“Yes,” Viola chimed in, looking over at him with a gleam in her eye. “You should.”
Jeffrey sighed. He was defeated, with the three women intent upon him. He nodded and resigned himself to the fact that they would always think him wrong, no matter what he said. Seeing they were waiting for an answer, he finally told them what they wanted to hear.
“Very well,” he said. “I will.”
They spoke a while longer on other matters — Viola’s interest in books, social events of the season, that type of thing. Lady Phoebe and her aunt were well informed, despite not being overly involved intonmatters.
Finally he rose to take his leave, Viola standing as well. But first, she had one more invitation to make.
“Lady Phoebe, Lady Aurelia, it was so lovely to meet you both today. Why do you not come for dinner tomorrow night?”
Jeffrey choked slightly, but of course to say anything contrary now would be the height of rudeness. But Lady Phoebe in his house, with his family? It was too much — at least, at the moment. He was still attempting to determine if they would suit, beyond the physical attraction that clearly drew them together.
“Oh,” Lady Phoebe said, looking from Viola toward Jeffrey. Apparently correctly interpreting his look of dismay, she began to shake her head. “Thank you for the invitation, but we really would not want to impose.”
“Please come,” Jeffrey heard himself say, and Phoebe looked over at him in surprise. Finally, after sharing a glance with Lady Aurelia, Phoebe slowly nodded her head.
“We would be honored, then. Thank you very much for the invitation.”
It seemed he could not stay away from the lady, and he wasn’t altogether sure what to do about it.