Andrew could only stare. Lady Catherine had read that scandalous rag? Numerous times? Had embraced its precepts? Impossible. Lady Catherine was a paragon. The epitome of a perfect, gently bred, sedate lady. But clearly she had read it, for there was no mistaking her words or obstinate expression.
“You appear quite stunned, Mr. Stanton.”
“In truth, I am.”
“Why? By your own admission, nearly every woman in London has read the Guide. Why should it surprise you so that I would read it?”
Because you are not every woman. Because I don‘t want you to be “independent” and “modern.” I want you to need me. Want me. Love me. As I need and want and love you. Good God, if that bastard Brightmore’s drivel had turned Lady Catherine into some sort of upstart bluestocking, the man would pay dearly. All this bloody nonsense about “today’s modern woman” certainly wouldn’t help Andrew in his quest to court her. Based on what she’d said about Lord Nordnick, he already ran the risk of distancing Lady Catherine by the simple act of fetching her a glass of punch.
“The book just doesn’t seem like the sort of thing a lady such as you would read.”
“And precisely what sort of lady am I, Mr. Stanton? The sort who is unable to read?”
“Of course not-”
“The sort who is not intelligent enough to understand words containing more than one syllable?”
“Certainly not-”
“The sort who is incapable of forming her own opinions?”
“No.” He raked a hand through his hair. “ ‘Tis abundantly clear that you’re fully capable of that.” How had this conversation gone so wrong so quickly? “I meant that it did not seem the sort of reading material for a proper lady.”
“I see.” She gave him a cool, detached look that tightened his jaw. Definitely not the way he’d hoped to have her looking at him by the end of this evening. “Well, perhaps the Guide is not as scandalous as you’ve been led to believe, Mr. Stanton. Perhaps the Guide could be better described as scintillating. Provocative. Intelligent. But of course, you wouldn’t know as you haven’t read it. Perhaps you should read it.”