Quinn stepped forward to Harper, causing her to take a step back. "If I showered you with gifts, would you fall in love with me? Search the town for me like a fool despite the current dangers? Would you?"
Harper didn’t like the sudden change in how Quinn spoke. She wanted to get far away from him, but at the same time, she wanted to prove him wrong.
"My love for your brother doesn’t have anything to do with what he gave me. I would not carelessly fall in love with a man just because he has spent his money," Harper spoke with confidence.
Quinn smiled, amused by how Harper believed the words she spoke. "Now, I understand it a little," he said.
"Understand what?" Harper asked.
"I understand why my brother showed an interest in you," Quinn answered.
Harper smiled, pleased to hear that Cassius did show interest in her. "If you would get to know me better, then you would see that everything else you have thought of me was wrong."
"Oh, there seems to be some misunderstanding here. It wasn’t a compliment, but rather an insult. You’re gullible. You’ll hang onto everything he says because his money blinds you. Don’t look so offended. You’re not the only one," said Quinn.
Harper wasn’t the only lady in Lockwood, so she would fit right in.
"I’ve offered you plenty of advice for one day, so be on your way. I am not my brother," Quinn said, wanting to go back to being alone.
Quinn knew little of Harper, but he knew she would bring him too much attention.
Harper continued to follow Quinn. "You haven’t offered any kind of advice. All you have done is offend me without getting to know me. I am honest that your brother fills my heart, and it has nothing to do with money. I fell in love at first sight."
"Such a thing doesn’t exist. My best guess here is that since you’re going to these lengths, your home doesn’t have the same glory it once did, so you’re desperate. Clinging to the first man who screams wealth. I will offer you one more piece of advice. Don’t let those men see how desperate you are," said Quinn.
Quinn could think of a few ways the men who noticed it would scar Harper for life.
"You have guessed wrong," Harper replied, but it ate her up inside that he was right.
Harper didn’t see herself as desperate. She wasn’t any different from the other ladies all over the kingdom who did what they must to find a good husband to take care of them.
"You’re a man, so you don’t understand-"
"Needing to be desperate?" Quinn interjected. "No, I don’t. I do know that you’re going to get yourself killed. Mark my words."
Harper smiled. He was wrong if he thought she was like the other ladies who placed themselves in danger.
Harper had her maid with her, and the town guards were in sight.
"I am far smarter than you think I am," said Harper.
"I didn’t think you were smart. You’re going to die," Quinn said, certain of it.
Harper frowned. Again, she wanted to get far away from Quinn.
"That sounds like a threat," Harper said, looking in the direction of the guards.
"No, it’s an unfortunate foresight," Quinn replied. "Call it a curse. Now, would you excuse me?"
Quinn had given Harper more advice than he normally gave to others. She couldn’t blame him when it came time for her home to crumble.
Harper opened her mouth, ready to address Quinn, but she was saved by the person she wanted to see most.
"Harper!" Cassius called out as he ran over to her.
Harper smiled, happy to see the better brother. "Cassius!"
Harper’s smile fell when she noticed the panicked expression on Cassius’s face. It made her worry that he was in trouble.
"Are you well?" Harper asked, searching for her handkerchief to offer it.
Cassius smiled, trying to keep his gaze solely on Harper. Without looking, he could tell that Quinn wasn’t thrilled.
Cassius gave Harper one single instruction that they would meet again at a gathering, so why was she here with Quinn?
Cassius knew that it wasn’t Quinn who approached Harper, so why did Harper go to his brother?
"Quinn, I think someone is waiting for you," Cassius said, finally meeting his brother’s eyes. "You should hurry and go to him."
Quinn stared at Cassius. It was drawing close to him cutting Cassius out of his life since Cassius brought trouble and hopeless romantics.
Harper watched as the grumpy brother walked away. "He’s the opposite of you. Is this what it is like to have a younger sibling? Oh!" She gasped, startled by Quinn stopping.
To Harper’s surprise, Quinn glared at Cassius, who became even more nervous. Thankfully, Quinn walked away without addressing what she might have said wrong.
"You are the better brother. You are far more approachable. Is it always for him to be so grumpy?" Harper asked, unaware of what she had done wrong.
Cassius had to calm himself before he said the wrong thing to Harper. Surely, she couldn’t be so foolish.
"Quinn is always like that, but I am curious how you came to walk with him," Cassius said, needing answers fast.
"Oh, it was merely a coincidence. I was speaking with my maid, and then your brother offered me advice as he walked by. Though his advice wasn’t so friendly. I promise that I wasn’t searching for your brother. I was hoping to run into you," said Harper.
Cassius looked around to see who might be watching them. This was careless on Harper’s part.
"While it is sweet, there is some risk to it. I was wrong to approach you the first time when your mother wasn’t around, and now, you are back at my side. You must remember that you are not married and I am a man," Cassius pointed out.
Harper looked behind to see if her maid was still present. "I am here with my maid. I haven’t come to do anything which would place you in trouble. Truthfully, I came to apologise for something which occurred recently. I ran into Penelope."
Cassius felt the day get even worse after hearing Penelope’s name. Had he known that Harper was this talkative, he would have left her alone.
At first glance, Harper presented herself as a lady who was soft spoken and wanted to please others. Now, Harper didn’t know when to shut up.
"Did you? What did you say to her, or what did she say?" Cassius asked, curious.
Harper laughed at what Penelope said. "She wanted me to stay away from you since you give her a feeling of discomfort."
Cassius laughed along with Harper. "That is interesting to hear."