A Lady of Persuasion (The Wanton Dairymaid Trilogy #3)

“Picked a devil of a year to start keeping them.”


Sophia mediated with a soothing tone. “Gray wants to speak with Toby before he gives his formal consent. Joss will want to meet him, too. He may not be your guardian, but he is your brother.”

“Where is Joss this morning?” Bel asked.

“He took a tray to the nursery. Little Jacob is cutting teeth and feeling out of sorts.”

“What in God’s name did that man say to you?” Gray asked, snapping open a newspaper. “I can’t imagine what dastardly lies he must have spun, to persuade you to accept him.”

“I’m sure he did not tell me any lies,” Bel replied calmly. “We merely had the opportunity to converse, and arrived at the conclusion that we would be well-matched.”

“Well-matched,” her brother echoed with disbelief. “You say he told you no lies? Well, then I suppose he told you about his history with—”

“Gray,” Sophia whispered in a reproving tone. The two exchanged pointed glances over the paper before Gray folded it and laid it aside. What ever conflict had existed moments ago was evidently resolved now, as evidenced by the affectionate brush of Gray’s fingers over his wife’s wrist. Bel normally found it sweet, the way they conversed in looks and light touches in place of words.

It was less sweet when they were clearly discussing her.

“We need to speak privately,” Sophia whispered to Bel, dismissing the servants with an elegant, self-assured flick of her wrist.

Bel sighed inwardly. She loved her new sister, but living with Sophia meant a daily struggle with envy. She was so beautiful, so graceful. And though Bel rejoiced to see her brother happily wed, in moments of weakness she—just the tiniest bit—resented sharing his attention. But she needn’t share Sir Toby’s attention with Sophia. He was her betrothed; he belonged to Bel alone. The thought sparked a little fire inside her.

Sophia inched her chair closer to Bel’s. “I wasn’t certain how much to say last night, but after talking it over with Gray …” She cast Gray a cautious look, and he nodded in encouragement. Sophia turned back to Bel. “There is something I must tell you. Before I met your brother, I was betrothed to another man. Bel, I was engaged to Toby.”

Bel choked on her toast. “No.”

“Yes. We were to have been married last December.”

“What happened?”

Sophia worried a crease in the tablecloth. “I lied to him, and to all my friends and family, and then I ran away.”

“What dreadful act could Sir Toby have committed, to make you flee your home?”

“No, no,” Sophia said. “Toby was a perfect gentleman. The dreadful acts were all mine, I’m afraid. I can’t regret making the choices that led me to Gray, but I’m still ashamed of how I treated Toby.”

Bel inhaled slowly, absorbing this new information. Sir Toby, once engaged to Sophia! So much for claiming the gentleman’s undivided attention.

Gray swore under his breath. “The man’s an oily bilge rat. He’s angry with me for taking his bride, and now he’s just trying to get back at me by—” He bit off the sentence when Sophia threw him a sharp look.

“By marrying me,” Bel finished for him. “I see. You assume the only reason Sir Toby would propose to me is to get back at you. He couldn’t possibly be interested in me. Is that what you’re implying?”

“Bel, no.” Gray scrubbed his face with his hand. “Of course, any man would be desperate to marry you. But considering past events, and the speed with which he pursued you—”

“But how could he harbor any such scheme?” Bel asked. “Sir Toby didn’t even know my name.”

They both stared at her.

“Is that true?” Sophia asked. “Are you certain?”

“Yes,” Bel insisted. “When we … left the ballroom together, he had no idea I was Gray’s sister. When I told him my name, he was shocked indeed—and even more surprised that I did not recognize his. He was sure you would have mentioned him to me.”

“I should have,” Sophia said. “I’m so sorry, I should have told you earlier.”

“Don’t apologize,” Gray told his wife. “How could you have predicted last evening’s events?

Normally, there’s time between introductions and betrothal to discuss such things.” He sighed.

“Bel, you must admit, this ‘proposal’ happened with suspicious alacrity.”

“That wasn’t entirely his fault, either. I’m the one who broached the topic of marriage.” Bel pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m not certain what came over me,” she said, too stunned to censor her comments. “One moment, he was a handsome stranger, and the next I was conversing with him as though I’d known him for years. He … he put me so at ease. He made me smile.”