She gazed into the fire, lips twisting as she considered the situation. Dare he hope she believed him? He certainly wanted her to as he wasn’t prepared to say how much Millicent had captured him. She was so different than he’d first thought, much more intriguing, not to mention desirable.
Millicent made him reconsider his opinions, especially those about himself. Her confidence touched him in an unexpectedway, and more deeply than he cared to admit. The casualness with which she had said he could improve the estate if he wanted to almost made him believe her. So much so that he’d read some of the book on farming techniques last night before bed. To his surprise, he’d found it more enjoyable than playing cards at his club.
Apparently, he was aging quicker than he realized. That was the only explanation for his behavior.
“I wouldn’t want you to hurt her, Winston. She’s different than the ladies you tend to prefer. Her emotions run deep.”
Winston almost nodded at that truth. She was most definitely a deep well rather than a shallow pool. That he preferred the characteristic surprised him. “We were only chatting, Eliza. Nothing to concern yourself over.”
“Are you certain?” Trentworth asked as he placed an arm along the back of the settee behind his wife and held Winston’s gaze. “As I’m sure you can already guess, Miss Davies is seeking marriage, and it wouldn’t do to ruin her.”
Annoyance shot through him. “I would remind you both that I have never ruined anyone.” Never mind how tempted he’d been by the feel of her in his arms.
“No, and we would like to keep it that way,” Eliza said dryly. “As Philip said, Millie is not for you.”
Not for me? He didn’t like that thought in the least. “You mean because I’m not interested in marriage until much later,” he suggested.
“Well, yes.” She considered her words before continuing, “Not that she’s your type anyway.”
“How do you mean?” Winston asked, attempting to sound curious rather than defensive.
“She has many good qualities, but last I checked you don’t value those,” Trentworth added with a teasing smile. “I told ElizaI didn’t think a lady such as her would appeal to you, and that you were more than likely only being kind.”
Winston studied his friend with narrowed eyes, trying to determine how irritated he should be. “A lady such as her?”
“Well, she’s rather sweet, from what I’ve observed in my limited interactions with her. And she likes books. Clearly, she’s intelligent.”
Winston was insulted on Millicent’s behalf as well as his own. There was so much more to her than any of that, and to him, as well. “As I told Eliza yesterday, I do occasionally read more than the news sheet.”
“Good to know.” Trentworth nodded. “Is that a new habit? I don’t remember you mentioning it before.”
“It’s just that Millie is lovely on the inside, perhaps even more so than her exterior,” Eliza continued before Winston could respond. “You tend to favor ladies with looks rather than intelligence.”
It was on the tip of Winston’s tongue to say just how beautiful Millicent was. And yes, her beauty was due in part to her inner traits, which were ones he deeply admired. But he held back. Defending her would reveal just how attracted he was to her and that would never do. Not if he wanted to protect her.
“I don’t know her well enough to comment, I suppose,” Winston said as he leaned back in his chair, feigning a casual air.
“You seemed to enjoy her company at dinner the other night.” Eliza waited as if expecting him to agree.
“She was a pleasant dinner companion.” The meal had been nearly impossible to enjoy after their interlude on the stairs. He’d had difficulty hiding his attraction to her, especially when he hadn’t wanted to speak to anyone other than her. “Everyone appeared to enjoy themselves that evening. You are becoming quite the host and hostess.”
He waited to see if the compliment would distract them both from their mission of warning him away from Millicent.
Eliza’s pleased smile suggested his attempt was at least partially successful. “We enjoy entertaining.” She lifted a brow at her husband as if to remind him to agree.
“Yes, we do.” He shifted in his seat, leaving Winston to wonder if his friend truly agreed.
“What is the next event?” Winston asked, hoping to keep her attention away from him.
The couple visited for a time before Eliza scooted to the edge of the settee and glanced at her husband. “I suppose we should be going.”
“Indeed,” Trentworth agreed as they rose, along with Winston.
“I’m relieved to know you aren’t interested in Millie, Winston,” Eliza said as she kissed his cheek then patted his arm with sisterly affection. “While I like to think you are friends of a sort, I don’t know that you’d suit one another. You are just so...different.”
Winston nodded, ignoring the clutch in his chest. And whatever it was that lodged in his throat. Eliza was right. He and Millicent didn’t suit. He needed to remember that.
“How kind of you to call.” Millie strode across the drawing room to take Eliza’s outstretched hands that afternoon, touched that she had come by but also worried. Had her friend seen through the act Millie and Winston had given at the bookshop?