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conveyed to Mr. Hawkins her absolute and irrevocable rejection of his unflattering suit.
     

Chapter Three
     
    Miss Dower’s suspicions were correct.
    On any other gentleman, her concerted effort to convey her displeasure and contempt would have served remarkably well. Any other gentleman would have realized his humiliation and mistake, and gone away with such a disgust of her that all notion of a suit was abandoned.
    However, as Mr. Hawkins returned home, it was not disgust or humiliated anger that he felt.
    Contrary to what Miss Dower had hoped, Mr. Hawkins was not at all affronted by the Turkish treatment he had received at her dainty hands. In fact, if anyone had expressed the opinion that he had been ill-used by the lovely lady, Mr. Hawkins would have been amazed.
    He had had little experience with young ladies. He assumed that Miss Dower had behaved with quite proper reserve and diffidence upon receiving his declaration.
    He did not dwell, therefore, on the manner in which Miss Dower had received him, but rather her rejection. He was deeply disappointed, naturally, but his disappointment did not encompass any sharper feeling of resigned discouragement such as might have been felt by a less-infatuated gentleman.
    Instead, he gave a mental shrug and wondered how best to make an impression upon Miss Dower’s as-yet untouched heart. Her desire to become comfortable in society before entertaining any suit was certainly not unreasonable, he thought. A lady had to have a certain amount of self-assuredness in order to play hostess to a new husband, and to carry it off well she needed first to learn how to deal with society.
    He did not begrudge Miss Dower that experience; but rather, he approved of her farsightedness. Miss Dower was sensible and intelligent, both of which were qualities that he valued.
    Yet he had the disquieting notion that he was about to enter the lists in order to win his lady, and for that he felt the slightest sense of anxiety.
    Mr. Peter Hawkins was still deep in thought when he returned home and gave over his hat to the butler. He picked up the few missives on the tray in the hall and flipped through them. One commanded his attention, pulling him out of his preoccupation, and he immediately broke open its seal. As he read its contents, a smile touched his lips.
    His pleasant reflections were cut short when the butler informed him that Lady Pomerancy awaited him in her private salon.
    Sighing, Mr. Hawkins nodded his acknowledgement and mounted the stairs. He would have preferred to have put off the visit with his grandmother after returning from his unlucky errand, but he knew that it was best to humor her ladyship.
    He knocked on the door to his grandmother’s apartments, and at a command to enter, he opened it.
    “Peter, my dear boy!”
    Lady Pomerancy peremptorily dismissed her maid. She was seated in her wheelchair so that the light from the window was cast behind her, leaving her sharp features partially in shadow.
    “Grandmama.” Mr. Hawkins advanced to catch hold of Lady Pomerancy’s hands. Lady Pomerancy suffered to have her cheek kissed.
    As he had anticipated, however, her ladyship’s greeting was impatient. “Well, my dear?”
    Lady Pomerancy indicated that he was to sit in the wing chair beside her.
    Mr. Hawkins settled into the chair assigned to him. He knew quite well the subject of her abrupt query, and briefly, without elaboration, he said, “Miss Dower declined my suit.”
    Lady Pomerancy stared at her grandson for a long moment. Then she snapped, “What ails the girl? Is she simple?”
    “On the contrary. Miss Dower is highly intelligent,” said Mr. Hawkins.
    “Then what is this nonsense about refusing your offer?”
    “Miss Dower indicated a wish to be entered into society before she bound herself to any particular suitor. She felt that to go about in society would grant her a wider experience upon which to ground her decision,” said Mr. Hawkins.
    “Errant