Fate's Intervention (28 page)

“
Well, your mother managed to snare me without an ounce of seeable persuasion.
”

“
I thought you set your sights on Mother, not the other way around.
”

“
It
’
s very rare that the man has the choice,
”
her
father
said with a grin.
“
If the woman wants a man, and she goes about it the right way, then that man will be hers forever.
”

“
The
right way?
”

“
Well, take for instance Miss Stanharbor,
”
her
father
said.
“
A
s you and Matthew described it, she approached Matthew the wrong way and even included her
father
in her attempts. Did it work?
”

“
No.
”

“
Why?
”

“
That
’
s
easy,
”
Marcelle answered.
“
Because they pressured him.
”

“
Exactly, and Matthew isn
’
t a man whom we can pressure. Remember that he
’
s already skittish about marriage.
”

“
So
in order to
‘
snare him
’
, I simply
–
what?
”
Marcelle said, too innocent to comprehend
courtship rituals
fully
.
S
he
’
d spent the last few years scaring men away
;
never had any experience trying to keep one in her life. She wished that her
father
could simply talk Matthew into marrying her and save her embarrassment that her blunders would surely cause
, b
ut then again, her
father
had always taught her that something worth possessing is worth doing on your own
.
“
Wh
at
do you suggest?
”

“
Continue to be yourself
–
teasing and all. He seems to respond to that.
”

“
He may respond in a way that would earn your disapproval, and I thought you didn
’
t want me to tease him anymore.
”

“
Not as far as kissing and such,
no
.
”

“
Oh,
”
Marcelle said thoughtfully,
“
so
if I just continue acting like I
’
ve always done, then I have a good chance, do you think?
”

“
It depends on how
dead-set
against marriage he really is. I do think that when he
’
s ready to settle down, you
’
ll be the likely choice.
”

Marcelle closed her eyes and sighed. She hoped her
father
was right.

“
I appreciate your talking with me,
Father
. I know that listening to all this was hard.
”

Her
father
laughed
.
“
I
t
was sheer torture, but I think this was the best thing in the end. It made me realize something.
”

“
What
’
s that,
Father
?
”

“
That
I can
’
t push you into marriage any more than Matthew can be pushed into marrying, and that
’
s exactly what I
’
ve been trying to do
; however,
now that we
’
ve agreed that you don
’
t have to marry at all, maybe things will fall into place
.
Not to mention that I feel like this decision has removed a ton of weight from my shoulders.
”

“
Perhaps you
’
re right. You really do look as if you
’
re feeling better, and I
’
m not just saying that. There is a color in your cheeks . . . ,
”

A
knock at the door
ended their conversation
.

“
Come,
”
Peter yelled.

Nancy
popped her head in the doorway,
“
Sir
. Miss.
A
visitor has arrived.
”

“
Well, who is it Nancy?
”
Peter asked, wondering why she didn
’
t simply announce the name as usual.

“
Well, sir, it
’
s Mr. Matthew
’
s younger brother.
”

“
Younger brother?
”
Marcelle and her
father
said simultaneously.

“
Yes, sir. I
’
ve put him in the parlor and already offered refreshments. I
’
m off to see about those now.
”

“
So
, what is it about him,
Nancy, which
has you so confounded?
”
Peter asked intuitively. He
’
d known
Nancy
for twenty years and he
’
d never seen that particular expression on her face when announcing a visitor before. It worried him slightly.

“
Sir
?
”
Nancy
asked, her facial features strained. Well, Peter thought, whatever has disturbed her about their visitor
;
she was falling back on her professionalism and keeping her mouth shut. So be it. He
’
d meet the caller himself in a moment.

“
Never mind. You may go,
”
Peter said. When the door pulled to, he brought his attention back to his daughter.
“
Well, I guess we
’
d better go greet our new arrival. Think this one will move in also?
”

“
Oh,
father
,
”
Marcelle admonished gently,
“
I seriously doubt that Matthew fired off a letter to all of his relations telling them there was employment to be had here. In all likelihood, his brother has simply dropped by for a visit.
”

“
Yes, well, Matthew is hardly here right now to visit with, is he?
”

“
Oh, so he
’
s supposed to be a mind reader and know that?
”

Peter laughed, heading for the study door,
“
No, child. I
’
m just joshing. It
’
s just a little nerve-
w
racking is all.
”

“
What is,
father
?
”

Her
father
turned and eyed her with a mischievous glint in his eye,
“
The
minute I tell you marriage is no longer a requirement, young men
–
of suitable age,
mind
–
start dropping out of nowhere. Had I known it would be
that
simple, I would have told you that marriage was out of the question years ago.
”

Marcelle laughed and placed her hand in the proffered crook of her
father
’
s arm,
“
Oh,
Father
, you are completely hopeless.
”

“
So
your mother always said,
”
he smiled.
“
Well, shall we see if this young man impresses you as much as his older brother?
”

“
Oh, do hush!
”

Peter stifled another laugh and pulled open the study door, ushering his daughter out ahead of him.

“
Maybe you
’
ll have two men fawning over you and kissing on you . . . ,
”

“
If you don
’
t hush up this minute, he
’
s likely to hear,
”
Marcelle whispered harshly.
“
Nancy left the parlor door open.
”

“
Oops,
”
her
father
whispered with a giggle, putting his finger to his lips.
“
You really do need to learn to keep your voice down, child.
”

Their arrival at the parlor cut off Marcelle
’
s retort, but the look she gave him promised retribution later.

The sight of the man standing at the French doors startled them so that they did not enter the parlor immediately. He was a lankier, paler image of his older brother, a slight bit shorter in stature and less brawny. Nonet
h
eless
,
there was no mistaking his relationship to Matthew. From the
ir vantage point,
it could
well
have been Matthew standing there
, for h
is face was strikingly similar
; however, there is
where the resemblance
ceased
.

The only description that popped into Marcelle
’
s head was
‘
fop
’
. The man dressed impeccably for sure, from his hair, oiled and slicked back fashionably, down to the white silk gloves and thigh-high
leather
boots
, b
ut his carriage shouted popinjay. Something about the tilt of his chin said that he looked down upon the less fortunate
,
and that made Marcelle
’
s
feathers
ruffle.

Her
father
must have sensed the tension running through her, for he leaned over and whispered in her ear, patting her hand gently,
“
Relax
, child.
A
ppearances can be deceiving, you know. He may merely feel the need to impress people.
”
Although
Peter felt the need to reassure his daughter, he could easily see what had disturbed
Nancy
. Just observing him for this short time
disturbed
him
.

“
Well, he
’
s failing miserably to impress me,
”
Marcelle whispered back, echoing his own thoughts.

“
You haven
’
t even introduced yourself yet, dear. So try not to judge him by his appearance, okay?
”
He said, contrary to how he felt.
“
Do try
to
remember that he
’
s Matthew
’
s relation, so the least we can do is extend our hospitality since Matthew is away.
”

“
Yes,
father
,
”
Marcelle said tightly.

“
A
t least we don
’
t need to worry about his vying for your affections.
”

“
Oh! Do hush!
”

Peter smiled and moved further into the room,
“
Mr. Daragh?
”

The man turned from the window and strutted forward, his gloved hand extended,
“
Mr.
Weatherman
, I
presume.
”