Page 21 of The Lady’s Sweet Revenge

“I would like a man who is kind,” she said.

“If you’ll recall, I did carry you to the safety of my home and care for you. I would say that’s not just kind, but gallant as well. Is being gallant on the list?”

“Gallant is not on the list.” Though she silently added it for it was a nice attribute indeed. “I would point out that you didn’t care for me yourself, but had others do it for you.”

He made a disgruntled sound behind her.

“I’ve read to ye. I carried you down to breakfast this very morning and secured a chair so ye might take the air. That took some care, I think.”

“All right. You are kind. Two things on the list.”

“And gallant would be a third,” he mumbled just loud enough for her to hear. She wouldn’t admit she’d added it.

“Patience,” she blurted out because it was important and he obviously had none.

“Hmm…” He pondered for a few seconds. “I have my moments of patience, but would not say I am a very patient person in general.”

“I have little to no patience, therefore the man I marry will need to have enough for both of us.”

“Like charm and humor, I would debate that patience should nay be confused with level-headedness. For I’m quite level-headed and I believe, given the way you were able to calmly escape the clutches of a ship full of marauders, you are very level-headed as well.”

“It may be true that patience could be exchanged evenly with level-headedness as I’m not sure what benefit true patience gets one.”

“Unless ye plan to sit in silence for great lengths of time, or you become tedious, I agree. I don’t see that patience would be such a desirable trait.”

“I’m not willing to remove it from my list, but will take your points under advisement.”

He parked the chair next to a bench and took a seat. She looked around noticing the bird flitting about. But before she had the chance to grow weary of the silence, he spoke again.

“What else is on the list?” he asked as if the silence was bothering him as well.

“He must enjoy living in the country, for I prefer it.”

“You do?” He tilted his head as if surprised.

“Yes. While our country home in Lancashire is not as vast as your castle in Scotland, it provides peace and quiet the city doesn’t afford.”

He laughed.

“What is wrong with wanting peace and quiet?” she pushed.

“Nothing at all, but I’m having trouble aligning the words peace and quiet with the picture you painted of you and your brothers. It sounded like a great deal of chaos and noise.”

He had her there, still she refused to let him know.

“All the more reason I crave it now.” That wasn’t exactly true. She rather disliked quiet. Her mind seemed to fill the silence with thoughts of things she should have done or not done.

“It’s never quiet here,” he said. “Not with the sea constantly flinging itself against the cliffs creating a constant hum.”

“I’ve noticed. But I don’t see the ocean.”

“It is that way,” he pointed. “And then down many flights of stairs to get to the shore. We won’t be descending them today.”

She nodded. “I find the vibrations through the stone calming.”

“I see,” he said, not agreeing or disagreeing with her. She waited but he said nothing else on the matter so she delivered the final and perhaps the most important item on the list.

“I want a father for my children.”