paused to consider it. “That would certainly provide a sound foundation for a marriage.”
“And I don’t think your ambition is unladylike.”
“Decidedly a point in your favor.”
He looked at her. “I also have another reason for wanting to marry you.”
“What is that?”
He squirmed in his seat for a moment, then pulled out his handkerchief and dabbed his brow, unconsciously imitating Pudding Weymouth. “Oh, hell, I’d better just come out and say it before I lose my nerve.” He took a deep breath. “I love you. I’ve loved you from the very first day I saw you.”
Her heart began to flutter. “In old Bloomers’ criminal law class?”
“No. Three years ago when we first started law school.”
Honor’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Oh, that’s a colossal fib if ever I heard one! You always avoided me. You never spoke to me unless we were on opposite sides of an issue in class.”
“I couldn’t get up the nerve until this year.”
“You?” she scoffed. “Robert Davis, my nemesis?”
“Every man is a coward about something.” He sat back and rubbed his clean-shaven jaw. “I’ve made a muddle of this, haven’t I?”
“In what way?”
“I should have gotten down on my knees and proposed to you. I should have given you flowers.” He bolted to his feet, strode over to the flowerbed and pulled up a bunch of tulips by their roots.
Passersby stopped to stare. The little boy, who had undoubtedly been warned many a time by his governess not to pick the tulips under pain of a spanking, gaped at Robert in envy as his kite plummeted to earth.
Honor’s cheeks burned in mortification. “Robert! That’s public property. You’ll be arrested!”
He walked back, dropped down on one knee, and thrust the flowers, dirt-covered roots and all, at Honor. “Miss Elliott, will you marry me?”
Glancing around uneasily for any sign of a policeman, Honor hissed, “I refuse to be a party to such wanton vandalism!”
Grinning, he rose and flung away the flowers. “Dull, dull, dull! Where’s your spirit of adventure, Miss Steel Stays Elliott? What about romance?”
She found herself laughing in spite of herself.
He kissed her for all the world to see, and even after they parted, he still held her arms. “What’s your answer?”
“I’ll need more time.”
Robert flung back his head and laughed, a deep, rich rumble that welled up from his shoes. “Spoken like a true lawyer.”
“Don’t mock me. Marriage is a momentous occasion in a woman’s life, not to be undertaken lightly.”
He sobered instantly. “You’re right. Take all the time you need. At least until we graduate. Then I’ll be off to New York with or without you.”
While writing a letter to her art dealer in Paris, Theo paused a moment to look out the window at the trees tight with buds. She felt wonderful. Life couldn’t have been any better. She and Wes were still lovers. Honor and Robert Davis were still nothing more than good friends. She returned to her scribbling, content with the world.
Then her niece walked in. Without stopping or looking up, Theo said, “How were the gardens today?”
Honor poured herself a cup of black coffee from the pot Theo kept within arm’s reach during the morning, then sat down on the leather chesterfield sofa and took several sips. “Robert asked me to marry him.”
The pen halted. Theo looked up and blinked several times. “Did you just say what I think you said?”
“Your hearing is fine. He proposed in the Public Garden.”
Theo sat back, trying to hide her rising panic. She moistened her dry lips. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him I’d have to think about it.”
“Very sensible.” Theo put her pen back into its inkwell, blotted the letter she had been writing, and folded it. “Do you think you will marry him?” She held her breath.
Honor rose and strolled over to the window to gaze into the street at a passing motorcar honking its obnoxious horn.
“And I don’t think your ambition is unladylike.”
“Decidedly a point in your favor.”
He looked at her. “I also have another reason for wanting to marry you.”
“What is that?”
He squirmed in his seat for a moment, then pulled out his handkerchief and dabbed his brow, unconsciously imitating Pudding Weymouth. “Oh, hell, I’d better just come out and say it before I lose my nerve.” He took a deep breath. “I love you. I’ve loved you from the very first day I saw you.”
Her heart began to flutter. “In old Bloomers’ criminal law class?”
“No. Three years ago when we first started law school.”
Honor’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Oh, that’s a colossal fib if ever I heard one! You always avoided me. You never spoke to me unless we were on opposite sides of an issue in class.”
“I couldn’t get up the nerve until this year.”
“You?” she scoffed. “Robert Davis, my nemesis?”
“Every man is a coward about something.” He sat back and rubbed his clean-shaven jaw. “I’ve made a muddle of this, haven’t I?”
“In what way?”
“I should have gotten down on my knees and proposed to you. I should have given you flowers.” He bolted to his feet, strode over to the flowerbed and pulled up a bunch of tulips by their roots.
Passersby stopped to stare. The little boy, who had undoubtedly been warned many a time by his governess not to pick the tulips under pain of a spanking, gaped at Robert in envy as his kite plummeted to earth.
Honor’s cheeks burned in mortification. “Robert! That’s public property. You’ll be arrested!”
He walked back, dropped down on one knee, and thrust the flowers, dirt-covered roots and all, at Honor. “Miss Elliott, will you marry me?”
Glancing around uneasily for any sign of a policeman, Honor hissed, “I refuse to be a party to such wanton vandalism!”
Grinning, he rose and flung away the flowers. “Dull, dull, dull! Where’s your spirit of adventure, Miss Steel Stays Elliott? What about romance?”
She found herself laughing in spite of herself.
He kissed her for all the world to see, and even after they parted, he still held her arms. “What’s your answer?”
“I’ll need more time.”
Robert flung back his head and laughed, a deep, rich rumble that welled up from his shoes. “Spoken like a true lawyer.”
“Don’t mock me. Marriage is a momentous occasion in a woman’s life, not to be undertaken lightly.”
He sobered instantly. “You’re right. Take all the time you need. At least until we graduate. Then I’ll be off to New York with or without you.”
While writing a letter to her art dealer in Paris, Theo paused a moment to look out the window at the trees tight with buds. She felt wonderful. Life couldn’t have been any better. She and Wes were still lovers. Honor and Robert Davis were still nothing more than good friends. She returned to her scribbling, content with the world.
Then her niece walked in. Without stopping or looking up, Theo said, “How were the gardens today?”
Honor poured herself a cup of black coffee from the pot Theo kept within arm’s reach during the morning, then sat down on the leather chesterfield sofa and took several sips. “Robert asked me to marry him.”
The pen halted. Theo looked up and blinked several times. “Did you just say what I think you said?”
“Your hearing is fine. He proposed in the Public Garden.”
Theo sat back, trying to hide her rising panic. She moistened her dry lips. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him I’d have to think about it.”
“Very sensible.” Theo put her pen back into its inkwell, blotted the letter she had been writing, and folded it. “Do you think you will marry him?” She held her breath.
Honor rose and strolled over to the window to gaze into the street at a passing motorcar honking its obnoxious horn.