“And you do offer excellent advice, I will admit to that.” Marcus took a breath and let it out slowly, considering. “I do not know what I should do. You are right, my heartisfilled with Lady Almeria. But if she thinks of me only as her friend and companion, as I have always been, then what else is there for me to do but accept that?”
“Ah, but you cannot know for certain.” Lord Trevelyan chuckled at Marcus’ sharp look. “Who can know a lady’s heart but the lady herself? She may be hiding as much from you as you are from her! And what then? What if, in looking back, you wish you had given a little more time to the lady? What if you had given enough time for her to consider how she felt, rather than simply accepting the assumption that she could not ever see you in the same light as you see her? Would you not turn into yourself, forever filled with regret, wondering about what might have taken place if you had only waited?”
Loath as Marcus was to admit it, all Lord Trevelyan said was worth considering - though what that meant in practical terms, he could not quite say.
He let out a low hiss of breath.
“I see your point. Do you have any suggestions as to what I ought to do?”
“Must I tell you everything?” Lord Trevelyan laughed, slapping Marcus on the shoulder. “Very well - what you must do is find a way to ensure that the lady knows of your affections while at the same time, waiting for the right moment to inform her of them.”
Marcus threw out his hands, rolling his eyes in exasperation.
“That is no help whatsoever! I have very little idea of what I am to do.”
Lord Trevelyan chuckled.
“I was not finished yet. My suggestion would be to send her flowers.”
Marcus paused for a moment in their walk.
“Flowers?”
Surely every gentleman sent flowers to young ladies! What difference would such a thing make?
“Yes,” Lord Trevelyan grinned. “All young ladies love flowers. They are seen as a sign of interest, and I believe that various flowers have different meanings. You might begin by sending some that speak of your admiration only to then proceeded with ones which speak of your love for her.”
He lifted an eyebrow as if waiting for Marcus to deny that he had such a depth of feeling but Marcus did not even protest.
“Flowers,” he muttered again as Lord Trevelyan nodded. “It is an idea.” Considering this quietly, Marcus began to nod, one hand rubbing at his chin. “Yes, I can see how such things might work. Then, in due course, I –”
“You tell her of your feelings,” Lord Trevelyan confirmed. “When the time is right, when you feel ready, of course. Things might have altered between you by then, already.”
Again, Marcus considered this, finding the idea to be a pleasing one.
“Yes, I can see that flowers might work after all!” Grinning, he slapped his friend on the shoulder before they continued their walk. “Yet again you have proven that your advice is well founded. My dear friend, I am profoundly grateful for it.”
“I am glad to hear it.” Lord Trevelyan glanced across at him, still smiling. “The only question which remains is what flowers you are to send to the lady first.”
* * *
“My friend statesthat some flowers speak of various emotions.”
A little tongue-tied, it took Marcus a few moments to find the correct words, though the young woman behind the counter did not seem to mind, for there was a slight flush to her cheeks, as though she were very pleased indeed to hear him speak so.
“Yes, that is true.” Turning, she picked up a tulip, a lily, and a rose. “For example, a tulip speaks of friendship – purple ones of admiration; a lily of sympathy – for an innocence has been restored to the soul of the one departed – and the rose, of love.”
Marcus nodded, passing his gaze over the flowers. He was not about to send lilies, of course, but tulips certainly would suffice. Perhaps he might send her a bouquet every day or so, beginning with tulips and then slowly replacing them with roses, until there was nothing but roses for her to keep.
“And do you think the young ladies of society understand such things?”
A light flicker of heat rose in his face as he looked again at the young lady behind the counter, only for her to laugh softly.
“I don’t think you would find a young lady who wouldnotknow these things, my Lord.” Her smile was soft. “You needn’t worry.”
His decision made, Marcus gestured to the tulips.
“Might you send a bouquet of these fine looking purple tulips?”
