Part 34 (2/2)

She sighed. ”Are you suffering from a guilty conscience?”

”It's more than that,” he said. ”I was cavalier with you, and it troubles me greatly. I had no right to touch you. You are a virtuous lady, and I took advantage of you.”

”I am not a twenty-year-old single lady, Colin,” she said under her breath. ”You did not take advantage of me. I'm a grown woman. That night, I decided to make love to you with the full knowledge of what I was doing.”

”I took your virginity, for G.o.d's sake,” he said.

Her expression showed disappointment. ”You took nothing, Colin. I freely gave myself to you. Clearly you are having delayed remorse over what happened, but it is entirely unnecessary. What happened cannot be undone. There were no consequences, and I'm quite certain you were relieved when I informed you.”

”Angeline, I was only relieved because I had been irresponsible.”

”Your guilt is misplaced. There was no seduction. I agreed to all of it. If you are seeking absolution, I don't have any to give you, because there is no fault on either side. We both knew exactly what we were doing. Now I recommend you let it go, because there is nothing else to be done about it.”

”You know there is,” he said. ”I have a responsibility to you.”

”No, you do not. Now, if you will excuse me, the girls are waiting.”

”I will come with you. They are expecting me.”

”I'll make your excuses,” she said.

”Why are you being so cold to me?” he whispered.

”This is neither the time nor the place for this discussion. I will meet you in the library at two o'clock in the morning when servants aren't about, and we can talk without listening ears.

”Now, I must go,” she said.

His jaw clenched as she hurried away. How the h.e.l.l had his good intentions gone so wrong?

Angeline sat in her customary place at the table next to Colin. She'd cut up at him because she'd thought his words demeaning, but she knew he'd not meant them to be. He was a little late to be worrying about his careless behavior, but as she'd told him, she was a grown woman and there had been no seduction.

She didn't want his good intentions or his guilt or his pity. She deserved nothing less than his respect. What had really troubled her was his remorse, because that night had been special to her, and he'd turned it into something that implied wrongdoing. Based on his words, she knew he didn't understand, but late tonight, she would tell him how it had made her feel.

There was the other issue-the dangling proposal. Granted, Harry's appearance had halted everything. But Colin probably was having second thoughts and felt he couldn't honorably back out. So tonight she would tell him that he had no obligation to marry her. No, she would tell him late tonight that she felt it would not be in either of their best interests to marry.

”You are very quiet, Angeline,” Margaret said.

”Forgive me. My mind was elsewhere.”

She glanced at Colin. He'd barely touched his customary baked eggs. Now she felt badly, but she'd been honest with him.

She also felt guilty because she could turn everything around for her family if she married him. The trouble was she loved him, loved him more than he would ever know, and it would not be fair to him if she accepted his proposal. She and her family had much to gain from it, and when he'd first spoken of it, she'd had no qualms and believed that she would accept. But it was not based on those elements that she thought were important for a happy marriage.

She could not count on love developing for them the way it had for the marquess and Margaret. Colin might not know it, but he deserved to find love and happiness with a woman who did not come to the marriage with baggage.

As for Sommerall, she had a plan. It might not work, but she would ask on his behalf, though making the request might prove difficult to arrange. If she succeeded, she would ask that he never know about her interference. She would make this request for him, because she loved him and wanted his happiness more than her own.

Angeline read to the ladies while they applied their needles. When she'd made the request, everyone had agreed it was a splendid idea and made their sewing efforts far less tedious. She had Colin to thank for the suggestion, but she kept silent on that point.

”Ah, here is the place I marked where we left off,” Angeline said. ”If everyone is ready, I will continue the story.”

”Please begin,” Margaret said.

Angeline read, ”'Marianne's abilities were, in many respects, quite equal to Elinor's.'”

”If Elinor and Marianne were twins, they would be equal,” Bernadette said.

Angeline continued on, and the girls questioned her about Marianne's behavior. ”The author tells us that Marianne is everything but prudent,” Angeline said. ”So it is possible that she still has much to learn about life.”

Margaret's eyes brightened. ”Goodness, I wonder who might resemble Marianne.”

”The youngest sister's name is Margaret,” Bernadette said.

Margaret continued st.i.tching. ”Yes, but the fictional Margaret is only thirteen years old, younger than my girls and Penny.”

”Is it a love story?” Penny asked.

”Oh, yes, very much,” Angeline said, ”but like all good novels, there are difficulties and sometimes it will seem all is lost.”

”Is there a handsome gentleman?” Bianca asked.

”Yes, but he is not what he seems,” Angeline said.

”If he is cruel and wicked, I will not like him,” Penny said.

”Girls,” Margaret said, ”do be silent so that Angeline can continue the story.”

”Oh, do read more,” Penny said. ”I'm anxious to find out what happens.”

A footman entered with a tray of mail. Angeline had not responded to Charlotte's letter because she feared creating havoc for her friend, but she found herself hoping for a letter nonetheless.

Margaret sorted through the letters and handed one to the d.u.c.h.ess. ”This one is addressed to you.”

The d.u.c.h.ess broke the seal and gasped. ”It is from my son,” she said, standing. ”Lady Landale has been delivered of a healthy boy. Both mother and child are well.”

Everyone exclaimed.

Margaret rose to hug the d.u.c.h.ess. ”I am so happy for you. Your first grandchild.”

Angeline clasped Penny's hand and smiled. ”What do you think, Penny? We are aunts now.”

”Oh, I can hardly believe it,” Penny said. ”Mama, have they named him yet?”

”He will be christened John. Oh, I cannot wait for Wycoff to return.” The d.u.c.h.ess brought out a handkerchief. ”It has been a long time since we've had happy news.”

Angeline forced herself to smile. Her mother had not meant to wound her. Angeline was simply a little sensitive today after her difficult conversation with Colin. Perhaps she was also a little out of sorts because she'd foolishly hoped for another letter from Charlotte. She ought to have known better. Charlotte had written the one letter in secret, because her husband had forbidden her to write to Angeline.

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