“Miss Winter,” he corrected himself. “Pray excuse my familiarity, Mr. Winter. I harbor a great deal of affection for your sister, though my unacceptable actions today did not demonstrate that.”
“Your actions were unacceptable, you say.” Winter’s voice was bitter, his lip curled in a sneer. “I would call them careless, thoughtless, selfish, and idiotic, more like.”
Cam swallowed. It went against the grain to allow himself to be maligned, especially by a man who was not a peer of the realm, but Devereaux Winter was a breed of his own, and Cam had compromised the man’s sister.
Far more thoroughly than he supposed.
And to Cam’s everlasting shame.
“I deserve every insult you choose to hurl my way,” he conceded. “And more. Believe me when I say harming Miss Winter’s reputation is the last thing I ever wanted to do.”
“Which is why you were alone with her in the library, pawing at her as if she were a Covent Garden lightskirt,” Winter said grimly.
His ears went hot, and another arrow of shame sank into his gut, chasing away the lingering hunger he felt for Eugie. At least for the moment. Until he thought of her again. Remembered the sweetness of her kiss or the lush eroticism of her scent.
“I deeply regret the nature of my actions earlier toward Miss Winter,” he forced himself to say. “I will be more than happy to do anything in my power to rectify the damage which has been done.”
Winter continued to glower at him. “What do you suggest? Marrying her and helping yourself to her fortune, I suppose.”
Yes, but not like that.
Marrying her because he had bedded her. Because she could be carrying his child. Because he had been trailing after her this entire blasted house party like a puppy following his master.
Most importantly of all, because he loved her.
He cleared his throat. “Mr. Winter, I have tender feelings for Miss Winter.”
“Tender feelings.” Winter watched him with the predatory stare of a hunter, looking for weakness, taking his aim.
“Yes.” He paused, for he had never before asked to marry a woman. And he had certainly never fallen in love with one, nor revealed his emotions to the brother of the lady in question. It was a deuced awkward affair.
“Naturally, your tender feelings have nothing to do with her dowry or the wealth she stands to receive upon her nuptials,” Winter said bitterly.
“It does not.” Cam searched for the proper words and found nothing. “I am drowning in my father’s debts, it is true. I have been honest with Miss Winter concerning my circumstances. Circumstances which, I trust, were also instrumental in my invitation to this house party.”
Winter raised a brow. “What are you suggesting, Hertford?”
“That it is no secret you are looking to secure titles for your sisters,” he said. “I find it odd indeed you should look down your nose at me for the same reasons you extended me your hospitality. I am in need of a wealthy wife, your sisters are on the marriage mart, and you are looking to acquire the respectability all the money in the world cannot buy.”
Mr. Winter drummed his fingers on the polished surface of the desk. “As I said, you have daring, Hertford.”
“I speak honestly,” he said, taking a deep breath before proceeding. “Which is why I must tell you the indiscretion in the library is not the first occasion during which I compromised Miss Winter.”
He would spare himself and Eugie both the embarrassment of revealing all to her brother, but he would not pretend to be innocent. If he was going to win Eugie as his wife, he owed it to the both of them to secure her hand in the right fashion. With honesty and integrity.
Or whatever shreds of those he still possessed.
“I beg your pardon,” Winter said then, with deceptive calm.
Deceptive because whilst his voice was even and cool, his visage had darkened, taking on a rigid, thunderous mien. He looked as if, at any moment, he would explode in a fit of violent rage.
“I have compromised Miss Winter before today,” he elaborated.
“Was this a plan, then?” Winter asked, and again his voice was quiet.
He was the snake poised to strike.
“There was no plan,” he defended himself. “The truth of the matter is, I was privy to the gossip surrounding Miss Winter when I met her. I had deemed her unsuitable.”
