An Affair So Right (Rebel Hearts #4)(24)
He leaned toward her again, eyes alight with eagerness. “Would you have confided in him if it were about a suitor?”
Overwhelmed by his proximity, Theodora fought a blush. “No.”
His eyes narrowed. “Who would you have spoken to about a gentleman you favored?”
She regarded him warily. Was he trying to find out if she was gossiping about him with the servants? “What is this about?”
“Please, bear with me and answer my question. Who did you trust with the knowledge that you were interested in Daniel before the engagement was announced?”
“Well, Daniel knew, of course. We were drawn to each other from the very moment we met.”
“Anyone else?”
Theodora gave his question serious thought, curiosity about his need to know rising. “Well, my maid likely knew I was smitten with someone, but I don’t believe I ever mentioned Daniel to her by name in the beginning, until our understanding was common knowledge. I had no particularly close friends in India to share such a personal confidence with. I did once ask a gentleman acquaintance about Daniel’s reputation, though.”
“A friend?” He closed his eyes a moment.
“Yes, I suppose you could call him a friend, but only because I knew he would hold his tongue about my interest.”
“You truly trusted a man with so personal a topic?”
“Yes, my lord.” She sat back in her chair, studying Lord Maitland openly. “Why would that be considered odd? I have just confided in you, haven’t I? Besides, gentlemen often know things hidden from women. I wanted to know if he had any dark secrets that might harm my family or me, if our acquaintance became permanent. Do you think I should not have?”
“I… No. I’m sure you knew what you were doing, but I never anticipated this direction.” He raked a hand through his hair and bit his lower lip. He glanced her way, and then stood. “Thank you. Go about whatever you were doing before, my dear. I have to think about this further.”
Theodora could not quiet the pleasure that Lord Maitland had used her first name and called her ‘my dear’ in the space of five minutes. She looked down to hide her smile. Perhaps he was not immune to her charms after all.
Chapter 10
“You know, no one has ever suggested such a thing before,” Quinn grumbled to his hosts, swiping the last of the cheese from the platter in the dining room of a property he’d once owned in London. Although calm on the outside and happy to be here once more, Quinn still couldn’t shake the feeling he’d missed an important facet of Mary’s life. He’d always thought that Mary would confide in her family before anyone. Thanks to his tête-à-tête with Miss Dalton today, he had a new direction. Never once had he considered his sister might seek advice outside of the family, but she certainly could have. The question was, who she might have turned to that wasn’t a relation.
“I’m sure Lady Templeton has extolled the virtues of matrimony before,” Mrs. Amy Cabot said, giggling around her half-empty wine glass. “I cannot be the first to suggest it was high time you made some woman very happy and married her. You are much too nice to remain a bachelor forever.”
It was suggested far too often of late, but at least tonight’s discussion of his bachelor status was harmless fun, rather than serious discussion. He scowled at Amy’s husband seated across the table. “Mr. Cabot, your wife is under the weather. Control her impertinent tongue, man,” Quinn complained with mock ferocity.
The older man merely grinned, leaned over to kiss his wife soundly on the lips, and then sat again. “Leave her be. She’s happy.”
“She’s three sheets to the wind, sir!”
“I am not foxed,” Amy protested, but then giggled enough to make it obvious she was indeed very foxed. “I’ll have you know I am in full control of my sensibilities.” Wine slopped from her glass onto the table and she gasped in horror at the red stain. She glanced guiltily at her husband. “Maybe a little bit disguised, perhaps.”
Cabot stretched to pat her hand, eyes brimming with laughter rather than irritation. “A first, my dear. Don’t fret over the tablecloth. I’ll get you another if the stain sets.”
Quinn glanced between the pair, heart full of affection for the obvious bond of love between the newly married couple. He was proud of Amy, despite her current condition. She was deliriously happily married to a man utterly devoted to spoiling her at every turn, if tonight’s excesses were any indication. Quinn had no grounds to complain that his secret half-sister was foxed. Amy was finally stretching her wings under the gentle guidance of a man who adored her and would keep her safe.
At least she had someone to look after her now. That had not always been the case, unfortunately, from what Quinn had learned. Amy had nearly been lost to him, too. He wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her.
Quinn leaned back and patted his stomach, replete but clear-headed despite the wine consumed. “Another excellent dinner, Mrs. Cabot.”
“Thank you for coming, my lord. You are the kindest man to make the time to visit us.”
“I did warn you we’d not be strangers the night we met,” he reminded her.
She smiled happily. “So you did. I’m sorry your friend couldn’t join us.”