He offered an encouraging nod to hear that her family's fate had not been too troubled by the fog - and, indeed, that her family was the sort not to hole away on their own estate as though it were a hermitage. Although - Aberdeen was up in Scotland, no? In all he had seen of Scottish weather and British "culture", Max supposed he was most greatly surprised that anyone wanted to live there at all.
But he would not hold that against this young lady. He took a draught of his drink (gin, though not Dutch) as he composed his next reply, looking for words that could be both casual and charming. "A pity we did not meet sooner, then," he declared, raising his eyebrows briefly; "it would have been nice, no doubt, to balance all the business with some pleasure." He had had some company through his business affairs, of course, and there was always his sister's circles, so he could not say he had been suffering. But he had not been able to find a wife among them, and there was something to be said for casting a wider net to catch a bigger fish.
"But I am sure," he added, courteously curious - and interested to hear her answer, that he might glean a little of her character - "in the absence of a season, you still found some pursuit that was worthy of your time?" Or she had merely sat about and moped on a fainting-couch, but some women were resourceful creatures, after all. (Some were too resourceful, perhaps.)
But he would not hold that against this young lady. He took a draught of his drink (gin, though not Dutch) as he composed his next reply, looking for words that could be both casual and charming. "A pity we did not meet sooner, then," he declared, raising his eyebrows briefly; "it would have been nice, no doubt, to balance all the business with some pleasure." He had had some company through his business affairs, of course, and there was always his sister's circles, so he could not say he had been suffering. But he had not been able to find a wife among them, and there was something to be said for casting a wider net to catch a bigger fish.
"But I am sure," he added, courteously curious - and interested to hear her answer, that he might glean a little of her character - "in the absence of a season, you still found some pursuit that was worthy of your time?" Or she had merely sat about and moped on a fainting-couch, but some women were resourceful creatures, after all. (Some were too resourceful, perhaps.)
