“And you believe that is unwise.”

“Tut, tut, Mrs. Lombard—or I suppose I should call you Lady Lombard—don’t put words in my mouth.”

“Trust me, Mr. McElroy, I don’t wish to go anywhere near your mouth. As to your other comment, no, you should not call me that.” She no longer bothered to keep the disdain from her tone. “Not only because it would be inaccurate—you would refer to me as Lady Robert Lombard—but also because I have stated my preferred title, and it is Mrs. Lombard”.

“Come, Mrs. Lombard, no need to come the ugly with me. I must admit I do not understand why you would feel the need to hide your light, or your rather grand connections, under a bushel—especially around Gareth.”

“I can’t tell you how much comfort it gives me to know the workings of my mind are beyond your comprehension, Mr. McElroy.”

He chuckled. “You have a remarkable facility with English to say you are a Frenchwoman.”

“My father was English, as I am sure you are well aware—being a man who does such a thorough investigation.”

“You are correct, yet again. But I will continue to be perplexed about your attitude to your august connections. I’ve not met one of your kind yet who hasn’t felt the need to rub it in my face. I’m sure you must be wondering what Gareth makes of your connections. And let us be honest with one another, isn’t that your true object in burying yourself in the country and messing with dirt? Marrying a very, very wealthy man you believe you will be able to easily manipulate?”

Serena snorted. “You sound like you speak from experience, Mr. McElroy. Do you enjoy manipulating your friend?” She did not give him any time to respond. “I refuse to dignify your aspersions by defending myself to you, Mr. McElroy. I will say, however, that I believe you might not know your friend as well as you think you do. Or perhaps your own desires color your judgement.”

His eyes lost their amused glint. “Just what the devil do you mean?”

“I mean I have not spent a lot of time around Mr. Lockheart but certainly long enough to realize he has no interest at all in those things which others might value. He appears to treat society and his own wealth with equal disdain. Perhaps it is your own social aspirations you speak of so passionately. You speak on the matter with such heat I can only assume you have some personal axe to grind on the matter.”

To her surprise, he laughed.

“I am glad I amuse you,” she lied.

He shook his head, still laughing. “Thank you, Mrs. Lombard, you are certainly very . . . imaginative. But I am afraid it is you who misunderstand me. Gareth is not in search of an aristocratic bride because he wishes to acquire an arm ornament who will spend his money, sneer at his lineage, and stoop to warm his bed only so far as to provide him with an heir. No, my dear widow, it is for another reason entirely that he would suffer the condescension of your crowd. You see, unlike me, Gareth is concerned about more than just money. He wants influence with the people who wield it. He wants change—safer working conditions, shorter hours, age limits, decent wages. In short, he is concerned about the wellbeing of workers. To that end, he is willing to shackle himself to a spouse who has as much interest in him or chance of caring about his happiness as she might in flying to the moon.”