Bound by Bliss (Bound and Determined #2)(56)

What did one reply to that?

The answer, evidently, was nothing. Lady Perse continued, “I assume you’ve sent for tea so I won’t even mention it. And something to eat. I do hope your cook doesn’t use too many raisins. Horrible things, they always look like dead flies.”

Bliss crossed her fingers and hoped that there would be no mincemeat pies today. “Yes, I ordered tea. Now how may I help you, Lady Perse?”

“The question is more how can I help you?” Lady Perse opened her reticule and pulled out a cream-colored envelope with no name upon it. She set it on the table between her and Bliss, but made no move to actually offer it to her. “Do you know what this is?” she asked.

Bliss stared at the envelope, her heart starting to thud. It was the same envelope that Angela had received. Had there been a mistake? Was she about to get her invitation? “Yes, I believe I do.”

“Would you like it to be yours?”

“What young lady would not?” she replied.



“That is not as direct an answer as I would like.” Lady Perse looked at Bliss as if she were a very small girl who’d come to tea with muddy hands. “Do you want it or not?”

“Yes, I want it.” There was really nothing else she could say.

“Then what are you willing to do for it?”

Lady Perse wanted to bargain? She’d never heard of such a thing. “I am not sure that I understand you.”

Tapping a finger on the invitation, Lady Perse stared. “I am quite sure that you do.”

“What would you like me to do? Or what would you like? I have the most lovely string of pearls, yards of them. I could give them to you.” Oh, wouldn’t it be wonderful if Lady Perse actually said yes. Bliss could actually see the lady with wrapped in layers about her neck. She was probably the only one who could carry them off.

“Don’t be crass. I have more than enough jewels of my own.”

“Then what do you wish? A favor from my father? I can ask, but he’s never been good at following any type of direction, even when he means to.”

“If I needed a favor I have far better connections than your father.”

That was probably true. There were reasons that Lady Perse was so successful at matchmaking. She knew everybody in the kingdom, and Bliss did mean everybody, scullery maids as well as princes. “Then what do you want?”

“There, you do know how to be direct.” Before Lady Perse could say more, there was a scratch at the door and a maid entered with a well-laden tea tray.



Bliss nodded to the table beside her as the maid deposited the tray and after another nod left. With the grace of long practice, Bliss lifted the pot and carefully poured a cup for Lady Perse. “It is a nice China tea. Milk? Or do you prefer lemon?”

“Milk, of course, I cannot imagine lemon with such a tea.”

Bliss smiled, ignoring any possible insult. “I do agree, but a hostess must ask.”

Lady Perse did not answer.

Bliss held out the plate of sweets. “May I offer you a little bite?”

“Frightfully extravagant. I always instruct Cook that all a lady needs is a bit of black bread and butter.” Lady Perse took two biscuits and a cream tart. “Now, where were we?”

Bliss desperately wanted to say anything except the truth. “You were complimenting my directness.”

“Ah, yes, a wonderful quality if handled correctly. So many people mistake being rude for being direct. It is not a mistake I ever make.”

The answer to that was not clear. Did Lady Perse believe she was never rude, or did she simply not mistake when she was being rude? Bliss had a feeling that she wished listeners to believe the former while actually meaning the latter. “I will try to follow your example.”

“I had forgotten how much I liked you, girl.” The smallest smile played upon Lady Perse’s lips.

Lady Perse liked her? Bliss blinked, and blinked again. “So it was a mistake that I didn’t get an invitation?”

Bliss could only watch as the smile faded from Lady Perse and her lips drew thin. “No, it was no mistake.”



The words were anything but subtle. “I am back to not understanding.”

“Do you wish to find true love, to form a love match?” The question would normally have sounded like fun and fantasy. Bliss could well imagine sitting in the park with Angela, the sun beating down about them, laughing at the question and thinking up the most fantastic of answers. When Lady Perse asked the question her tone was flat and cold, but her eyes were penetrating, seeking some answer that Bliss was not prepared to give.

She almost answered, What lady does not? but she remembered Lady Perse’s response to her earlier answer. “I suppose.”

“You need to be more definite.”

How could she be more definite? She wasn’t even sure that she believed in love. No, she believed in it. She’d seen it enough times in others, seen its power. What she was not sure of was that it was a good thing. Love hurt. Love damaged. Love gave away power and asked for nothing in return. Love left one vulnerable. Love could leave one isolated and alone as nothing else in the world. “I would like a marriage that is more affectionate than is normal in society.” That was true, very true.

“Then why seek one of my invites? I am sure that you could manage a marriage with some affection on your own.” Lady Perse’s lips remained stretched and thin.