business believed.” And he’d thought himself suited for that role as well, but Felicity was not going to admit that aloud. “However, an employee is far easier to replace than a husband.”
“But you’ve yet to find a man of business who suits your needs.”
Felicity leaned back. “What do you know of that?”
Mr. Johnson leaned forward, taking her hand in his as Felicity’s lids lowered. “Hush now, that is of no importance. I have come today to speak with you concerning a personal matter.”
“My finances?” she asked, unable to resist twitting him.
Patting her hand, he shook his head. “Surely you’ve noticed my marked attentions the past month, and I do feel as though I have reason to hope that your feelings have grown as mine have.”
“Oh, so you do wish to speak of my finances.”
Brows pulled together, Mr. Johnson stared at her. “I wish to ask you for your hand in marriage.”
Which were one and the same, but Felicity did not bother pointing that out. “Whyever would you want my hand? Marriage requires more than a single appendage.”
Mr. Johnson’s eyes narrowed. “You are being obtuse on purpose.”
Felicity gave him an apologetic smile. “I am teasing you, Mr. Johnson. The only way to find joy in life is to laugh at our own expense.”
“I am speaking of love and matrimony. I hardly think now is the time for jests.”
“And I think there is none better.” Especially when faced with such a proposal, but Felicity held back the eye roll lurking beneath the surface and patted his hand in return. “I apologize if I offended you, Mr. Johnson. You were saying?”
The fellow stared at her with a scrunched expression. “That I adore you and wish to spend the rest of my days by your side.”
“You hadn’t actually said either of those things.”
“I am saying them now.”
Felicity clasped her hands in her lap and turned an assessing glance in his direction. “And why do you adore me?”
Mr. Johnson’s brows rose. “Pardon?”
“You say you adore me, but I wish to know precisely why you long to spend the rest of your days by my side.” She punctuated that with a challenging raise of her brows.
Sliding to his knees, Mr. Johnson drew closer, and Felicity fought back a groan. It was so much easier when the gentlemen held onto their dignity and refrained from such ridiculous overtures.
“You are a goddess among men, and you question why I love you?” he asked.
“I am asking for specifics. What is it about me that you love?”
Mr. Johnson inched closer, taking Felicity’s hand in his and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. While his attention was occupied, she raised her eyes to the heavens, begging for patience, and dropped them once again when he turned his gaze to meet hers.
“I have never seen a lovelier creature than you, Miss Barrows. You are beauty personified,” he murmured. “With titian tresses that glow in the sunlight and the fairest eyes in all creation.”
Felicity covered a laugh with a cough. For all that gentlemen claimed honor was paramount, the fellow had just spouted several blatant falsehoods all in a row. Her hair could not be called titian any more than a mule could be called a horse. Though it did glow in the sunlight, it was less a burnished copper and more a blaring orange with disobedient curls that her lady’s maid cursed daily. And Felicity had no delusions concerning her eyes; though a decent shade of brown, there was nothing remarkable or particularly fine about them.
Unconsciously, she brushed a touch across the rough bumps that followed the edge of her jaw. She was long past the age of fretting over her complexion, but neither was she one of those ladies who wrapped themselves in the false confidence that claimed such imperfections were lovely. The scars and bumps marring her skin were simply a part of who she was, and Felicity was secure enough to know that whether considered ugly or beautiful, her appearance was of no importance. Even if so many others believed otherwise.
Mr. Johnson rambled on about her various features and their relative loveliness, embellishing them to the point of absurdity, and though there was still humor to be found in his attempts at romance, Felicity’s heart gave a sad little shudder. Did every gentleman think her so vain and silly that she would believe such obvious lies? That she would fall into his arms because he cobbled together false compliments about her face and figure?