Lord, these girls were clueless.
“No, he doesn’t hate her.” Good grief, Octavian was going to bust a spleen forcing himself to keep his hands off Adela’s friend. Syd riled his brother as no other young lady had ever done before and was it not obvious Octavian was doing his best to behave and not go at her friend like a rutting stag?
Ambrose did not know if his brother’s feelings ran deeper than lust, but he was not about to pry. He had his own female woes to deal with, namely keeping Adela away from Runyon so the bounder would not shoot her.
He wanted Adela alive and ready to marry him.
He had been burning to claim her ever since she fell atop him that first day. After all his years of bachelorhood, all those introductions to genteel young ladies andtondiamonds without so much as a skip to his heart, Adela suddenly appeared and his heart would not stop soaring. Indeed, she set his heart to rampantly beating every time he laid eyes on her.
What should any sensible man make of this situation?
Could he ever reveal his feelings to her? And yet, how could he not?
But to cede power was not in his nature.
Adela was staring at him as they sat opposite each other in the carriage while it rolled and jounced toward Bow Street.
“What?” he grunted, not reconciled to the impact she had on him. It was not only his heart at risk. All his bodily organs began to spasm whenever she was close.
“It is nothing.” But her hands were clasped and she was nibbling her lip, a sure sign she was fretting.
“What, Adela?” he asked more gently.
“Hypothetically speaking, at what point will you decide I am not worth the headache and break off our betrothal?”
He arched an eyebrow, for the question took him by surprise. “Hypothetically speaking?”
She nodded.
He cast her a wry smile. “At no point whatsoever.”
She blinked. “No, I am serious.”
“So am I. The only way I do not marry you is if Runyon manages to kill one of us before our wedding day. It is this coming Saturday, if you will recall?”
“Is it?” she teased. “It entirely slipped my mind.”
“Adela!”
She scooted to his side. “Of course, I remember. I am still in shock over it. I did not think anyone would ever have me. And now, to be about to marry you…would you be very angry if I told you something?”
He took her hand in his. “Of course not, Adela. I don’t want any secrets between us.”
“Well, it cannot be much of a secret…however, it is something important for you to know.”
He gave her hand a light squeeze.
“Oh, Ambrose…”
“What is it you wish to say to me?”
CHAPTER 12
ADELA HEMMED ANDhawed as she struggled to find the right words to express herself. She was well educated, much of the knowledge acquired on her own after her parents determined she needed to concentrate on finding a husband rather than pursue higher learning. But these words she wished to say to Ambrose were quite difficult to summon.
And yet, she knew it was the right time to tell him what was in her heart.
He gave her hand another light squeeze as his carriage rolled toward Bow Street. “What is it, Adela?”
