Page 38 of The Unfortunate Debutante
Simeon stiffened at her pretentious attitude. “But not a viscount?”
“No, viscounts are typically stuffy, boring men,” she said with a flick of her wrist.
He turned back to face her. “Viscounts?”
“It’s true,” she admitted without a hint of remorse. “I have not met one viscount that was young and vigorous. Have you?”
“I… uh…” His voice stopped. How did he respond to that? Should he reveal that he was a viscount and contradict her statement, or just pretend her comment didn’t affect him?
Simeon was still debating how to answer when the waiter walked up with two bowls of lemon ice. He extended both bowls towards him and stepped back.
Before he could retrieve coins to pay for the lemon ice, Miss Pearson extended her hand and dropped a few coins into the waiter’s awaiting hand.
His jaw dropped as he saw the waiter turn on his heel and headed towards another carriage. “What in blazes do you think you are doing?” he exclaimed in annoyance. What was it about this woman that just kept infuriating him, over and over?
“I believe it was quite obvious what I was doing, Mr. Martin,” she said, reaching for a bowl of lemon ice. “I was paying the waiter.”
He stood there, dumbfounded. A woman didn’t pay for items in a man’s presence. It just wasn’t done. “It was my right, as a gentleman, to pay for your ice.”
Taking a bite of her ice, she savored it for a moment before responding, “I didn’t mean to offend you, but you work as a Bow Street Runner. I can’t imagine your income would allow you to pay for such extravagances as ice from Gunther’s.”
Tarnation! That was correct, and incredibly thoughtful. Curse her kindness! His salary for being a Bow Street Runner was a paltry sum, and he would barely be able to afford food and lodgings on what he made. However, he couldn’t very well tell her that he had acquired a fortune in trade. That would lead to more questions.
“Be that as it may…” he started.
Miss Pearson placed the bowl down on the carriage bench next to her. “Don’t be angry with me. I was the one who suggested Gunther’s, and I have more than adequate funds to pay for it.”
“I assure you that I have more than enough funds at my disposal to pay for Gunther’s ice.” There. That was simple, and it was the truth.
Her eyes grew wide. “I truly meant no ill will. How was I to know that a Bow Street Runner had sufficient funds to pay for such a scrumptious treat. It’s not like you’re a viscount…” Her voice trailed off as she looked at him knowingly.
His eyes snapped back up to hers. “When did you find out?”
She smirked as she picked up her bowl of lemon ice. “This morning,” she confessed. “Lord Lansdowne told me.”
“Ah, I should have known from the comments you were making,” he said, taking a bite of his treat. “I suppose you’re mad that I lied to you.”
Miss Pearson shook her head. “Not at all. I was surprised, but not upset, especially since I understand your secrecy. No one would care about me if they knew I was a lowly country miss, but I have titled suitors because Lord Downshire is my guardian.”
“Indeed,” he acknowledged. “Women have no interest in me until they find out that I am the Viscount of Wentworth. Then, they start fluttering their eyelashes at me.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “I tire of gentlemen attempting to woo me because they strive to gain favor in my guardian’s eyes. I want a gentleman to fall in love with me because I’m a constable’s daughter, and not in spite of it.”
Simeon lowered his bowl of lemon ice. “I hardly believe that’s the only reason you have suitors, Miss Pearson.”
He didn’t dare tell her that she was beautiful, for he had no doubt that Miss Pearson would chastise him for being disingenuous.
“It may not be,” she murmured, “but I don’t know who is genuine and who is not.”
“I agree with your sentiments.”
She gave him a weak smile. “I know you do, Mr. Martin.”
An unspoken bond passed between them, and Simeon found himself returning her smile. However, the smile was wiped off his face when he heard a man’s voice shout from across the square.
“Miss Pearson!”
Simeon turned and saw an impeccably dressed middle-aged man. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and had dark brown hair. However, it was his piercing gaze that caused him to be concerned, because that gaze was focused solely on Miss Pearson.
