She tossed him a stubborn look. “You cannot tell me what to do, Julius.”
“I can and I will. You are hurt and will do yourself more harm if you start running around to hunt for clues. Look at you…”
Gad, she looked delicious.
She frowned at him. “There is nothing wrong with me.”
He laughed in disbelief. “You are pale and swaying on your feet.”
“Is this why you are sticking your big body too close to mine? You smell amazingly good, by the way.”
He growled again, but did not move away.
She licked her soft lips. “Posture all you like, but I will not be intimidated by you. Julius, is it not right that I should be there when my aunt comes home to this frightful scene?”
“You do not even like her. She’s odious. If she cannot stay with a friend for the next few days, I’ll obtain a suite of rooms for her at one of the finest hotels in London. I’ll take care of it. There is nothing you need to do.”
“She has no friends. No one likes her,” Gory muttered, the light pucker of her lips making him once again want to kiss her.
Gad, she was so adorably impudent.
“Fine, she has no friends and no one likes her,” he repeated, tossing Gory’s words back at her. “Then I shall arrange for the hotel accommodations. All shall be charged to my account. Any objections?”
“Lots. She is my odious aunt, not yours.”
“But you are in my care now and that makes you mine to protect.”
“But–”
“Mine.”
She gave a slight nod. “You are such an ape. However…thank you. I would insist on paying for her hotel room, but I have no idea what my financial situation will be or what is to happen to me now that my uncle is gone. I believe he was the last of the Easton male heirs residing in England. There is a cousin somewhere in the world. I once heard mention he resided in Virginia, although I have no idea where he might be now. Well, that is for the solicitors to determine. I must speak to Lord Allendale and make him aware of my changed circumstances.”
“We’ll deal with your betrothed later.”
“But should I not alert him right away? He may want to jilt me.”
“No,” he replied more harshly than intended because the mere mention of Allendale riled him. Nor did he care that the viscount might end his betrothal to Gory since it would then leave her free to marry him.
“I would not blame him if he did abandon me at the altar,” she muttered.
“We Thornes will always protect you, Gory. You will never be left alone or destitute. If Allendale begs out of the betrothal, I’ll…”
Gad, could he just blurt out a proposal?
Would Gory believe he truly cared for her?
“You’ll what?” she prompted.
Offer to marry her, of course.
But Gory would never believe he was offering to do so of his own free will.
She would assume he was offering out of pity.
Or duty. Obligation. Concern.
She sighed. “On the other hand, he might not beg out. There is always the possibility that my uncle’s death will make me richer.”
