Randall expressed his intent to retire for the night, as well. A few minutes later, only Zeke and his grandfather remained in the room.
“I’m surprised you didn’t retire with the other two, my lord,” Zeke said.
The earl glanced toward the now open doorway. He lowered his voice. “I had to congratulate you on your clever ploy.”
“Ploy?”
“You really took our discussion to heart. Way to show initiative.”
Zeke frowned, confused. He’d expected his grandfather to grill him for answers, as in, why hadn’t Zeke told Caden the entire truth. “Come again?”
“When I asked you to come up with a list of suitors, you did so in spades. A short one, I’ll grant you, but I approve of your choices.”
Zeke’s frown deepened.
“Your brother or Viscount Randall would both make fine husbands for our Kitty,” the earl continued. “Bravo on your tactical strategy. Since neither has any idea your engagement is a pretense, they’ll both act quite their normal, charming selves around the girl. By the end of the week, Kitty and the boys will be fast friends.”
Zeke heard a crunching sound. Realized, belatedly he was grinding his teeth to stumps. Randall was right. He’d lost his legendary sense of humor. He forced a smile. “May the lucky horse win.”
The earl slapped his thigh and winked at Zeke. “That’s rich, Ezekiel.” He pushed back from the table. “Goodnight, m’ boy.” He was still chuckling as he left the room.
Zeke’s pretense at amusement vanished. He supposed he should be glad his grandfather hadn’t gotten any more ideas concerning he and Kitty in his head. But how he could think Zeke would assign himself matchmaker to Kitty was beyond him.
He finished his drink in one swallow, then pushed up from the table. He exited the dining hall, and stood for a long moment in the corridor. Turning right would take him to the front of the house, and the grand staircase leading to his bedchamber.
He ought to go up directly. Ought to turn in. Get a good night’s sleep.
That was the thing. He wouldn’t sleep. He’d lay there, like he had every night for the past week, staring at the ceiling. And imagine her. Kissing her. Touching her. Whispering things to her—things he’d never said, never wanted to say, to any woman.
He put his face in his hands. When had any of this become about Kitty? He’d entered into this nonsense for one purpose—to honor his grandfather.
Blast it all. No woman was worth this. This prowling energy. This worry over her damned wellbeing. This burning, nameless need that couldn’t lead to anything good.
Tunneling his hands through his hair, he cursed, turned left and stalked down the hall.
Chapter Eighteen
Kitty loved the earl’s library—the scent of leather permeating the air, the rich red and green striped silk-covered walls, the floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with books on every subject imaginable.
Seating areas comprised of comfortable wing-back chairs and sofas invited a person to settle in, while the thick Persian carpets blanketing dark pine floors tempted one to step out of her slippers and tiptoe around the room in just her stockings.
A log in the hearth popped, reminding her the fire would soon be nothing but glowing embers. She ought to go to bed and get some rest before facing the impressive bunch of Corinthians that had descended on her. She smiled. They were an entertaining lot, save Zeke.
He was something else entirely.
She needed to quit thinking about him. Which was why she opted to stay behind when Lady Lillian suggested they turn in for the night. A book to occupy her mind seemed like just the thing.
She approached the book shelves, stopping in front of the section on architectural design where she’d picked up the tome on Chissington Hall’s construction. Fascinating reading, but it had landed her in a hill of trouble. She moved on.
Books on scientific study, psychology, politics. None struck her fancy. She could go for a good novel, but so far hadn’t spotted any fictional works.
Which left…she closed her eyes. Smiled.Of course.
She adored books on travel and geography. Atlases contained more than simply maps. Their first-hand descriptions of faraway lands and cultures satisfied her thirst for knowledge and adventure, while keeping her safely at home.
Someone like Zeke would never understand.
But she wasn’t supposed to be thinking about him. She craned her head, eyeing the top shelf. Should she climb the gliding ladder tonight, or wait for another day?
