certain that he did not give the impression of arrogance. With common sense, certainly. He must point out to her all the advantages of a marriage between them and all the necessity of it. She must be made to realize that really she did not have a choice.
Yet he must almost make it seem as if she did have a choice. He must show some vulnerability. The thought was not a pleasant one. It was not in his nature to admit any personal weakness to himself or anyone else. He had been brought up to think that manliness and unyielding strength were one and the same thing. But he must show Jess that he cared, that she mattered to him. She must be made to see that he wanted her as a bride, that his life would somehow be incomplete, meaningless even, without her.
Yes, he must, more than anything else, be sure to tell her that he loved her. It would not be so difficult an ordeal after all, perhaps. For weeks he had been wanting to tell Jess just that. Tomorrow he would have the opportunity. And how could he not tell her with his every look as well as with his words? Once he was alone with her, it would be impossible to hide the truth even if he wished to do so.
And he certainly did not wish any such thing.
'What a poor-spirited family we have become,' Lady Hope was complaining the following morning at the breakfast table. 'Charles, I thought at least you of all people would not have refused to accompany the children sledding.'
'They have nurses and governesses and such to take them, Hope,' he pointed out, folding his napkin and laying it beside his plate.
'But there is the exercise,' his sister insisted. 'And you know we have always had enormous fun out on the hills, Charles.'
'I prefer to leave it to the children now that I am entering my dotage,' he said firmly. 'There is a two-mile tramp before one even reaches the hills, Hope.'
'Well,' she said, 'it seems that I am the only one with any youthful spirit remaining. Very well. I shall go alone.'
'If a nonmember of the family is permitted to make one of the party,' Sir Godfrey said, 'I should be delighted to make the trek, Lady Hope.'
'Well, how very gracious of you, sir,' she said. 'The children will be very grateful. It adds enormously to their fun, you know, to have some of us there with them. Especially if we should fall off a sled into the snow. That would complete their joy for the day.'
'I could probably arrange to supply that fun too, ma'am,' he said, 'without even trying.'
Those who still remained at the breakfast table laughed.
'And I am quite sure that dear Miss Moore would enjoy the outing too,' Lady Hope said. 'I believe she felt somewhat embarrassed while skating, though there was absolutely no need to do so. But anyone can sit on a sled and slide down a hill. I shall go immediately to ask her. She is breakfasting in Lord Heddingly's sitting room. He is somewhat tired from the excitement of yesterday, I daresay.'
Lord Rutherford drew breath to reply, but Sir Godfrey forestalled him.
'I do not doubt that Miss Moore would enjoy the outing,' he said, 'but I am sure that her grandfather would enjoy her company too. Let us leave them to each other and the warmth of the house, shall we, Lady Hope?'
Rutherford could almost have laughed at the expression on her face.
'Well, certainly, sir, if you really think it would be better to do so,' she said. 'We will be back before luncheon, anyway, and there will still be a great part of the day left, I suppose. If you would really prefer to stay yourself, sir, you must not feel obliged to accompany me, you know. I shall be quite happy with the children.'
'Ah, but I wish to accompany you, Lady Hope,' Sir Godfrey said, rising to his feet decisively and holding out a hand to help her.
Rutherford's lips twitched. It seemed entirely possible that there would be two family betrothals to celebrate that evening. If Godfrey could but convince Hope that he really wished to address himself to her and not to Jess, that was.
Lord Rutherford would probably have enjoyed listening to the conversation between his sister and his friend as they walked the two miles to the snow-covered hills to the south, surrounded by running and yelling children, two nurses and a governess, and two gardeners pulling along behind them a string of wooden sleds.
After various comments on the weather and the personalities of the children and young people around them, Lady Hope steered the conversation determinedly to Jessica. Sir Godfrey followed her lead with some amusement for a few minutes before drawing her to a halt and turning to face her.
'Lady Hope,' he said, 'may we put an end to this topic by agreeing that Miss Moore is indeed a beautiful and accomplished young lady who will make some fortunate man a good wife?'
She looked somewhat taken aback. 'I beg your pardon, sir,' she said. 'I did not realize that I had embarrassed or offended you by talking about her.'
'You have done neither, I assure you,' he said, a twinkle in his eye. 'But much as I esteem the young lady, I must admit to some boredom at finding her so frequently the topic of conversation between you and me.'
'Oh,' she said.
'Why do you not tell me about Lady Hope?' he asked, patting her hand on his arm and beginning to stroll onward again. 'Have you finally recovered from your sad loss, my dear? And are you now ready to continue with the rest of your life?'
'Do you speak of Bevin?' she asked. 'But that was long in the past, sir, and we were never officially betrothed, you know. I daresay Papa would not have easily given his consent, anyway. The matter was of no great significance.'
'On the contrary, my dear,' he said, 'the passing of Lieutenant Harris has been very much the most significant event in your life. I have wondered many times if you would ever recover from it. You loved him very dearly, did you not?'
Her eyes looked suspiciously bright as she darted a glance and her nervous smile up at him. 'Yes,' she said. 'Foolish, is it not, for a spinster of my age to have ever felt such emotion?'
'It is not foolish at all,' he said gently. 'I have found myself several times over the past several years almost envying the late lieutenant. And is not that foolish?'
For once Lady Hope seemed lost for words. She looked up at him, incomprehension in her face.
'I have waited for years,' he said, 'and am prepared to wait for as many more if I must. But I do feel the natural human need for hope, you know.' He grinned. 'And the pun was intentional. Rather clever, don't you think?'
She was still staring up at him. They had stopped walking again.
'Is there a chance, my dear,' he asked, smiling almost apologetically down at her, 'that if I remain patiently your friend for long enough, one day you will find yourself able to feel enough affection for me to put your safekeeping in my hands? I will never expect you to stop cherishing Lieutenant Harris in your memories.'
'You have a tendre for Miss Moore,' she said.
He shook his head.
'She is young and beautiful,' she protested. 'She would make you an admirable wife, Sir Godfrey. What would you want with an old spinster like me?'
He smiled. 'I could answer that,' he said, 'but I would not wish to embarrass you, my dear. I have been your faithful admirer for years, Lady Hope. My life will be complete if the day ever dawns on which I may call you my wife.'
Her eyes widened. 'Me?' she said foolishly. 'Me, sir? Your wife?'
He nodded.
'And I have always thought you so wonderful that I must find you an equally wonderful wife,' she said.
He laughed and took both her hands in his. 'That has been the only tiresome part of my association with you,' he said, 'though amusing too, I must admit. You have been making a particularly vicious siege on my heart with Miss Moore, though, have you not?'
'Oh, Miss Moore!' she said, pulling one hand away from his and covering her mouth with it. 'She will be so disappointed.'
'How flattering to think so,' he said with a grin. 'But it is not so, you know. Have you not noticed, my dear,
