"Not there." Percy gestured along the terrace. "They can see."
Phyllida heaved a mental sigh and obliged, hoping Percy would cut line, tell her what he wanted, and let her return to the drawing room. If she got Robert alone, she might be able to salvage something from today. Robert might be meek, but he was also stultifyingly conservative, and as an almost solicitor, he should be law-abiding. Perhaps she could convince him-
"The thing is…" Percy halted outside the darkened library windows. Tugging down his waistcoat, he faced her.
"I've been watching you and thinking. You're what? Twenty-four?"
Leaning back against the balustrade, she stared at him. "Yes," she admitted. "Twenty-four. What of it?"
"What of it? Why, you should be married, of course! Ask m'mother-she'll tell you. You're all but on the shelf at twenty-four."
"Indeed?" Phyllida considered explaining that she was quite happy on her shelf. "Why should that concern you?"
"Of course it concerns me! I'm the head of the family-well, once your father shuffles off, I will be."
"I have a brother, remember?"
"Jonas." With a wave, Percy dismissed Jonas. "Thing is, you're here, unmarried, and there's no sense to it, not when there's an alternative."
Phyllida debated. Humoring Percy was probably the fastest way to bring this scene to an end. Folding her arms, she settled against the balustrade. "What alternative?"
Percy drew himself up and puffed out his chest. "You can marry me."
Shock held her speechless.
"I know it's a surprise-hadn't thought of it myself until I came down here and saw how it was. But now I can see it's the perfect solution." Percy started to pace. "Family duty and all that-offering for you is what I should do."
Phyllida straightened. "Percy, I'm perfectly comfortable here-"
"Precisely. That's the beauty of it. We can be married and you can stay down here in the country-daresay your father would prefer it. He wouldn't want to have to run the Grange without you. On the other hand, / don't need a hostess. I've never had one." He nodded. "I'll be perfectly happy rattling 'round London on my own."
"I can quite see that. Let's see if I fully understand your proposal." Her terse accents had Percy tensing. "Are you, by any chance, currently at point-non-plus?"
Stony-faced, Percy glared at her.
Phyllida waited.
"I might, at present, have outrun the constable a trifle, but it's merely a temporary setback. Nothing serious."
"Nevertheless. Now, let's see… you came into your inheritance from your father some years ago and you have no further expectation from our side of the family."
"Not with Grandmother making you her beneficiary and Aunt Esmeralda leaving her blunt to you and Jonas."
"Quite. And, of course, when Huddlesford dies, his estate will pass to Frederick." Phyllida fixed her gaze on Percy's now petulant face. "Which means that beyond any inheritance from your mother, who everyone knows enjoys the best of health, there's no pot of gold waiting just over your horizon." She paused. "Am I right?"
"You know you're right, damn you."
"And am I also right in thinking that the cent-per-cents will no longer advance you funds-not unless you can show them some evidence of further expectations-like a wife with various inheritances attached?"
Percy glowered. "That's all very well, but you're straying from the point."
"Oh, no! The point is you've run aground, and you're looking to me to tug you out of the mire."
"And so you should!" Face mottled, fists clenched, Percy stepped close. "If I'm prepared to marry you out of family duty, you should be pleased to marry me and resurrect my fortunes."
Phyllida shut her lips on an unladylike utterance. She gave Percy back stare for glare. "I will not marry you-there's absolutely no reason that I should."
"Reason?" Percy's features contorted. "Reason? I'll give you reason."