sure that your father could be convinced otherwise, Lady Rebecca,” she said encouragingly. “Do not permit any such fears to hurry you into an engagement.”
Rebecca nodded but said nothing more, with Lady Hayward dropping her hand from Rebecca’s arm so that she might catch Lady Selina and Lady Anna who were now standing close to the bookshop they intended to enter, waiting for their chaperone to enter first. Rebecca sighed softly to herself, trying not to allow any sort of panic to grasp a hold of her heart. It was very difficult, indeed, trying to allow her thoughts to remain calm and controlled when it came to her considerations for matrimony and the like.
On the one hand, she had Lady Hayward, who was encouraging her to take her time, to consider carefully and to think not only of what her father would like in a suitable match for her, but also what she would prefer in a husband. On the other, she had the Duke, who was more than eager for his eldest daughter to wed, regardless of what Rebecca herself wanted. So long as his requirements were met, then the gentleman would be considered suitable. Would Lady Hayward be able to convince him that good matches took time? Would she be able to encourage him to allow Rebecca another Season, if she did not find a suitable gentleman this year?
You are letting your thoughts take hold of you, Rebecca, she told herself firmly. Do not worry so.
It had been a very different way of thinking, of course, for Rebecca had never truly considered what she really wanted when it came to a husband. She had only ever thought of what would be agreeable to her father, rather than to herself. But now, Rebecca was beginning to consider what she would like—and that was both surprising and intriguing to her. She discovered that she did not like overly loud gentlemen, who were bold and brash and laughed a good deal. She certainly did not like the way some of them looked at her, eyeing her as though she were some sort of prize that they might be able to claim as their own. No, she thought to herself, hurrying towards the open bookshop door so that she might step inside after her sisters, she much preferred a gentleman who was a little quieter in his character, who did not try to catch the attention of others with his overt remarks or his brash laughter. Rather, she enjoyed the company of those who spoke with consideration and tact, who did not look at her as though she were nothing of consequence save for how she might look on their arm.
The bookshop was quiet as Rebecca stepped inside, immediately filling her with a sense of peace. Lady Hayward was speaking quietly with her sisters, who then nodded and separated, each perusing the shelves quickly and silently. Rebecca, a little surprised that they seemed so eager to purchase a book when they had not ever shown much interest in reading, merely shrugged her shoulders and made her way to another part of the bookshop, her fingers lingering on one or two of the books as she meandered slowly towards the back of the shop.
Rounding the end of one of the shelves, Rebecca caught herself just in time, seeing a gentleman standing just before her, his head bowed as he looked through a page of the book he held in his hand. Obviously, he had not yet seen her, for his countenance did not change and he did not even look up—but he stood directly in Rebecca’s path and blocked her way entirely.
She cleared her throat gently, a little embarrassed to have to do so, and the gentleman lifted his eyes from the book immediately.
“Forgive me!” he exclaimed, stepping aside at once. “I did not mean to block your path.”
Rebecca looked into a pair of blue eyes and found herself smiling, touched by the gentleman’s immediate apology. “It is quite all right,” she replied, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the quietness of the shop. “You must be very interested in whatever book you are reading.” She lifted one eyebrow, expressing quiet curiosity whilst knowing full well that they had not been properly introduced and that, as such, she ought to continue on without remaining to converse further.
But there was something about him that made her want to linger, even though she could not quite place what it was. Perhaps it