Passions of a Gentleman (Gentlemen of Honor #3) - Rose Gordon Page 0,35
Simon’s face heated, but before he could say anything, Drake continued, “My father died before I was old enough to really need his advice. But—” he placed both of his hands on the backrest of one of the leather chairs— “he did say one thing of import that I’ll never forget. Why make one lady miserable, when you could make scores of them happy?”
“And which of those options do you intend to live by?” asked Lady Drakely from the open door.
Drake whipped around to face his wife. “I make all the ladies happy, do I not?” He walked toward his wife, their five little girls surrounding her. He kissed each of the girls on the crown of their heads then brushed a kiss on his wife’s lips. Smart man.
“Well, you just might make all of the ladies happy,” Lady Drakely allowed, favoring him with a quick smile before turning her gaze to Simon. “But the way I hear it, he makes all the young ladies swoon.”
Simon didn’t know how to respond, so he didn’t.
“Blast it, Appleton,” Drake ground out. “Can’t you just offer for Henrietta now and spare me such misery?”
“Misery?” Rae said softly, her face paling.
“I didn’t mean it like that.” Drake speared his fingers through his black hair.
“What my darling husband is trying to say,” her sister cut in, patting Drake’s chest. “Is that Simon charming all of the young ladies is starting to make Drake have to work harder to regain it and he’d prefer to be the only gentleman they all look at with hero-worship in their eyes.” She patted Drake’s chest again. “Sadly, just like jesting, he’s not very skilled at appropriately sharing his feelings—as childish as they may be.”
“All right, I think we’ve listed enough of my faults.” Drake scowled and wrinkled his nose. “Let’s go to the fair before I completely fall from the pedestal I’ve imagined my girls have me mounted on.”
A little chorus of celebration sounded from the three older girls who’d come, two of which immediately clutched onto his hands, leading a triumphant expression to come over his face. A grinning Lady Drakely shook her head and Simon and Rae exchanged a look, both on the verge of laughter.
The fair was nothing short of odd.
From one end of the main street that went through the village all the way down to where it ended in a field gathered every man, woman, and child who lived within no less than ten miles of the village. Smells of every kind: sweet, spicy, unidentifiable…all assailed Simon’s nose, and noise fell on his ears from every direction. Talking, laughing, shouting, snorting, and beneath it all a steady beat and the faint sound of stringed instruments.
Simon turned around.
“Does it surprise you those of my kind can play instruments?” Rae teased with a cluck of her tongue.
Simon frowned. Her kind? Why did she always speak so low of herself? He’d have to find a way to get her to see her own value. “I just didn’t expect it.”
“And what did you expect?” Rae asked.
“To see a lady with a beard as long as Father Time’s,” Samuel said from behind them.
Rae and Simon turned to face the rascal.
“Did you remember…?” Samuel bit his lip and raised his eyebrows in silent question.
Simon nodded once.
“There’ll be no secrets,” Rae chided.
Samuel snorted. “If we menfolk didn’t keep secrets, your kind would always be swooning and sniffing those disgusting salts.”
“Only three days in Simon’s company and you’re becoming a toff yourself,” she teased, roughing his hair.
Samuel ducked away from her. “I need to go help Father unload the wagon or I’ll be visiting the woodshed when we get home.” He nodded to Simon. “I’ll look for you later.”
“What did you bring?” Rae asked Simon when the boy was barely two steps away.
“Can’t tell.”
An amused expression came over Rae’s lips. Shaking her head she said, “No, you won’t. There’s a difference.”
“No, there’s not.” He offered her his arm. “I made a promise.”
Rae looked heavenward and sighed. “Instilling a gentleman’s honor in those rapscallions isn’t likely.” She smiled warmly. “But I am quite impressed with your quick study of children and how to woo them.”
“I’d prefer to think of it as winning them over.”
She squeezed the inside of his arm. “Is there truly a difference?”
“Yes. While I appreciate your helping me knock down the barrier between me and urchins, I have no desire to woo any of them. Now, as for you...” He trailed off with a shrug.