is to make it believable.”
Well, it was a relief to know her maid’s disguise was working, even if it stung the slightest bit to think Mr. Woodsworth didn’t think she qualified as a lady. “Well, thank goodness for that. There aren’t many dukes floating around.”
“His Grace, Duke of Harrington, has a sister that will be coming out this Season. What was her name? The family name is Kendrick, but I can’t recall her Christian name.”
“I won’t pretend to be her.”
“I just said you shouldn’t pretend to be a lady in her own right. Of course you wouldn’t pretend to be her. That would be a very bad plan indeed. Although, I would love to see the looks on Mr. and Mrs. Morgan’s faces if I did gain her interest.” The corners of his lips turned up, but he quickly schooled his features. He walked back to his desk and straightened a few papers even though they didn’t need it. “The prospect is ridiculous. It bears no more thinking on.”
“Ridiculous that a lady would be interested in you or ridiculous for me to pretend to be her?”
He turned and caught her eyes. “Both.”
“You aren’t bad looking, you know. And your father is very impressive. I wouldn’t say it was that ridiculous”
He waved his hand. “I don’t actually walk in the same circles as dukes. It truthfully isn’t even in the realm of possibility.”
That was good news, at least. Hopefully she wouldn’t run into anyone who knew Nicholas. No. She wouldn’t run into anyone because she wasn’t going to go along with Mr. Woodsworth’s plan. How could she?
“Why is it so hard for you to believe a lady like that could be interested in you?” Patience asked. Mr. Woodsworth was serious and rather boring, but there was something striking about his intense blue eyes. Indeed, she found him almost pleasant looking despite all the frown lines around his mouth.
He narrowed one eye. “Trust me, I would have no chance. I have looked over all possible matches for someone in my position, and an engagement to Miss Morgan is already more than I should be able to attain with my background.”
Nicholas put General Woodsworth on a pedestal almost as high as the Queen. Patience highly doubted Mr. Woodsworth’s calculations could be correct. “But your father is General Woodsworth. I would think that would count for much.” He could find someone higher ranked than the cousin of a duke. Patience wished she knew this Miss Morgan. Hopefully she would make Mr. Woodsworth happy.
“My father started in the army as a grenadier. He was only given that position because of his size, not because of any connections, and his first few rank advancements were due to survival more than anything. He married my mother, who was a maid. And while my mother may have argued that there was no position in society high enough for the likes of her son, my father has taught me that the best plans are those that have attainable goals.”
Attainable goals? Mr. Woodsworth talked of Miss Morgan as if she were nothing but a step in a well-laid plan. But he had also seemed sincere during his proposal. Was he that great of an actor, or did he truly love this Miss Morgan? “So, you have chosen Miss Morgan as your bride-to-be because you are a social climber and you believe the cousin of a duke is as high of a position you could tempt to marry you?”
“No, of course not. It isn’t just the cousin. Her aunt, the Duchess of Penramble, has a Scottish—” He stopped and ran his fingers through his perfectly contained hair. Some of it fell forward from his motion, and he instantly looked more approachable. “Suffice it to say if I don’t make things work out with Miss Morgan, I’m not certain another opportunity like her would arise.”
“I’m quite certain most women wouldn’t like to be looked at as opportunities.”
“Perhaps in your world and the world my father came from, you may be right, but among the ranked and those who are trying to hold a position in society, I’m afraid it is a reality.”
Patience looked down at her stained hands. That was one benefit of being a maid she hadn’t thought of. When she returned home and was presented at court, is this what men would think of her? Only someone to increase their social standing? She had always supposed she would be able to find a person who felt a true draw to