“But we want to know what happens, don’t we, Valeria?”
“If Lord Woodsford wants to do this without our presence, we ought not to accompany him,” Valeria said. She had to admit that her cousin’s reaction to the news was causing her nearly as much enjoyment as anything else. It was wonderful to see how happy Duncan was for her, and just as wonderful to see how eager he was to be involved.
And it must be nice for him, too, that I’ll be entering into a courtship with his good friend.
Why, if things progressed the way they might, she and Lord Woodsford could end up married, and then he and Duncan would be family—
Her heart skipped a beat.
Had she really just thought about herself getting married? Had she really allowed herself to consider that prospect without fear or worry?
That was difficult to believe…and yet, she was sitting here now, thinking about it still. About the idea of marriage.
What if that’s where this is heading? What if I find myself engaged to be married to Lord Woodsford, and then actually marrying him?
It was the kind of thing she would have expected to make her feel fear and resistance. In the past, she had felt just that.
Now, though—looking at Lord Woodsford, the only thing she could think was that he would never put her through the kind of torment she had suffered at Richard’s hands. She would be safe with him, because he understood what it was like to live in fear, and he would never do that to her.
“All right, then,” Duncan said, laughing lightly. “Go on up to the Manor, Thomas, and Valeria and I will pack up the picnic and follow behind you, how will that be?”
Lord Woodsford nodded. “I’ll see you there, then,” he said, his eyes on Valeria as he said it.
She gazed at him for a moment, her heart beating very rapidly. She knew that this was the moment her life was about to change for good.
Then he turned and began to make his way back up toward the Manor.
“Well,” Duncan said admiringly. “I hoped we were heading for this. But I must admit, I never expected it so soon.”
He took up the picnic basket and held out his arm to Valeria.
“We’d better get back up there quickly,” he said. “Your whole future is being decided right now, isn’t it? And you don’t want to miss out on finding out what happens.
Valeria took her cousin by the arm. Heart pounding with anticipation, she allowed herself to be led up the grounds.
Chapter 19
“And then,” Duncan finished, “Thomas came out of the sitting room with Mother, looking for all the world as though he had just been handed a sack of money, and Mother told us that she had just given permission for him to court Valeria! Can you believe that?”
“I can’t,” Henry said slowly.
The truth was that he could believe it. He had seen it coming. But now he felt as if his heart was cracking into a thousand pieces.
Why do I feel this way? Can I really care so much abouther?
He didn’t think that could be it. After all, he hardly knew her! What difference did it make if she liked Thomas better?
Almost no one likes Thomas better. Most ladies would have chosen me.
It wasn’t a very kind thought, and he knew it. But it was true. What lady would choose a Baron over a Marquess? And there was the matter of Thomas’s awkward behavior in social situations. He wasn’t terrible, but Henry knew that he was far more charming, and generally had much more success at winning people over.
Thomas and Duncan were both watching him, clearly waiting for some kind of response.
“I think it’s wonderful,” he said. He knew that was the right answer, even if he wasn’t quite feeling that way just yet. He would talk himself around. Maybe it would help to find another lady to give his attention to for a while. He resolved to throw another dinner party soon, and to invite as many young ladies as he could find.
“Thank you,” Thomas said. “I appreciate you saying so, Henry.”
“What will your courtship look like?” Henry asked.
