“So I’ve heard. I was most impressed to find that he was listed in Debrett’s. That is quite an honor.”

Debrett’s was a book that listed England’s peerage. There was a very dusty copy of it somewhere in the library, though Harriet hadn’t seen it in years. “His brother inherited the title, of course, but Father was always pleased to be mentioned.”

“You are mentioned as well, Miss Harriet.” Mr. Gower beamed, as if she’d accomplished something of great merit.

“Yes, though they spelled Harriet with only one ‘r.’”

“That must have stung,” he said earnestly. “To make the pages of that hallowed book, then be robbed of its true glory by an error.”

Harriet could find nothing to say to this, so she settled for nodding in as cool and impersonal a way as her uncertain temper would allow.

Mr. Gower slid closer to the edge of his seat. The horrid odor that clung to him seeped closer to Harriet.

She pulled her skirts closer and scooted away. What was that smell?

Mr. Gower smoothed his uneven hair in a nervous gesture. “I can’t tell you how delighted I am to have this unexpected pleasure of speaking with you.”

“You’ve already said that.” Harriet wondered how she could draw their meeting to an end. She supposed she could say she was overcome by fumes.

“Yes, well, there is a reason I’m glad you’re here. Especially alone. Miss Ward—Harriet, I was going to speak to your mother today, but perhaps—”

“I don’t believe I’ve given you permission to use my Christian name,” she said quickly, an uneasy feeling arising. Goodness, surely this pompous oaf wasn’t on the verge of making an overture? Surely he wasn’t—he couldn’t possibly think—she met his gaze, and her heart sank in her chest like a ship smashed on a jagged reef.

Good God, she should have been protected from this sort of thing—the entire world thought her engaged to the dashing, though absent Captain Frakenham. Her gaze narrowed on Mr. Gower. But perhaps Mr. Gower hadn’t been as gullible as they’d thought?

“Harriet…my dear Harriet,” he said with that odiously superior smile, “I have known your family for far too long to stand upon feeble conventionality.”

Harriet had to breathe through her nose since her teeth had clenched so tightly together that air could no longer pass between them. And breathing through her nose made the odor only worse. Her eyes began to water, and she coughed a little. “I’m sorry. There’s a smell—”

Mr. Gower’s superior smile disappeared, his face reddening in an instant. “Can you smell—Damn it! Of course you can. I thought I’d cleaned my shoes, but—” He grimaced. “Yes, well, that is because of your brother.”

“Stephen?”

“The other one. He picked up a bucket of…something just as I dismounted. I’m afraid I didn’t recognize him, and I asked him to see to it that my horse was taken care of. And he, apparently offended by my request, poured the contents of the bucket on my shoes.”