Page 31 of The Perfect Rose

Miriam turned and cried out, “Mr. Dillard! It is an offense to you, surely. Why, how could they ever consider such an option as him? I’m sorry if you have any feelings for him. But I must speak my mind. He is the worst sort of man!”

Rose laughed, she actually laughed at how indignant Miriam was acting on her behalf. She was certainly like her brother. “I agree with you, Miriam. But my parents are drawn to titles, and he is the heir presumptive to a barony. A barony which has no funds, which I can fix. He cannot very well send me away with the dowry I carry. I like him no more than you do and less if it is possible. But my opinion doesn’t matter much to my parents. So unless I can convince someone to propose to me in the next few days, that will be my fate.”

Sharing her predicament with Miriam aided Rose; she didn’t feel as forlorn about her future when she was with her. Miriam had so much vivacity in her, it was like Rose was watching her own life being played out on a stage instead of truly living the nightmare, taking away some of the sting.

“And how is Frederick helping you? I’m glad he is, although it surprises me. He avoids you at all costs . . . or he did before the house party at least.”

“I don’t know if I should be flattered or offended. He is pretending to have some sort of feelings for me in order to make the other gentlemen see what they will be missing out on unless they become more bold in their intentions, if they have any, toward me. I hesitate to say that it seems to be working.”

Miriam stopped walking and put her hands on her hips. “Of course it’s working! Lord Hanby and Owen are probably coming to blows about you at this moment.” She slumped her shoulders a little. “I ought to tell you, Owen Redford is well beloved in the neighborhood. He would need your dowry and he is a kind man . . . but his mind works differently than other men’s minds.”

“I assumed as much, Miriam. I have no intentions of causing him pain.”

Miriam sighed and began pacing the path side to side. “Has he proposed to you yet?”

Rose started. “Proposed? Of course not. We have just begun talking to one another. Why on earth would he propose?”

“Oh, he’s proposed to me before. I think I was eleven. And he’s proposed to almost every other girl in the town as well. He has such a loving heart. But his heart works faster than his mind. It is likely he has not thought through any potential difficulties of proposing marriage to you.”

Rose scrunched her eyebrows together. “Again, why do you think he would propose to me?”

“You were kind to a child. He sees it as the truest act of the heart. And perhaps he is right. But he has passionate tendencies when he gets something into his head. When he proposes to you, which I have no doubt will happen, please be kind to him.”

Rose thought about it for a moment. Everything Miriam said about Owen Redford was interesting, but not upsetting. He needed a fortune, and she had one. He needed someone to watch out for him, and she could fill that role. He was a kindhearted man, and those were rare. It wouldn’t be a marriage of true romantic love. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t come to love him in her own way. If only he had hope of attaining a title. Either way, it seemed a far better prospect than being married to Mr. Dillard, if her mother would agree to the match.

“I will be kind to him, Miriam. But I have no intention of turning his proposal away.”

“What?” Miriam stopped pacing and turned to face Rose square on. “Why ever not?” She spoke with her hands as much as she did her words.

Rose took a deep breath. “He needs someone to care for him. And I need to be free from my parents’ machinations. It would be infinitely better than being married to Mr. Dillard.”

“Oh, this is not going at all like I thought it would. You are too good to consider him, Lady Rose.”

“Please, just call me Rose. My title means less to me than you might expect.”

Miriam touched her heart with one hand and took Rose’s hand with her other. “Rose, I want to help you find other options. I love Owen Redford, but that is not the life you have been raised to live. The Redfords live a different lifestyle than you are accustomed to. Besides, I don’t know that Owen would fare well being in a family with your mother.” Miriam grimaced at the thought, and she had good reason to. “Lord Hanby has shown interest in you. Even the duke . . .”

Rose put up a hand. “I’ll stop you right there. I suspect the duke is madly in love with you and you with him. I have no feelings for him other than happiness that he has someone like you to keep him on his toes.”

Miriam blushed deep crimson. “Do you really think so? That he has feelings for me, I mean?”

“I do not consider myself to be an incompetent person, Miriam. I have no doubts.” She squeezed her hand.

Miriam smiled more confidently than Rose had ever seen. “It’s just that I’ve known him for years. He’s Frederick’s best friend. I don’t know how Frederick will take it. He might be quite put out.”

“Ah, well, then you allow me to help your situation with the duke and I’ll allow you to try to find a way to help me. However I must warn you: my options at this point are rather limited. Mr. Quentin Redford is besotted with Miss Trenton, and your duke with you. That leaves only Lord Hanby or Mr. Owen Redford.”

“And Frederick: you cannot forget him.”

Rose cocked an eyebrow at Miriam. “He told me he doesn’t intend to marry.”

Miriam’s shoulders slumped. “I’m surprised he told you that. He’ll likely stick to that decision his whole life. Kendra ruined him forever, and I’ll never forgive her for it.”

“Who is Kendra?”

Miriam looked as if someone had just poured sour milk into her mouth. “She was the woman Frederick loved from his season a few years ago. He was going to propose to her. But when she came to see him, it was only to tell him that she was marrying Mr. Williams, one of his closest friends. She’d been entertaining them both in secret courtships. Frederick has never been the same since her duplicity. He doesn’t trust women. Since then, he’s been more show than reality in public and more father than brother in private.”

Rose’s heart squeezed within her chest. She understood his need for a mask. She had her own defenses set up against the wrong type of gentleman. His defenses, though, seemed completely impenetrable. Rose would have to let someone in, and soon if she was going to accomplish her goal of avoiding Mr. Dillard. “At least if you marry His Grace, then he will have his sister and his best friend to cheer him and to be with him.”