"But thanks for the compliment" he casually remarked before sidling up to his Bentley and hopping in. It pleased him that he corrected her observation, it was in fact the first time he felt he'd had the upper hand during their brief time together. However, it wasn't a matter of showing off or belittling her, but rather he was proud of his motor and he wanted her to know it. So it was with ease he let her in on just a small part of his world, and with pleasure he revved the engine of the green beauty, leaving her confounded at the entrance of the castle as he sped off down the driveway.
Then it was quiet and all she could hear was his voice, "cars", against the stirrings of a new morning. Up until that moment, Henry was simply unknown to Mary - another man who had interfered in their plans - now he was more than a little mysterious. Mary had assumed she would have longer to inquire into his life; she could be forgiven for assuming it would be the familiar story of bachelor in line to a considerable inheritance like so many men her age. Certainly he was handsome, but now he had a given her a small insight into his life and that put him on a new level of intriguing.
He was understated - she liked that - and his sensitivity was refreshing. Like many people he had assumed she was married but unlike many men he showed genuine remorse at finding out she was a widow. And for this reason - which hadn't happened to Mary for quite some time - she felt guilty for chastising him earlier in the shoot. He had responded to her quips and her teasing, it was something she used to her advantage often in male company, but something about his reserve had made her think that in fact he deserved more respect from her. Only, after he dealt his "cars" card Mary realised that she'd softened far too quickly for a man who was more than capable of firing shots straight back at her.
As he drove off she had realised she knew very little about this Henry Talbot indeed, which didn't happen very often. All eligible men she had met since Matthew's death had competed for her attention, making it quite easy for her to reel them in or discard them as she pleased. Henry had left her in the dark and he had responded rather vaguely to her query of when they would meet again. This was the first time she had truly sought a man without having his feelings pushed on her first. It was a new sensation indeed - one that left her twitching with delight and anguish in equal measure.
Mary snapped out of such deep thoughts, aware of how hungry she suddenly was. She had missed breakfast for Henry, which she was sure had given the others something to gossip about. But on her way back inside she ran into Tom who had exclaimed about how pink her cheeks were.
"What were you doing out there without a coat?"
But truthfully she hadn't even noticed how cold she was. She felt a warmth from deep inside her which had spread to the very ends of her fingers and toes. And when she spoke it was with a genuine smile, which shone through most in her eyes.
"Cars!"