Oh.
Oh.
Until the last three words of that, he had been confused as to why she might care so much, why she evidently felt some degree of turmoil over company matters. Evander had almost convinced himself Miss Delaney was about to ask him for legal advice.
Instead... he swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.
“I’m sorry -” he said, perhaps reading the disappointment written on her face or maybe only airing the crushing weight of his. But that was not the sort of thing one said to news of a suitor! “I mean - congratulations, I suppose. If you think they are in order?” He had thought... well, it hardly mattered what he thought. She had seemed a permanent part of society here; he had almost forgotten the possibility that her parents, an ocean away, might presume to have other plans. He had never asked her, of course, whether there was any likelihood of such an arrangement - he had just assumed -
He ought not to have assumed. That would have been an intelligent move, wouldn’t it?
“Though I am sorry,” Evander said again, only this time it was an apology on his part: he was sorry that he had not dared to rush into things, because this had only proven that he had missed the opportunity, and it was far too late. Sorry that he had unwittingly wasted so much of Miss Delaney’s time - or had she wasted his? - hardly daring to do more than hope that they were heading in the right direction, and that her hand would still be hers to give in a season or two. But perhaps he had read too much into their continued acquaintance, and she might have known this was coming - and could have warned him sooner if she had actually thought him a proper alternative. He presumed her family’s choice was probably the better suit. (Younger for certain, more handsome and more social, with better connections and a care for shipping. Evander could picture him well.) Whereas he and Miss Delaney would not - make proper sense.
He gazed at her awhile, sure that she did not look as happy as she should. Unless this was her attempt at a warning, and not just the awkwardness of letting him down gently and saying her goodbyes? Regardless, she was really going to think him a fool if he continued at such a loss for words. “I had hoped you might stay for longer,” he explained finally, trying to quash the disappointment still washing over him and looking for a speck of light. “Have his talks... progressed far?”
Oh.
Until the last three words of that, he had been confused as to why she might care so much, why she evidently felt some degree of turmoil over company matters. Evander had almost convinced himself Miss Delaney was about to ask him for legal advice.
Instead... he swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.
“I’m sorry -” he said, perhaps reading the disappointment written on her face or maybe only airing the crushing weight of his. But that was not the sort of thing one said to news of a suitor! “I mean - congratulations, I suppose. If you think they are in order?” He had thought... well, it hardly mattered what he thought. She had seemed a permanent part of society here; he had almost forgotten the possibility that her parents, an ocean away, might presume to have other plans. He had never asked her, of course, whether there was any likelihood of such an arrangement - he had just assumed -
He ought not to have assumed. That would have been an intelligent move, wouldn’t it?
“Though I am sorry,” Evander said again, only this time it was an apology on his part: he was sorry that he had not dared to rush into things, because this had only proven that he had missed the opportunity, and it was far too late. Sorry that he had unwittingly wasted so much of Miss Delaney’s time - or had she wasted his? - hardly daring to do more than hope that they were heading in the right direction, and that her hand would still be hers to give in a season or two. But perhaps he had read too much into their continued acquaintance, and she might have known this was coming - and could have warned him sooner if she had actually thought him a proper alternative. He presumed her family’s choice was probably the better suit. (Younger for certain, more handsome and more social, with better connections and a care for shipping. Evander could picture him well.) Whereas he and Miss Delaney would not - make proper sense.
He gazed at her awhile, sure that she did not look as happy as she should. Unless this was her attempt at a warning, and not just the awkwardness of letting him down gently and saying her goodbyes? Regardless, she was really going to think him a fool if he continued at such a loss for words. “I had hoped you might stay for longer,” he explained finally, trying to quash the disappointment still washing over him and looking for a speck of light. “Have his talks... progressed far?”
