His dark eyes returned to her, the smile retreating to the bare curve of before. “Do you?”

She scoffed delicately. “How can I know that before I have settled on the gown for the wedding, Basset? I believe that is known as putting the cart before the horse.”

“Far be it from me to presume to discuss the finer points of carts and horses with a lady,” Basset quipped, bowing toward her in acknowledgement.

Adelaide narrowed her eyes at his impudence. “I cannot possibly choose between diamonds, sapphires, or any other gem at this early stage, Basset. I have not even considered what I wish for my wedding gown, and that will be paramount, regardless of tradition.”

“A lady generally knows her preference for gems, in my limited experience,” Basset responded easily as he clasped his hand behind his back, somehow emphasizing further still the extraordinary nature of his frame, “before any thoughts of gowns come into consideration. One might even expect such fashions to be adjusted to one’s tastes in gems, given the ease of altering one over the other.”

Something told Adelaide she was fast losing control of the situation, and that was unacceptable.

“Are you implying there are other sets of family jewels that might be available to suit my preferences?” Adelaide demanded, forgetting to inject any sweetness into her tone as she clung to the only scrap of a fight she might have had left. “I wonder why, then, you insist upon diamonds.”

“I insist upon nothing, although one might wish to avoid appearing entirely mercenary,” came his cool response, markedly without gentility in its syllables. “People will tend toward such ideas, given such behavior.”

Adelaide barely bit back a snarl, biting the inside of her lip hard to keep from lashing out entirely. No manners, no breeding, no respect for a lady of quality. This was the man her father had sold her to? This was what she would be subjected to for the remainder of her life?

May he tire of her quickly and find some better way to occupy his time within a fortnight of their marriage. Or meet an untimely death in some unfortunate accident. Although not a duel. There was such romance in a duel, though it was technically against the law.

She would not wish for such lawless heroics from him. Nor, she thought, would he be inclined toward them.

“But to answer your question, Miss Dyer,” he went on, his tone resuming an air of politeness, even if it was pretended, “there are other sets of gems that you may choose from, should diamonds offend your sensibilities or tastes. Rubies, topaz, and emerald sets, as well as a delicate amethyst arrangement that will no doubt be thought unimpressive compared to the rest. The diamonds are considered to be the most exquisite, which is why I suggested them. And if it should happen that you decide against them, there is always the blue diamond and sapphire parure. Or perhaps you would prefer the simpler yellow diamond necklace. I am afraid its companions have been taken apart for other items, but truly, it does not require much by way of accompaniment.”