“I am sorry for that.” Her response surprised him and he saw her smile gently, as a flyaway brown curl brushed across her forehead. “To struggle with one’s thoughts can be very trying. Lord Venables is a good friend to you, however, I assume?”
“Our parting is only for the moment,” Robert replied, quickly. “I am sure that we will be in conversation again very soon.”
“Might I speak openly, Lord Crampton?” He looked back at her quickly, seeing the steadiness in her eyes and finding himself less than inclined to agree for her to do so. He was not quite certain that he had enough fortitude to hear yet more criticism of his character, but Miss Gregory continued on, speaking to him regardless of his response. “It seems that you are a gentleman who is aware of his faults but does not wish to address them.”
He blinked.
“I beg your pardon?”
“You knew that to speak to me in such a dismissive manner when my aunt and I came to call was hurtful. However, you did not apologize to me at the time and, in fact, only chose to do so when my aunt was gone from your presence.”
The truth in her words rendered Robert so uncomfortable that he could not keep hold of her gaze, turning his head away as if to see what Lady Langdon was doing at present. Clearing his throat, he spread his hands.
“You are suggesting, Miss Gregory, that I have a prideful character which does not like to do anything or say anything that might injure it.”
She tilted her head.
“That may be so, yes. Although I have heard that all gentlemen are somewhat arrogant.”
He dropped his head.
I do not want her to see such a thing in me.
The fierceness of such a thought rushed through him and he caught his breath, lifting his head to speak to her again, to tell her that his thoughts were so very conflicted but that he hoped that any flaws, such as the ones she saw in him, might soon be changed.
Alas, he was too late. She spoke again before he could.
“Ah, and now my aunt is beckoning me to return to her. It seems that she has need of her companion once more.” Miss Gregory gave him a small smile which Robert struggled to return, embarrassed that, as yet, he had not been able to return a single word to her. “Good afternoon, Lord Crampton.”
“Miss Gregory.”
To Robert’s increased mortification, his hand had shot out – seemingly of its own accord – and caught Miss Gregory’s arm. He could see the astonishment in her eyes as she looked down at where he had caught her, the pink that came into her cheeks as she then looked up into his face, and the slight lifting of her brows.
Robert dropped his hand and placed it behind his back, fastening it to the other for fear that he might do something all the more ridiculous.
“Yes, Lord Crampton, was there something else?”
Why did I prevent her from leaving?
Robert searched wildly for a reason to have her stay, for an explanation for why he had said her name and pulled her back and slowly, so very, very slowly, the truth began to reveal itself to him.
“I should like to speak to you again, Miss Gregory.”
Her green eyes flared.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I know that I must seem rather foolish, Miss Gregory, but you are the only young lady of my acquaintance who seems willing to speak to me with any sort of honesty.”
A teasing smile pulled at her lips although Robert could see how she fought to keep her expression calm.
“But you dislike being spoken to in such a manner, Lord Crampton. It clearly causes you great consternation.”
His rueful smile spread across his face.
“Indeed, that is so,” he said heavily, feeling all the more discomposed but yet determined to find a way to speak to Miss Gregory again despite such a feeling. “The truth is, Miss Gregory, I cannot understand nor explain such a desire, but it is there nonetheless,” he replied, as the lady’s smile faded, and her eyes became watchful. “Lord Venables will further our conversation too, I am sure, and I should like to speak to you again as well.”
She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing.