Angelica frowned. “Why do you say that?”
“Because I am not good enough for you. They’d see right away that I’ve nothing to offer a woman like you.”
“You love me. In the end, that’s all that matters. Everything else is merely a bump in the road.”
He laughed at her. “Ten years from now, I’ll hold you to those words.”
Although his tone was joking, she knew he was serious. Captain Neill had a habit of laughing at the truth—perhaps to shield himself from things too weighty to comfortably admit. In his own way, he’d confirmed that they had a future. That, a decade from now, they’d still be together. Angelica was very much looking forward to it.
“Well, my girl,” he said, blithely, as if he had not just promised her the rest of his life. “What shall we do with our afternoon? A drive in the car, a stroll in the gardens, or…”
“I was thinking I ought to have a gift for your sister.”
“Uh…no. That’s not necessary.”
“Brody, it’s her birthday. I know I don’t know her very well, and she probably doesn’t even like me, but it would feel rude not to give something when I’ve been here all week.”
“She’ll be very busy. Doubt she’ll notice—or even care.”
Despite the potential for disaster, Angelica was very much looking forward to her first party. She’d never put on an evening gown and danced in a ballroom. She’d never met a hundred new people in a night, or been escorted by a handsome gentleman. She wanted so badly to fit in to the Neills’ world. Thanking Mary Rose for being so patient while she infiltrated the girl’s special night seemed like the best place to start.
“What did you get her?”
Captain Neill sighed, annoyed that she wasn’t giving up that easily. “A carved ivory hair comb from a jewelry shop in London.”
“Oh, I bet it’s lovely.”
“I got it at a bargain. Otherwise, she’d be getting flowers and a card.”
Angelica laughed. “She’s your baby sister. She deserves to be spoiled—well, at least for one night. Isn’t there something I can give her?”
“To be honest, we need to save every bit of money I have. Things are going to be…tight…for a little while.”
She’d taken advantage of his generosity. He’d bought her new clothes, even a fur-trimmed coat, and paid for a hotel room when they should have been living frugally. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“It wasn’t important—it’s still not. But we can’t afford to waste money on another present my sister will never use,” he explained. “If it really means that much to you, we’ll tell her the hair comb is from us both.”
Mary Rose knew that Angelica had never been to London. She’d know that Captain Neill had bought the gift, and simply put Angelica’s name on it out of kindness. It wasn’t proper, but there was nothing to be done about it now. “Alright, Brody. If you think that’s best.”
“I know you want M.R. to like you—”
“Broderick! Good Lord! What are you doing there?” His mother rushed through the hall, her heels clicking against the polished marble.
Angelica sat up straight, embarrassed to be caught hiding out.
“Really, the two of you will make the servants go lazy. If you cannot find something useful to do with yourselves, at least stay out of my way,” Mrs. Neill said, storming past them up the stairs. “I have to see your sister in her bath, or else that child will never be ready. I haven’t time to worry about you, too.”
With a rustle of silk, the woman was gone, leaving only a lingering scent of expensive, overpowering perfume.
“Mother is in her element,” Captain Neill said. “She lives for this sort of thing.”
Angelica smiled, good-naturedly. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a scolding like that. Almost reminds me of home.”
They both laughed. It didn’t matter that his mother ignored her, or that his sister didn’t like her. Tonight was going to be Angelica Grey’s first party.
The first of many, she hoped.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
She flapped her hands at her side. Bessie did her best to keep her still, but Angelica couldn’t stop fidgeting. She always did that when she was nervous—in the old days, it would’ve earned her a smack on the hand from her governess. Her new handler was not so forceful.
“Please keep still, Miss,” the maid said. “I’ve got to pin this dress just right, and I don’t want to prick you.”