"Oh, I would not wish to bore Miss Skeffington with all of that," Mr Gouldsmith insisted. Alice would have thanked him for that if not for the way her mother waved his words away and clicked her tongue against her teeth.
"Nonsense, Alice is quite the fan of nature," Lady Skeffington assured him. "I rather think the two of you have that in common."
The viscountess glanced between them, clearly hoping that the two might form an attachment.I do not believe that talking of roses and bugs will enter us into a romantic situation,Alice thought scathingly though even as she did, she remembered how she and Lord Warrington had been surrounded by roses and standing right beside a telescope when they had shared their first kiss.First and only,she reminded herself, quickly forcing the memory away.
"Perhaps one morning we might take a walk in the gardens as was proposed upon my arrival?" Mr Gouldsmith suggested, smiling at Alice. Her stomach twisted at the thought of being practically alone with the gentleman. Of course, there would be a chaperone but other than that they would be alone. And there was only one man here she wished to do that with.
Even as Lady Skeffington began to graciously accept the man's offer on her daughter's behalf, Alice felt her mind wandering. She was only half interested in their conversation, finding it quite boring and growing increasingly so by the moment. She paid only the amount of attention required to nod and add in a sentence here and there when required.
Yet, she found her gaze wandering and her mind also. Both finding themselves at the same place, upon the subject of Lord Warrington.
He stood a little way off, watching Alice out of the corner of his eye, likely with much the same thought as she. At least, she could not help but hope so. She was certain that had she been standing beside him, she would be having a much more interesting time—even if it was a time filled with conflict.
Why did I deny him any hope?Alice wondered, her gaze meeting Thomas' for only a brief moment before his attention was drawn elsewhere by another gentleman.
"You would like that, would not you, Alice?" her mother's voice brought her attention back to her current conversation and she cursed silently, realising she had lost the trail of it entirely.
"Yes, I am certain that I would," Alice blurted, fearful the moment the words were out of her mouth. She truly had no idea as to what she was accepting.
"Then I shall greatly look forward to it, Miss Skeffington," Mr Gouldsmith purred.
Alice was left dreading the rest of the week. Having just pushed away the only person who had truly intrigued her, she was sure that she was going to find it mighty boring indeed. Every glance in Lord Warrington's direction made her wish she was having some amusing conversation or even just walking silently at his side as they had done on their way to the observatory.
What is the matter with me?she thought, trying and failing to remove all memory of him from her mind.