Never Fall for Your Fiancee by Virginia Heath

Author:Virginia Heath
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

Chapter Fifteen

“It is most unfortunate you injured your shoulder the day we arrived. I was looking forward to riding with you, Minerva. My son has been most effusive about your equestrian talents.”

Olivia—the informality of that name still didn’t feel right on Minerva’s lips—was doing a very good job of separating the pair of them from the gentlemen as they strolled along the meandering garden path in search of the elusive cave. “As in all things, I fear your son has greatly embellished my talents.”

“I don’t doubt it. So far, his version of things leaves a lot to be desired—although I am glad you had the good sense to make the scoundrel wait and court you properly. Everything comes to Hugh too easily.” Something Minerva couldn’t argue with. “Do you know, he neglected to mention you had siblings? Not once did I hear about Diana or Vee, yet I knew the quartet at the local assembly in Chipping Norton played so ill during your first waltz the pair of you struggled to dance through your laughter.” A charming image that made Minerva smile. “And whilst that is a perfectly lovely anecdote which I enjoyed, I should have thought the details of a pair of sisters might have featured in at least one of his extensive paragraphs. Especially as the three of you are obviously so close and Hugh has always been such an enthusiastic and entertaining letter writer with an eye for minute details.”

“Their omission was very careless of him.” What else could she say? Thank goodness he hadn’t described her sisters, else they would all have three complicated stories to learn.

“Careless? That is one way to describe it. ‘Thoughtless’ is better. I was dumbstruck when I encountered them in the hallway. I didn’t even know their names. It was embarrassing.” The older woman slowed her pace to thoroughly scrutinize Minerva. “Although, now I have seen you, I understand why you consume him so. He often raved about your beauty. No pertinent details, of course, despite his love of them. I imagined you to be one of those blond and ethereal sorts the ton favors. So fragile and delicate you’d evaporate in high wind. I could not, for the life of me, conceive of how you survived your illness. Yet now I see you…”

“It all makes perfect sense? As you can plainly see, I am not the least bit fragile—although I wouldn’t mind being a little more delicate. Even Hugh struggles to lift me.” Minerva had felt the large muscles in his shoulders bunch as he had heaved her onto that horse. “He hides it politely, though.” She had seen the strain on his face as he had hastily stepped away.

“Men in love see little fault in the women they have given their hearts to, whereas women are always much more pragmatic, don’t you think? We see the faults clearly, but learn to live with them. Not all women, of course. Some ladies, I am sorry to say, have little more than fluff between their ears.

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