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Authors: Valerie Bowman
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anyone. He needn’t worry. She might not have wished things to happen this way, but she wasn’t about to be judgmental. It was absolutely none of her affair what—ahem—pursuits Mr. Holloway preferred, and she had no intention of acting like a vengeful scorned woman. Lady Harcourt might be spreading vicious rumors, but Frances would never do that, even if Mr. Holloway weren’t her closest friend’s future brother-in-law.
“Please do not worry, Mr. Holloway. There’s nothing I saw that I intend to repeat in mixed company or otherwise.” She nodded, giving him a reassuring smile.
His brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed. “Nothing you saw?”
She smiled at him. “Absolutely nothing.”
His brow remained furrowed. “Very … well.”
“And I don’t want you to think for one moment that I hold any ill will toward you.”
His lips were pursed now and he was staring at her strangely. “Ill will?”
“None whatsoever. While it’s clear that there can never be more between us, there’s absolutely no reason we cannot be fast friends.”
“Fast friends?” he echoed, his eyes widening. “Frances, are you saying you think of me as only … a… friend?”
Frances gave him a bright smile and nodded. “I don’t see why we cannot be. It stands to reason. We’re certain to see each other quite a bit what with Annie and your brother marrying.”
Charlie nodded slowly. “Yes. That’s true.”
She braced her hands on her knees. “Perhaps you can give me advice on matters such as whom to dance with and whom to receive as a caller. I am looking to marry, after all.”
Both of his brows shot up. “You want me to give you advice? About gentleman callers?”
“Why not? You know quite a few of the gentlemen of the ton , do you not? What do you think of Sir Stuart Walters for instance?”
“Sir Stuart Walters?” His eyes remained wide.
“Yes.” Frances was determined to come through this conversation with a new, close friend.
Charlie scrubbed his hands across his face. Had she surprised him with her willingness to let bygones be bygones? He couldn’t change who he was, after all, and she would be the veriest fool to attempt to get him to do so. No. The practical side of her had already decided that lemonade was to be made with these lemons.
She took a deep breath. She might be about to tell a little white lie but it was for the best. She would spare Charlie an awkward conversation. “That’s what I wanted to speak with you about last night, actually,” she said. “I was hoping you might give me some advice on how to bring Sir Stuart to scratch.”
CHAPTER 16
Charlie nearly ripped his coat and hat from the hapless butler’s arms. He shoved his arms through the sleeves of his coat and pushed his hat atop his head before making his way out into the cold, muddy street in front of Frances’s town house.
Friends ?
Had he heard her right or had Frances Birmingham just told him in no uncertain terms that she wanted nothing more to do with him than being bloody friends?
This from a young woman who’d chased him about half of last week seeking a kiss. Now she wanted to be friends? It was downright embarrassing. Clearly the kiss they’d shared hadn’t affected her one bit. She’d been asking him to see if they were compatible, and it turned out, she’d felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. While he’d been feverishly unable to strike the memory of their kiss from his mind, Frances had clearly crossed him off her list and moved on to the next bloke.
Sir Stuart Walters to be precise.
And here, like a fool, Charlie had been convinced she was pining for him . She wasn’t pining at all. She’d been waiting to let him down gently. Capital .
Good God. It was too much. And now he’d have to face her again soon at Jordan’s engagement party, not to mention the wedding itself.
Charlie strode to his carriage, hefted himself inside, and slammed the door shut. He was a bloody fool, chasing around a
“Please do not worry, Mr. Holloway. There’s nothing I saw that I intend to repeat in mixed company or otherwise.” She nodded, giving him a reassuring smile.
His brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed. “Nothing you saw?”
She smiled at him. “Absolutely nothing.”
His brow remained furrowed. “Very … well.”
“And I don’t want you to think for one moment that I hold any ill will toward you.”
His lips were pursed now and he was staring at her strangely. “Ill will?”
“None whatsoever. While it’s clear that there can never be more between us, there’s absolutely no reason we cannot be fast friends.”
“Fast friends?” he echoed, his eyes widening. “Frances, are you saying you think of me as only … a… friend?”
Frances gave him a bright smile and nodded. “I don’t see why we cannot be. It stands to reason. We’re certain to see each other quite a bit what with Annie and your brother marrying.”
Charlie nodded slowly. “Yes. That’s true.”
She braced her hands on her knees. “Perhaps you can give me advice on matters such as whom to dance with and whom to receive as a caller. I am looking to marry, after all.”
Both of his brows shot up. “You want me to give you advice? About gentleman callers?”
“Why not? You know quite a few of the gentlemen of the ton , do you not? What do you think of Sir Stuart Walters for instance?”
“Sir Stuart Walters?” His eyes remained wide.
“Yes.” Frances was determined to come through this conversation with a new, close friend.
Charlie scrubbed his hands across his face. Had she surprised him with her willingness to let bygones be bygones? He couldn’t change who he was, after all, and she would be the veriest fool to attempt to get him to do so. No. The practical side of her had already decided that lemonade was to be made with these lemons.
She took a deep breath. She might be about to tell a little white lie but it was for the best. She would spare Charlie an awkward conversation. “That’s what I wanted to speak with you about last night, actually,” she said. “I was hoping you might give me some advice on how to bring Sir Stuart to scratch.”
CHAPTER 16
Charlie nearly ripped his coat and hat from the hapless butler’s arms. He shoved his arms through the sleeves of his coat and pushed his hat atop his head before making his way out into the cold, muddy street in front of Frances’s town house.
Friends ?
Had he heard her right or had Frances Birmingham just told him in no uncertain terms that she wanted nothing more to do with him than being bloody friends?
This from a young woman who’d chased him about half of last week seeking a kiss. Now she wanted to be friends? It was downright embarrassing. Clearly the kiss they’d shared hadn’t affected her one bit. She’d been asking him to see if they were compatible, and it turned out, she’d felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. While he’d been feverishly unable to strike the memory of their kiss from his mind, Frances had clearly crossed him off her list and moved on to the next bloke.
Sir Stuart Walters to be precise.
And here, like a fool, Charlie had been convinced she was pining for him . She wasn’t pining at all. She’d been waiting to let him down gently. Capital .
Good God. It was too much. And now he’d have to face her again soon at Jordan’s engagement party, not to mention the wedding itself.
Charlie strode to his carriage, hefted himself inside, and slammed the door shut. He was a bloody fool, chasing around a
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