A Lady Never Tells(107)
“You gave her a bear-garden jaw over their going off alone?” Fitz ventured. “The girls told me you looked black as thunder and held her back to have a few words with her. They were all for going down to the tarn to rescue Mary, but I managed to talk them out of it.”
Royce looked at his brother for a long moment, then said, “Not exactly. Well, I mean, yes, that is part of it.” He began to pace. “She thinks me overbearing. And I have not—well, the truth is, I seem to regularly lose my head when I am dealing with her.” He turned, giving Fitz a tight smile. “Perhaps I should get your advice before I ask her. You are always a hand with the ladies.”
Fitz, who had been watching Royce with great interest, shrugged. “I know nothing about proposing, I can tell you that. I am careful to stay away from any talk of marriage. As well as from young ladies. I prefer to pay my addresses to actresses or opera dancers or genteel widows—”
“Or married women,” Royce interjected with some sarcasm.
“Only those with complaisant husbands. I don’t fancy being embroiled in a duel. After all, I could scarcely shoot the fellow, but I have little desire to delope and then find the man is a good shot.”
“That would present a problem.”
“The important thing is, I choose women who know what they are about, who are interested in a romance that is mutually enjoyable—not some young girl who wants your heart laid at her feet and your ring upon her finger.”
“On the other hand, marriage is precisely what I’m interested in.”
His half brother studied him with a certain fascination. “I had not heard of this before.”
“There is the estate, after all.” Royce made an offhand gesture. “One has to think about the matter of heirs.”
“Ah, yes. The estate. Heirs. It all makes sense now.” Fitz swirled the remaining liquor around in his glass, watching it intently.
“And I am of an age to marry now. Time to settle down.”
“Quite. You are, in fact, approaching middle age.”
“I am quite aware that you are making jest of me.” Royce looked at his brother.
“What? I?”
Royce grimaced. In the past he would have told his brother everything. He could not remember ever holding back about any problem concerning a woman. He had few qualms about revealing his own transgressions—in fact, he would have loved to confess his guilt, to admit how rashly he had acted, how he had tossed aside all honor in the heat of his hunger for Mary. It would be a welcome catharsis. But this time, he could not tell even Fitz. This involved Mary’s honor as well as his own.
Royce turned away. “Anyway, that is neither here nor there. What we need to concern ourselves with right now is this madman who keeps trying to steal Rose.”
“The girls tell me they saw his face today and have no idea who he is—although they are inclined to believe that he is the man who followed them in London. Did you know about that?”
“Yes.” Royce sighed. “I thought nothing about it at the time. They went walking alone one day, and they tend to, um, draw attention to themselves. I assumed it was some chap who thought the worst of them. He ran when Camellia confronted him.”
“It seems bizarre that he would have been so taken by Rose that he followed her out of the city and has tried to abduct her twice.”
“I agree.”
“Course, some men are dashed loose screws. And Rose is a remarkably attractive woman.”#p#分页标题#e#
Royce nodded. “She is a beauty—though I would say that Mary is the better-looking of the two.” He was turned away from Fitz and did not see the amused glance his half brother sent him.
“Do you think it could be someone who has followed them from America?” Fitz asked.
Royce turned to look at him. “That seems even more unlikely than following them from London.”
“It is a good distance. But at least he would be acting upon more than a chance sighting of Rose on the street.”
“I suppose so. But wouldn’t the girls have recognized him?”
“If they are telling you the truth.”
“What a devious mind you have.” Royce crossed his arms, considering the matter. “The Bascombes may dress their stories up a bit, but I don’t think they would lie. Mary got a bump on the head the night the fellow tried to take her sister, and the other girls were clearly drugged. And I heard screams and shots this afternoon as I was going toward the tarn. It seems an elaborate ruse, especially since the result will be more of the restrictions they dislike.” Royce sighed. “I thought I had the situation well in hand after the incident in the garden.”