He looked around them, relieved that there was no one close enough to hear her outburst. Then, he said in a hushed tone, ‘That was not my plan.’
Well actually, it had been his plan. Seduction followed by elopement, topped off with a letter of apology posted to Julian from an inn in Scotland, explaining that his sister was now a duchess. But that had been when he’d thought Cassie loved him.
‘And then, you sent me home,’ she said, ignoring his confusion. ‘Because you thought, by evening’s end, I would be engaged to someone else and there would be no consequences for your actions.’
‘Wait.’ That had not been his intention, at all. At least, not when the day had begun. And he had not withdrawn, as he would have with any other woman. He had been so sure that they would marry, he’d been unforgivably careless. ‘I didn’t…’
‘Ha!’ Her finger poked his chest, yet again. ‘Your plans have come to nothing, you…you… Despoiler of innocents!’
‘Shh,’ he held his hands out as if he could muffle the sound.
‘I showed you,’ she said, snorting. ‘I refused him.’
‘You… What?’
‘Turned him down, flat,’ she said with an emphatic nod. ‘Not that it would matter to you.’
‘It does…’ He looked around again and finished more quietly. ‘I do not want you to be embarrassed. This will be the talk of thetontomorrow.’
‘Then people should mind their own business,’ she said, standing up and far too close to him. ‘Some people, especially.’ Each word was punctuated by another poke.
In the ballroom, the music stopped, and there was a smattering of polite applause. In a minute, the garden would be crowded with couples taking advantage of the intermission to enjoy the night air. He had to calm her down and end this conversation, as quickly as possible. But after what had happened between them, she needed to marry someone. ‘You will feel differently about Balard in the morning. There is nothing wrong with the fellow. It would be an excellent match.’
‘Then, you marry him,’ she snapped. ‘He is a paragon. He would likely do your character some good.’
‘I am not a woman,’ he said, laughing a little too loudly and grinning at a couple passing by to show them nothing strange was going on.
‘And you are not ready to marry,’ she said, her fists balled in anger.
‘I am not.’ After the mistakes he’d made with her, perhaps he never would be.
‘Then why are you bothering me?’
‘I…’ Because, even knowing he was not worthy of her, he could not stay away. ‘I shouldn’t have bothered you.’ He turned to go.
Before he could take a step, she grabbed his lapels and dragged him back. ‘You shouldn’t have bothered me?’ She was shrieking so loudly that everyone must hear. He could hear the murmuring of voices as a crowd formed.
He laid a hand on her shoulder, hoping it would soothe her. ‘I am sorry. Now, can we just…’
‘You do not bother me,’ she shouted, her hands punching into his chest. ‘I am not bothered, you philanderer. I am totally fine. You are the one who has the problem.’
‘Cassandra.’ He should not be calling her that. ‘Miss Fisk.’
‘Debaucher! Amorist!’ Her fingers dug into his coat, clinging like grim death, pushing and pulling, punching and shaking, her anger uncontained.
‘Cassie, please.’ He pried at her hands, twisting away from her until his back was to the fountain, but she would not release him.
‘Deviant!’
‘What the devil is going on?’ Julian pushed through the crowd that had formed around them. At the sound of his shout, her hands sprang back, releasing Sebastian just as he tried to pull away. He felt the marble ledge of the pool against the back of his knees, blocking his progress for only a moment. Then, his feet were up in the air and he was flat on his back, with a nose full of water.
He sputtered upward, pushing lily pads out of the way as his coat was grabbed again by hands far stronger than Cassie’s. He was on his feet for only a moment before Julian’s punch connected with his jaw, knocking him back to sprawl on the marble bench.
‘Stop!’ When he looked up, Portia was clinging to her husband’s arm, ready to halt the next blow.
And his darling Cassie, the only woman he would ever love, had grabbed Portia, trying to pull her free and was shouting, ‘Hit him again!’
Sebastian held up a hand of surrender, closed his eyes and said in the calmest tone he could manage. ‘It is late. Perhaps we can continue this conversation in the morning, Septon.’
