certainly. So, she did as instructed. The brandy was smooth and delicious. It burned and promised a respite from the growing dismay lodged in her heart.
She took a larger drink.
"Am I a fool?" she asked her two companions.
Maeve reached out and patted her arm.
That annoyed her to no end. She wasn't a little girl. This wasn't a silly whim. She'd come here seeking a new life. An opportunity to reject the tragic turn her own brother's life had taken after the demise of their parents. She'd wanted to live. To truly live and follow in her grandmother’s footsteps. To live the life her mother had had stolen. Then after that, well . . . She wasn't sure. But thanks to that trailblazing grandmother, she’d have the means to live a life unfettered by society, not the life so many women were condemned to.
Frankly, as a lady of wealth, it had seemed the mad course to her to do as so many other young heiresses did so often. Throwing everything they had away on a husband seemed lunacy when they could keep the fortune to themselves and live a truly interesting life.
It seemed Aston didn't approve of her plan and or, at least, he wasn't willing to assist her in it.
Disappointment, as Tony claimed it would, sank into her. She'd come so far, hoping, planning, ready. . . Now? Now what?
Tony eyed his brandy then gave her a hard stare. "You're only a fool if you're like other people. Da and me? We're not like other people, at all. Maybe he's hoping you won't take our lonely path.”
"Are you lonely?” she asked abruptly.
For one split instant, the mischief was gone from Tony. “Yes."
But then he grinned, swirled his brandy and downed it. "But what soul isn't in this world, eh? I say take every opportunity that happiness sends your way. And you look like an opportunity at happiness.”
She knew she should scowl as her brother so often did, but Tony was so infectious in his rather positive outlook that she couldn’t put any weight behind the words. ”Now look here—”
"Now, don't get your feathers in a fluff,” he protested. “Though you're a stunner, and no denying it, I'm not about to risk the wrath of Da trying to get in your skirts.”
Rosamund laughed.
Maeve let out a derisive sound. ”Young man, if you tried, I myself would brain you with the poker over there.”
"My, my,” Tony teased. “Terribly choosy about who your young woman has her jollies with, aren't you? I may not be a duke, and I may not have my father's experience, but I do like the ladies and they seem to like me.”
Rosamund groaned then laughed again. ”This is a very odd day. And an odder conversation.”
Tony grinned at her. ”Well. . . It was never going to be anything but, now was it?"
“True.”
Placing his now empty glass on the mantel, he clapped his hands together. ”So, shall I ask Hancock to serve dinner in an hour and you can go upstairs to freshen up? You came from Scotland, did you not? Never been myself, but I'm a good hand at geography and that's a good, long, bumpy ride to end in disappointment. Though personally, since you'll be with me, I see it as an improvement.”
It was hard not to like Tony very much. The young man had no doubt had several hardships. Bastards were never treated with any particular kindness. The world looked at them warily, no matter how well they were supported by a titled parent. And somehow, he'd survived what seemed to be a rather strange upbringing by his father. It certainly hadn't been conventional. Not with the way he spoke so freely. And yet, Tony's accent suggested he'd been to the finest schools or had the very best tutors in the land.
“I think that I have no other choice,” she said, forcing herself to smile despite the ache in her heart.
“Good!” Tony let out a whoop of pleasure then strode toward the hall.
“Now,” he pointed, “you go up those narrow stairs and the first room on the right is yours, Lady Rosamund. Your maid has the one next to it. I sleep in the attic rooms. I
She took a larger drink.
"Am I a fool?" she asked her two companions.
Maeve reached out and patted her arm.
That annoyed her to no end. She wasn't a little girl. This wasn't a silly whim. She'd come here seeking a new life. An opportunity to reject the tragic turn her own brother's life had taken after the demise of their parents. She'd wanted to live. To truly live and follow in her grandmother’s footsteps. To live the life her mother had had stolen. Then after that, well . . . She wasn't sure. But thanks to that trailblazing grandmother, she’d have the means to live a life unfettered by society, not the life so many women were condemned to.
Frankly, as a lady of wealth, it had seemed the mad course to her to do as so many other young heiresses did so often. Throwing everything they had away on a husband seemed lunacy when they could keep the fortune to themselves and live a truly interesting life.
It seemed Aston didn't approve of her plan and or, at least, he wasn't willing to assist her in it.
Disappointment, as Tony claimed it would, sank into her. She'd come so far, hoping, planning, ready. . . Now? Now what?
Tony eyed his brandy then gave her a hard stare. "You're only a fool if you're like other people. Da and me? We're not like other people, at all. Maybe he's hoping you won't take our lonely path.”
"Are you lonely?” she asked abruptly.
For one split instant, the mischief was gone from Tony. “Yes."
But then he grinned, swirled his brandy and downed it. "But what soul isn't in this world, eh? I say take every opportunity that happiness sends your way. And you look like an opportunity at happiness.”
She knew she should scowl as her brother so often did, but Tony was so infectious in his rather positive outlook that she couldn’t put any weight behind the words. ”Now look here—”
"Now, don't get your feathers in a fluff,” he protested. “Though you're a stunner, and no denying it, I'm not about to risk the wrath of Da trying to get in your skirts.”
Rosamund laughed.
Maeve let out a derisive sound. ”Young man, if you tried, I myself would brain you with the poker over there.”
"My, my,” Tony teased. “Terribly choosy about who your young woman has her jollies with, aren't you? I may not be a duke, and I may not have my father's experience, but I do like the ladies and they seem to like me.”
Rosamund groaned then laughed again. ”This is a very odd day. And an odder conversation.”
Tony grinned at her. ”Well. . . It was never going to be anything but, now was it?"
“True.”
Placing his now empty glass on the mantel, he clapped his hands together. ”So, shall I ask Hancock to serve dinner in an hour and you can go upstairs to freshen up? You came from Scotland, did you not? Never been myself, but I'm a good hand at geography and that's a good, long, bumpy ride to end in disappointment. Though personally, since you'll be with me, I see it as an improvement.”
It was hard not to like Tony very much. The young man had no doubt had several hardships. Bastards were never treated with any particular kindness. The world looked at them warily, no matter how well they were supported by a titled parent. And somehow, he'd survived what seemed to be a rather strange upbringing by his father. It certainly hadn't been conventional. Not with the way he spoke so freely. And yet, Tony's accent suggested he'd been to the finest schools or had the very best tutors in the land.
“I think that I have no other choice,” she said, forcing herself to smile despite the ache in her heart.
“Good!” Tony let out a whoop of pleasure then strode toward the hall.
“Now,” he pointed, “you go up those narrow stairs and the first room on the right is yours, Lady Rosamund. Your maid has the one next to it. I sleep in the attic rooms. I
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