Read Online Courting Constance (Fountain of Love) by Kirsten Osbourne - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kirsten Osbourne
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father’s.”
“Your father was a judgmental ass.” Kit shook his head. “If it had been up to him, Lily would never have married me. She’d have been forced to marry the man with the highest title who offered for her, and her feelings would have been ignored.”
“It’s the way of Society.”
“It may be, but I can tell you, marrying for love is so much better than pleasing others. I can’t imagine my life with anyone but your sister. She’s the only woman I’ve ever cared for this way.” Kit shrugged. “I guess you need to decide if love is more important to you than how Society will see things. I think it is.”
Charles struggled with the thought for a moment. “You and Lily wouldn’t stop seeing us if I married her?”
Kit laughed. “Why would we do that? We’ve been in your position. She was too far above me to marry, at least your father thought so.” He paused, staring at the wall behind Charles for a moment. “To me, being with the only woman in the world God meant for just me is so much more important than anything else. Don’t give up on your love for her.”
Charles nodded briskly. “I’ll try not to. Lily invited me for tea tomorrow. I’m so glad that she’s willing to treat Constance as a member of the family and have tea with her.”
Kit laughed. “She’ll be having dinner with us every night as well. Lily told me that her future sister-in-law will not be eating with the servants.”
Charles stared at Kit. “Are you serious? She said that?”
“I couldn’t make that up.”
“No, you couldn’t. Lily invited me to dinner, but I said ‘no,’ because I assumed she’d be eating with the servants. Invite me?”
Kit grinned. “We’d be happy to have you join us for dinner, Charles.”
“I’d be delighted, Kit. With both of you asking me, it’s just forced me into accepting.” Charles smiled, happy to consider the idea of marrying Constance. If his sister and brother-in-law approved so heartily, did the rest of the world matter? He was an earl, for God’s sake. If he couldn’t break some rules, what was the point?
*****
Constance rushed into the parlor before dinner, expecting to see just Kit and Lily. She felt a little bit uncomfortable eating with them, but she was thrilled to be asked. She stopped short when she saw Charles standing before the fireplace, watching her. She gave a quick curtsey. “Lord Charles.”
He shook his head, nodding to the sofa where Kit and Lily were sitting talking in low tones. “They both expect us to marry. Call me Charles.”
She shook her head. “You don’t want to marry me.”
“Oh, you’re wrong about that, Constance. There’s nothing I want as much as I want to marry you. I’ve just seen it as…impossible. I still need to do some thinking on it, but I believe I may have been incorrect.”
She took a step closer to him, close enough that she could speak in soft tones that wouldn’t be heard from the sofa. “Are you serious? You’re reconsidering?” Her heart jumped. It wasn’t that she wanted to be married to an earl. That meant nothing to her. Being married to Charles, however, meant the world too her.
He nodded once. “I’ve been assured that it doesn’t matter who I marry, because we live in the country and aren’t active in the London social scene.” He reached out and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “I don’t want to live my life without you.”
Constance smiled brightly. “Let me know when you’ve made a decision.” She winked at him. “I’ll try to still be available then.” He laughed and caught her arm pulling her toward him. She pulled back nodding toward the sofa. “Not in front of my employers.”
“Just think of them as future in-laws. That’s how they think of you.”
She frowned. “Not until you think of me as your future wife.”
The butler
“Your father was a judgmental ass.” Kit shook his head. “If it had been up to him, Lily would never have married me. She’d have been forced to marry the man with the highest title who offered for her, and her feelings would have been ignored.”
“It’s the way of Society.”
“It may be, but I can tell you, marrying for love is so much better than pleasing others. I can’t imagine my life with anyone but your sister. She’s the only woman I’ve ever cared for this way.” Kit shrugged. “I guess you need to decide if love is more important to you than how Society will see things. I think it is.”
Charles struggled with the thought for a moment. “You and Lily wouldn’t stop seeing us if I married her?”
Kit laughed. “Why would we do that? We’ve been in your position. She was too far above me to marry, at least your father thought so.” He paused, staring at the wall behind Charles for a moment. “To me, being with the only woman in the world God meant for just me is so much more important than anything else. Don’t give up on your love for her.”
Charles nodded briskly. “I’ll try not to. Lily invited me for tea tomorrow. I’m so glad that she’s willing to treat Constance as a member of the family and have tea with her.”
Kit laughed. “She’ll be having dinner with us every night as well. Lily told me that her future sister-in-law will not be eating with the servants.”
Charles stared at Kit. “Are you serious? She said that?”
“I couldn’t make that up.”
“No, you couldn’t. Lily invited me to dinner, but I said ‘no,’ because I assumed she’d be eating with the servants. Invite me?”
Kit grinned. “We’d be happy to have you join us for dinner, Charles.”
“I’d be delighted, Kit. With both of you asking me, it’s just forced me into accepting.” Charles smiled, happy to consider the idea of marrying Constance. If his sister and brother-in-law approved so heartily, did the rest of the world matter? He was an earl, for God’s sake. If he couldn’t break some rules, what was the point?
*****
Constance rushed into the parlor before dinner, expecting to see just Kit and Lily. She felt a little bit uncomfortable eating with them, but she was thrilled to be asked. She stopped short when she saw Charles standing before the fireplace, watching her. She gave a quick curtsey. “Lord Charles.”
He shook his head, nodding to the sofa where Kit and Lily were sitting talking in low tones. “They both expect us to marry. Call me Charles.”
She shook her head. “You don’t want to marry me.”
“Oh, you’re wrong about that, Constance. There’s nothing I want as much as I want to marry you. I’ve just seen it as…impossible. I still need to do some thinking on it, but I believe I may have been incorrect.”
She took a step closer to him, close enough that she could speak in soft tones that wouldn’t be heard from the sofa. “Are you serious? You’re reconsidering?” Her heart jumped. It wasn’t that she wanted to be married to an earl. That meant nothing to her. Being married to Charles, however, meant the world too her.
He nodded once. “I’ve been assured that it doesn’t matter who I marry, because we live in the country and aren’t active in the London social scene.” He reached out and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “I don’t want to live my life without you.”
Constance smiled brightly. “Let me know when you’ve made a decision.” She winked at him. “I’ll try to still be available then.” He laughed and caught her arm pulling her toward him. She pulled back nodding toward the sofa. “Not in front of my employers.”
“Just think of them as future in-laws. That’s how they think of you.”
She frowned. “Not until you think of me as your future wife.”
The butler
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