Angel in Scarlet (Bound and Determined #4)(38)

“And then you would dare me to beat you home, and off I’d run.”

“You had such a sense of adventure. Perhaps you’ll find it again once we are in the country.”

“I think I am finding quite enough adventures in London.” And it was a good thing her mother didn’t know how true that was.

“I am not sure that’s true. You’ve been so lackluster recently, although you have seemed more yourself these last few days.” Her mother reached out and patted her cheek. “And once we get you to the country and those eligible men, I am sure that you will be back to your old shining self.”

Angela held in a sigh. After several years on the marriage mart, Angela had very little interest in eligible young men. Perhaps that was why she’d fixated on Lord Colton. It would be so wonderful to have the whole thing over and done with, so that she could move on to the next phase of life. Managing an estate and raising children might not be the most exciting life, but she rather thought it would suit her. Well, suit her as long as the man suited her as well. And wasn’t that the problem with the whole thing?

Maybe she could find one of those husbands who wanted to spend the whole year in Town while she stayed in the country. Oh, she’d enjoy coming for a week or two during the season, and he could come to the country for hunting and Christmas. A family should be together for Christmas.

And that was all assuming Swanston either hadn’t recognized her or didn’t talk. She should probably be more worried but for some reason was not. She didn’t discount the episode, but somehow she was quite sure that Swanston was one of those who would never talk about what he saw at Madame Rouge’s.

“You have the strangest look on your face, dear daughter. I do hope you are not coming down with something. It would never do to have a red nose this week. Men are not fond of dripping nostrils.”

“I am fine, Mother. I was just thinking that I’d rather enjoy actually running an estate.”

“You mean managing the house while your husband or his manager runs the estate.”

She did not bother to correct her mother. Some arguments could not be won and were therefore not worth having. And if her husband was in London while she resided in the country, then she would have to be sure she understood how to manage the lands. She wondered what Lady Perse did. The woman had been on her own for at least a decade, and from everything Angela had heard, her estates were some of the finest in the land. She almost certainly had a manager, but that didn’t mean that she didn’t keep an eye on things as well. Angela couldn’t imagine Lady Perse not knowing the details of anything she was responsible for, and that would include her estates.

And then there was Ruby. Angela wasn’t quite sure why the madame came to mind, but she obviously was busy managing her business. Yes, there was no reason that Angela couldn’t send a husband to Town while she took care of things in the country.

Well, there was what the husband wanted, of course. But that was one more thing to be managed. Her mother had often said that men didn’t really know what they wanted until they were told.

Angela wasn’t quite sure she believed that, but it was a nice way to think.

It made the whole prospect of marriage much less frightening. It was hard to imagine giving herself, body and soul, to a man, but if she was the one actually doing the managing, then it would be so much easier. And she was beginning to think the body part wasn’t so bad. It was the soul that frightened her. It hadn’t been that way when she was younger, but recovering from Colton was harder than she had imagined. If he could wound her as he had, could she ever really trust again? Perhaps that was what she was seeking in her game, not only vengeance but understanding. If she understood why she had trusted him—why she still wanted to trust him—then maybe she truly could put it all behind her.

“You’re getting that strange look again.” Her mother reached out to touch her brow. “At least you don’t feel hot. A fever would never do. We would have to cancel our visit. I think you should go to bed, and I’ll have Cook make you a nice toddy just to be sure. That will help strengthen you.”

And make her sleep the rest of the afternoon away. And then she’d be up all night. “No, I’ll be fine. Truly I will. Perhaps I should walk in the park. A little air might be precisely what I need.”

“I’ve never been sure about fresh air. It is fine for gentlemen, but we women are such fragile creatures.”

Her mother could be scatterbrained, but she was about as fragile as a plow ox—and Angela was her daughter. “I am sure it is just what I need. And that way you can pack all my trunks in peace. If I am lying abed, then you’ll wake me whenever you send the maid in for something new.”

“I suppose you are right, and packing properly is so important. Hurry along now.” Her mother waved her from the room and Angela gratefully made her escape into the cool autumn sunshine.

—

“What a pretty little mare!” Angela exclaimed when she returned from her walk and found the horse that had been left while she was out.

“And not a bit spirited,” the groom answered.

Angela knew that many would see this as a fault, but she was delighted that Colton had taken her at her word, had not tried to make her ride a more spirited beast. She didn’t mind riding, but she had never understood horses—or, really, animals of any kind. Kittens were cute. Hounds were useful. She had no grasp on why anyone would indulge in the new fashion of exotic pets. A monkey? No, thank you.