But it did."If he is," she asked Evie unsteadily, "then why is he so determined to pawn me off on Lord Llandrindon? It would be so easy for him to fall in with my father's plans. And he would be richly rewarded. If on top of that he actually cares for me in the bargain, what could be holding him back?""Maybe he wants to find out if you love him in return?""No, Mr. Swift's mind doesn't work that way, any more than my father's does. They're men of business. Predators. If Mr. Swift wanted me, he wouldn't stop to ask for my permission any more than a lion would stop and politely ask an antelope if he would mind being eaten for lunch.""I think the two of you should have a forthright conversation," Evie declared."Oh, Mr. Swift would only evade and prevaricate, exactly as he has done so far. Unless…""Unless?""…I could find some way to make him let his guard down. And force him to be honest about whether he feels anything for me or not.""How will you do that?""I don't know. Hang it, Evie, you know a hundred times more about men than I do.
