He glanced at her. “I can’t even sum them all up. I never really gave it much thought. My grandfather was the one who started the whole thing. My father added to it, and when I find a new book I want, I bring it home to add to the collection. Some of my books go as far back as my great-great-grandfather’s generation.”
“That long?”
“We love books, and we never get rid of any we buy. You might find it hard to believe, but there are some books I have tucked away in the drawers of the desk.”
“You do?”
“These two were in one of them.” He tapped two of them. “These are all different myths from various parts of the world. They’re similar to fables, and they’re short. I think Teddy might enjoy them.”
She took another good look at the twenty-four books he and his coachman had brought in when they arrived here. She hadn’t noticed it at first, but she now realized that some were faded with time. They were all, however, in good condition, which was proof that he took care of things that mattered to him.
“If any of these have sentimental value, it might be better to keep them at your townhouse instead of letting me borrow them,” she said.
“I trust you to be careful.”
“While I appreciate that, anything could happen. What if it’s raining on one of the days I go to visit Gretchen and her family, and I trip because the ground is slippery? The book could fall right out of my hands and end up all wet.”
“I doubt that would happen, but if it did, I’d know it was an accident.”
She studied him for a moment and was touched by the sincerity in his expression. After a moment, her gaze went back to the stack of books in front of her. While he was coming by every day to pay her a visit that lasted anywhere from one to three hours, she was beginning to understand that he was taking his time to prove himself to her. He was slow to trust others. Because of that, he expected her to be slow to trust him. And that told her he truly felt bad for the way he’d treated her.
He had not only given her the dowry, but he was willing to let her stay with her friend, or even get her own townhouse, for as long as she wanted. He wasn’t going to push her. He was letting her do what she wanted, and he wasn’t going to ask anything from her that she wasn’t willing to give him.
What a welcoming contrast this was to the person she had married. Someone like this could very well make a pleasant husband.
Emilia hurried into the room with an excited look on her face. “I hate to interrupt you two, but Benjamin just told me something that I need to tell you right away.”
Noting that Emilia directed the statement to her, Kitty glanced at Aaron. “Should I ask Aaron to leave the room?”
“No, I don’t think so. Soon everyone will know anyway,” Emilia said.
“Know what?” Kitty asked, surprised that this news should be so wonderful that her friend was having trouble standing still.
“Benjamin’s uncle proposed to that lady who was chaperoning you!” Emilia exclaimed.
Kitty’s eyes grew wide, but it was Aaron who asked, “Mr. Stonewall is going to marry Miss Britcher?”
Emilia nodded. “Isn’t it romantic? The two didn’t expect their tasks to lead to a love match, but it turns out they get along beautifully.” She put her hands over her heart and let out a contented sigh. “It’s so perfect, if you think of it. Benjamin said his uncle was lonely. He has friends, of course, but it’s different from having someone you can love. I didn’t realize how much a husband could complete my life until I fell in love with Benjamin. I can’t wait to go to the wedding. It’s going to be such a festive occasion. I don’t know when the wedding will be yet. His uncle still needs to get a special license. Considering the difference in their status, he felt it best not to read the banns.”
Once she stopped speaking, a few seconds of awkward silence hung in the air. Aaron looked as overwhelmed as Kitty felt.
Kitty cleared her throat. “It’s wonderful they get along so well.”
Who would have thought something like this was going to happen when Kitty enlisted Michael’s help? But it was good for Gretchen. Gretchen had never mentioned