The Reluctant Cavalier by Karen Harbaugh

Author:Karen Harbaugh [Harbaugh, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9780451190208
Publisher: Signet
Published: 1996-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Mr. Wentworth was as good as his word: he was down again in less than half an hour. He was better dressed, for he now wore a blue coat and black waistcoat, and his neckcloth was neatly tied, but Annabella could see he dressed more for comfort than for style. He wore no jewelry except for one plain ring on his finger, and his coat was more loose in the shoulders than was fashionable. And yet, she almost regretted the change—not that she wished to see him without his shirt, of course! The very thought of it made her face grow warm again, the way she remembered his—No, it was just that the more casual, workmanlike style seemed to suit him somehow.

She looked at him curiously as they went back to the garden in which she had first seen him. “Do you work in all of the gardens?”

He hesitated, then said, “No, not all of them. The Grecian one—have you seen it?” At her nod, he continued, “That one is of my mother’s design, which I leave for the gardeners to tend. She likes a more structured garden than I do. I like color, and so will bring in roses and flowering trees from the conservatory or greenhouse, once the plants are strong enough.” He gave her a long look. “You do not find this strange?”

“What, that you have an avocation you enjoy?” Annabella asked. “Not many choose to work as you do. But there is nothing wrong with useful occupation, whatever it may be, and a harmless one at that. It is not as if you were in trade, after all.”

“But so very ... common,” Mr. Wentworth replied, and she could hear self-mockery in his voice.

She smiled. “I see you have not been in London much. No, no, Mr. Wentworth, you are very uncommon. You should take advantage of it, you know.”

He gazed at her warily, but said nothing, clearly waiting.

“It is an eccentricity, and those are all the rage,” she explained. “Were you to make it known, with complete assurance, that you cultivate rare and exotic plants—and I suppose you do cultivate rare and exotic plants?”

He nodded, and his lips quirked up for a moment.

“Well, then! Make it known that you are a connoisseur of rare flora, and that you breed only the best. If someone asks you to view their attempts at cross-breeding, then you should accept the invitation. But be chary of your praise! Make sure to criticize the plant thoroughly, and if you can, try to point out some disease or mildew on it. You will then be very sought after, and your habit of doing the work yourself—for, of course, you could not entrust the care of your precious plants to anyone else—will be copied by society’s best.”

Mr. Wentworth chuckled. “I see I have much to learn about society. I thank you for your instruction; I shall endeavor to put it into practice.” He nodded at a rose bush in front of them. “There is one of them—my rare plants.

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