over his ears. How had he ever thought her laugh endearing? She threw her arm out as if she were about to hit him on the shoulder again but pulled it back before making contact. She must not want to run the risk of him touching her again. “Of course you are not. And no one expects you to be. I don’t see why this changes anything between us. I know your head will win over your heart. There still isn’t a better match for you. In the meantime, this will give us more time apart. Perhaps during that time you will see the wisdom in joining the army. Once you have a solid position there, I see no reason we couldn’t marry. The only thing better would be if the parliament finally ennobles your father. There have been rumors of it for years. He did nearly as much for the war as Wellington. And he is—”
Anthony stopped breathing for a moment, the rest of her words lost in the rush of sound in his ears. He went through the timeline in his head. Two years. Miss Morgan had first showed interest in him two years ago. Right after his mourning period for Howard was over. Her family had been waiting for an announcement of his father’s ascent into the peerage. “That is what you have been waiting for?”
“Well, that or for you to join the army. Either would have raised your position in society to an acceptable place.”
“My father has hoped for a position of rank for years. If it was going to come, it would have much sooner than this.”
“What do you mean?”
“General is as far as a commoner can go. If life has taught my father nothing else, he knows that. That is why it was so important to me that you are in line for that Scottish barony.”
“What?” Miss Morgan’s face pulled back in horror, her nostrils flared and her breathing fast. “You never told me that was my main draw.”
“I hadn’t realized my main draw was a possible position in the peerage either. What if Howard was still alive? Would we have even met?”
Miss Morgan didn’t answer. Instead she turned and strode over to a desk, lifted up the cover, and pulled out a sheet of paper, bottle of ink, and pen. Without bothering to sit down, she scratched out something on the paper and marched back to him. She practically threw the paper at him. “Now, get out. I will do whatever I want with Lord Bryant. We have never had an agreement, but just in case anyone questions you on it, that paper should clear it up. Feel free to dally about with your Miss Smith. She is just dull enough not to care whether or not your father ever gains a title.”
“Perhaps I will.” He wouldn’t. Of course he wouldn’t. Although he was quite certain she wouldn’t reject him quite so harshly as Miss Morgan just had. He didn’t bother to look at the paper. It didn’t matter what was on it. His two-year courtship of Miss Morgan was over. In two years, he hadn’t managed to gain Miss Morgan’s respect, let alone her love. He was boring, common, and a disappointment to his father. He had known that his whole life. A rejection from Miss Morgan shouldn’t change how he felt about it.
But as he stormed out of Miss Morgan’s home—he hoped for the last time—he knew it was a lie.
Chapter 15
Patience ran the feather duster along the banister. It was one of the duties she performed nearly every day. She didn’t really understand the point of it. If Mrs. Bates would allow her to wait for a day or two between dusting, there would actually be dust to remove.
She had avoided Mr. Woodsworth ever since the play two days ago, and it was starting to wear on her. She had less than two weeks left to complete her goal of working here a month. She would just need to avoid him for that much longer. If he needed her to be Mary Smith again, she would do it, but other than that, she would stay out of his path. That was her plan, and so far, she had stuck to it.
The last two days had been dreadfully boring without him.
And lonely.
If she were home, she would find Ollie. They would run for a while, and then, when she was tired out, Ollie would let her rest her head on