“I am sorry,” said his lordship, a wicked grin lighting his face. “Do I interrupt?”
She heard the tease in his voice and wanted suddenly to stomp on his foot. She said instead as calmly as she could muster, “No, indeed, my uncle is away this afternoon, and Eustace was just leaving.” She turned to the reverend, clearly dismissing him. “In fact, I really should not be receiving gentlemen visitors in his absence.”
“Indeed,” his lordship agreed with an inclination of his head. “’Tis why I have your man at my horse’s head. I came in the curricle in the hopes you might take a little drive with me. It is a remarkably fine day, and I thought you might enjoy the last of our warm fall afternoons.”
Serena was on her feet. “Lovely, yes I would like that very much.” She turned and extended her hand to Eustace with a polite dismissal on her face. “Reverend.” Then back to his lordship, her face bright with pleasure, she said, “I will fetch my cloak and be back in a moment.”
The two men watched her leave before they faced one another. Eustace broke the contact by picking up his hat and gloves from the sideboard table as he started for the door. He turned suddenly and said on a hard note, “In the end, she will be mine.”
“Indeed,” his lordship said, his lip curling. “I rather think the lady has a mind of her own.”
“You are turning her head with attentions. You are leading her on, but eventually, you will tire of the sport and she will turn to me. I can wait. She is worth waiting for.”
“Very calculating,” his lordship said contemptuously. “I did not realize a man of the cloth could wield matters on such a level.”
“I am both reverend and a man, my lord. You would do well to remember that.”
“Are you, indeed,” his lordship challenged. He didn’t like the reverend and took no pains to hide this.
Eustace turned then sharply and left his lordship to await Serena’s return, and his lordship frowned, for Eustace had the look of a ‘driven’ man. Such a man could be dangerous …
* * *
Serena discovered that his lordship had not exaggerated. The afternoon was beautifully warm, the sky clear and blue. The sun lit on autumn leaves, and the color of the leaves was stunning. Everywhere red, yellow, and bronze met the eye as she stared up.
“The color is at a peak now … lovely,” she said as she looked and sighed with pleasure. She eyed him and changed the subject abruptly. “I should like to ask you about Eustace.”
“Don’t marry the fellow,” his lordship answered immediately. “It would be doomed to failure.”
She put up her chin. “That is not what I was going to ask. I don’t need advice regarding my choice of husband. I will follow my heart when I make such a choice.”
He regarded her, and his voice was low and tinged with impatience or something else, she could not quite tell, as he said, “Do you mean to marry for love?”
“I do.”
“Warren?”
“I don’t love Warren—you know that,” she answered, eying him sideways. What was this?
“And besides that, Warren is penniless and, though gentry, holds no title.”
“Why do you think that would matter to me?” She was irritated with him and his constant innuendos. “You have a poor opinion of me, and I don’t know why that is.”
“Indeed, I do not. Serena, you are a mystery to me … I am never sure what to think. You say one thing, and indeed, I find myself believing it, and then you throw me into confusion with your actions.”
“My actions?” She was astounded. “What can you mean?”
“I mean that you keep a bevy of suitors at your beck and call—” he started.
She cut him off. This was certainly not what she had expected from him on this ride. Truth be told, she had assumed Freddy had not told him why they had gone into the woods earlier that morning and that he meant to get it out of her. She was, in fact, ready to divulge it all, for the entire escapade worried her. Instead, he had gotten her into a state of frenzy and irritation. “If you meant for me to enjoy this drive, you are doing a poor job of it.”
He laughed, but she could hear no pleasure in the sound. He said, “Am I? Do not misunderstand me. I am familiar with a young maid’s predicament. She is raised to make the best match she can. Wealth, title … coming first and then perhaps affection if she is lucky.”
“I was not raised to give such considerations much weight,” she answered simply.
“How can that be? Your uncle loves you. He would want the best for you …” he answered on a frown.
She laughed. “You have no notion what my uncle thinks is the best for me.”