unhappy, and he knew that he couldn’t allow his friends to plague her if it wasn’t what she wanted. It would be difficult enough for her to tolerate his mother’s insistence that she get herself married as quickly as possible. She didn’t need anyone else putting pressure on her.
“I’ll speak to her about the matter,” he said. “But that’s really all I can promise.”
“Very well,” Henry said. He was still smiling as though he didn’t have a care in the world, and Duncan supposed he probably didn’t. This was what Thomas had meant when he had made reference tohow Henry is, he knew. Henry was naturally charming, outgoing, and easy to get along with, and as such, he was accustomed to getting his way. Even as Duncan stood here telling him that Valeria might not be ready for courtship, he had no doubt that his friend was sure things would work out in his favor.
He glanced at Thomas.
Thomas looked rather dejected, although Duncan could see that he was trying not to let it show on his face. Duncan could understand why. After tonight’s events, there was more standing between him and Valeria than there ever had been. In addition to Valeria’s obvious reluctance to involve herself in a courtship, it was clear that Henry was interested in her, too. And Duncan thought it possible that Valeria did prefer Henry.
At least, I saw her smile at him, and engage him in conversation. And she never ran away looking like she was on the verge of tears when he tried to speak to her.
And the truth was that Duncan felt he didn’t much care which of his two friends—if, indeed, it was to be either of them—ended up with his cousin. What mattered was that, after all she had been through, she was safe and happy. He didn’t know who was better positioned to offer her that.
Henry didn’t seem to have noticed that Duncan and Thomas were lost in their thoughts. “I’ll be having my dinner party in a week’s time,” he said. “And you’ll have plenty of time to speak to Lady Valeria before then and find out what she wants.”
Duncan frowned. “You really think I’ll be able to figure out exactly what she’s thinking within a week?”
“You’ll at least be able to gain a clearer idea,” Henry said. “At the party, you can give me some kind of signal if she’s ready, and if so, I’ll try to speak with her. And if not… well, we’ll just have to wait her out, won’t we?”
He flashed a grin.
“Now, hold on,” Duncan said. “I want you to understand that there is nothing more important to me right now than my cousin’s well-being. I won’t have her troubled over these matters. If I tell you, next week at your party, that you’re not to bother her—”
“Then of course I won’t,” Henry agreed, holding up his hands in surrender. “Of course not. I would never want to do anything to cause Lady Valeria grief or upset.”
Duncan thought again of how she had looked when she had come running inside.
But it was Thomas who did that. Not Henry.
“All right,” he said quietly. “I’ll just see what I can find out by next week.” After all, there was nothing to be lost by knowing Valeria’s true feelings, was there?
“That’s great,” Henry said. He smiled and clapped Duncan on the back. “Please thank your mother for a lovely evening, won’t you? I should really be heading for home.”
Duncan nodded. “I’ll be sure to let her know you said that.”
Henry bid good evening to Thomas as well, then made his way out the door and into the night.
Thomas stood very still, watching him go.
“I suppose he doesn’t have much to worry about,” he said.
