Celeste stared at him a moment, horrified, then dropped her eyes as Lady Cowdril said indignantly, but with a coquettish smile, ‘And dearest Perry, the colour of your black coat is the very same as your eyes and, I’ve been told, your heart.’
Perry sipped his port, responding distractedly to questions put to him by his host after the ladies had retired from the dinner table. He knew he had to atone. He’d been unpardonably rude by focusing attention on Miss Rosington and insinuating she was somehow diminished by the fact her future husband owned the slaves that would garnish her lifestyle.
Future husband. When Miss Rosington had wondered aloud if he and her future husband would lock horns, the thought had evoked some confusing responses. He didn’t like the idea of Miss Rosington belonging
