“No, indeed, Lady Yardley, you do not understand.” Throwing back his head, Adam ran one hand over his face once and then a second time. “I do not think that you understand at all. I havetrulybeen foolish. Indeed, the significance of my actions is such that I would be surprised if Miss Millington should ever speak to me again.” At her slight frown, Adam sighed again, then began his explanation. “The anonymous letter which Miss Millington spoke of, the harsh words written there…” His face burned and he closed his eyes. “It is not only Miss Millington who has written a letter, Lady Yardley.” Opening his eyes, he gazed at her. “I wrote one in response.”
On hearing her breath hitch, he nodded, then groaned aloud.
“You see then what I have done, Lady Yardley? She will not wish to even speak a word to me again after she discovers thatIwas the one who wrote that dismissive, abrupt letter to her!” Heaviness pushed him down into the floor, and he flung out one hand towards the door. “I shall take my leave, Lady Yardley. It seems as though all hope is lost.”
“My dear Lord Seaton, do sit down again.” Lady Yardley rose, smiling warmly, with one hand reaching out towards him, before gesturing for him to take his seat again. “It is not as bad as you think, I am sure of it.”
“How can it not be?” Adam, unable to do as she asked me, continued to pace up and down the room. “I have ruined it. I have hurt her most severely, I am sure.”
“But you are not that gentleman any longer.” Lady Yardley’s soft voice made Adam pause. “You do not hold the same feelings, I am sure.”
“No, I do not.” Speaking in a slightly hoarse voice, Adam slumped back down into his seat. “I am quite the opposite.”
Tilting her head, Lady Yardley paused for a moment, then smiled.
“Am I to understand that you consider yourself in love with Miss Millington?”
There was not even a single moment of hesitation.
“Yes, yes, Lady Yardley I do.”
“That is very good to hear.” Lady Yardley drew in a long breath. “I cannot say more, for it is not my place to do so, but I do believe that you have every chance of regaining your acquaintance with Miss Millington.”
His heart did not want to believe it, such was his shame.
“I do not know how you can say so.” Adam hung his head, now hating every word that he had written. “Once she learns that it is I who wrote that letter - for I will not keep such a thing from her - I can already see the sadness in her eyes as she turns away from me.”
After such a speech, there came a few moments of silence and thereafter Lady Yardley spoke in a gentle, calming voice, which urged him to answer.
“Tell me what you are doing here, Lord Seaton.” Rising she went to ring the bell. “We shall take tea and discuss the entire matter. There is a reason you have come, a reason that you have not yet shared with me. You speak of ‘The London Ledger’, and writing a letter which you wish to have published.” Her head tilted. “You may be surprised to learn that Miss Millington herself has not been particularly enamored of any of the gentlemen who, as yet, have written in response.”
Adam shook his head.
“Though she may very well be now. Her father introduced her to Lord Warrington, and I know for certain that he seeks a love match. He made society aware of it only last Season.”
The smile on Lady Yardley’s face faded.
“You mean to say that her father has introduced her to him?”
Seeing the expression on her face, Adam nodded and closed his eyes.
“Yes, it is so.”
“Then it is all the more urgent that we speak,” Lady Yardley replied briskly. “Now do not hold back, Lord Seaton. Tell me everything, and tell me exactly what it is that you plan to do.”
Chapter Seventeen
“And what do you think of Lord Warrington?”
Her mother took Constance’s arm as they walked together into the ballroom. Constance forced herself to answer, her mind having been entirely fixed upon Lord Seaton up until this present moment.
“He is amiable.”
Her mother sighed contentedly.
“Yes, he is. For myself, I think that Lord Warrington is a gentleman of great worth, and I confess to having beenmostsurprised to hear that he also seeks a love match. I knew that such a thing was important to you, but I did not think that your father would ever be willing to put such a gentleman before you. It seems that I may have misjudged him a little.”
Constance managed a small smile.
