“But to hide away would imply that Richard was embarrassed by the events that unfolded yesterday,” Leticia commented as she stood. She had been seated in one of the ornately carved wooden chairs that were planted in the corner of the room. She wore a day dress that was a cheerful yellow shade, and as she came closer, he could see how the color mellowed the hazel in her eyes so that they almost looked entirely green. “And he does not feel that way, do you?”
I cannot tell whether she is joking or not.
Richard stood for a moment, mesmerized by Leticia. All that had happened between them yesterday raced through his mind. From her standing up at his ceremony and effectively putting a stop to the proceedings and later the kiss that transpired between them in the empty room at the church, he felt as though he hardly knew her anymore. So much had changed in so little time.
She batted her thick eyelashes then, and Richard snapped out of his reverie. “I did not wish to lock myself inside Braxton Manor. As you know, our tallest tower is not really very tall.”
Both Leticia and Harry snickered at that. As children, they’d spent many hours running about Braxton Manor, and while it was a lovely Estate, the tallest tower was not a looming monstrosity. “Do you remember the time—?” Harry began and a brilliant smile lit up his face. Richard was remorseful that he needed to stop his friend from taking this stroll down memory lane, but with every passing minute standing in Leticia’s presence, Richard felt his nervousness amplifying.
“Sorry,” he cut across, not really hearing what Harry had been saying, “I was hoping I might speak to Leticia this morning.”
Aunt Amelia stood now, and her face was entirely composed. She gave away none of her feelings by her looks. “Go on,” she prompted.
The palms of Richard’s hands began to perspire, and he had to resist the urge to rub them down the length of his sides. He took a steadying breath. “I have come here this morning to ask Leticia if she might like to…well—” He’d been rather hoping that when he asked this question, he might have a private word with her, but seeing as Harry and Amelia were already here, and he’d begun speaking in such a straightforward manner, the only thing left to do was to come out with it. “I was hoping she might agree to a formal courtship.”
Amelia’s serious demeanor cracked slightly as a self-satisfied smile appeared on her face. But Harry and Leticia both stood, side-by-side, making identical expressions. Their eyes were wide with astonishment, and their mouths hung agape. After a second’s pause, Leticia lifted her gloved hand and covered her expression, but Harry stood there, utterly and completely bewildered.
“You cannot be serious.” Harry was the first to speak.
“I assure you,” Richard said, taking a moment to clear his throat, “I am perfectly serious.”
“B…but…” Harry spluttered, “you do not even—”
“That will do, son,” Aunt Amelia interjected. Her cool smile was still fixed firmly on her face, but as she spoke, her words carried authority. Harry turned toward her as if to see whether she was having him on or not, but when he saw her carefully guarded face, he snorted in derision.
Without saying another word, Harry stomped from the room, making quite the racket as he flung open the drawing room door and slammed it loudly.
“Perhaps the two of you would like to go for a walk?” Aunt Amelia suggested. She did not wait for either Richard or Leticia to agree to this prompting but instead crossed the room and pulled the cord to summon Leticia’s lady’s maid. “Mrs. Phillips will be happy to chaperone, I’m sure.”
Richard glanced at Leticia then and saw that her expression had changed to one of confusion. Her gaze floated from her aunt to the doorway where Harry had just exited, and yet, there was an unmistakably perplexed look in her eyes.
“Very well,” Richard said, and he offered his arm to Leticia. Whether because she did not see him do as much, or she wished not to accept his cordiality, she did not reach for him. Instead, she marched straight for the door, only pausing to allow the butler the opportunity to open it for her.
There was a small garden behind Admiral Shelling’s townhouse, and Richard let Leticia lead the way. It was an odd thing to do as it made their little party look as though it was strung out in a long line. Leticia was in the lead with Richard trailing after her then Mrs. Phillips sauntered along slowly in their wake. Once he figured the lady’s maid was well out of earshot, he called out to Leticia.
“Over here,” he said, motioning for her to join him near the tall hedges. Leticia spun on her heel, and as she came to face him now, he could see that her cheeks were flushed with color.
“I will go where I want whenever I please, thank you very much,” she snapped as she stormed across the yard to the place he had indicated.
“Fine,” Richard said, hoping to thaw the tension between them. “If you wish to keep walking, feel free. But as I came here to speak with you, I was hoping I might be permitted to do so.”
Leticia’s lips and nose scrunched. “I confess. I do not understand why you have come here. And talk…what more do we have to talk about?”
Richard was taken aback by such a statement. “I think we have a great deal to discuss.”
“Oh? Enlighten me,” Leticia challenged.
“It has been explained to me that, after the theatrical events that transpired yesterday, there might be a bit of a scandal as far as our families are concerned.”
Leticia grunted and gave him a cold glare. “So, you thought to make everything better by offering me your hand in marriage?”
“Absolutely not,” Richard replied at once. “I never said anything about getting married.”
She shook her head emphatically. “You most certainly did. Just now—in the drawing room—you said, you came here to propose an official courtship.”
“I can’t let your family go to ruin,” Richard said taking a careful step toward Leticia and holding out his hand to her.
“My family is not going anywhere, and I will never consent to marry someone I do not love,” Leticia retorted hotly. He could see sparks of anger in her eyes, and he even felt as if the atmosphere around him started to heat up with her outrage. He dropped his hand back to his side and stepped away from her then.