He couldn’t wait. He couldn’t stand there and explain himself to her. He had to go. He turned and hurried toward the door.
As he went, scenarios began to play themselves out in his head. What could have happened? He knew that Lady Edwina thought that Lord Kentrow was on the verge of proposing, though she hadn’t clarifiedwhyshe believed such a thing. Could it really be true? Lord Kentrow was not a bold man, and Lady Edwina was well known for rejecting suitors. What would make him decide to take a chance with her?
Was it possible—could it be that he had taken her outside in order to take advantage of her?
He hated to think it, and he wouldn’t have thought Lord Kentrow was the type to do such a thing, but it couldn’t be ignored that they had gone out alone together…
Allan moved faster.
He made it through the foyer and out onto the grounds.
They were empty.
He looked around in surprise, not sure what had happened. He knew he had seen them come this way. And now, he was more concerned than ever. For what reason could they possibly have had to go somewhere they wouldn’t be seen, unless…
And then he saw her.
Lady Edwina was sitting on the low wall that ran around the front of the house to the side where the garden was located. She was looking out at the night, the wind blowing a few loose strands of hair back from her face.
He hurried over to her, alarmed at finding her like this. “Lady Edwina.”
She looked up at him.
Her face gave nothing away—neither disappointment nor pleasure at his presence. “I might have known you would find me,” she said. “I suppose there’s no point in trying to get away from you, is there?”
“I’m surprised to find you on your own,” he observed. “I would have left you alone, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave a lady alone in the night.” He hesitated before adding, “I didn’t come over here because it was you. I would have approached any lady who was out on her own like this.”
“You really shouldn’t. If we’re seen, there will be talk.”
“We won’t be seen,” he said softly. “Not unless Lord Kentrow comes back. What happened to him?”
“He went indoors.” She closed her eyes briefly. “You may as well sit down,” she added, “since there seems to be no getting rid of you.”
Allan felt nothing at what he thought she had probably intended to be offensive. In this instance, she was right. There would be no getting rid of him. Not while she was out alone in the night. It wouldn’t be safe. He couldn’t leave her like this.
He took a seat beside her on the wall, careful to leave a respectful distance between them, and the wind gusted once more.
CHAPTER 33
The nearness of the Duke made Edwina feel dizzy.
How could she have ignored her feelings for him as long as she had? How could she have told herself, over and over, that there was nothing here? That if they simply avoided one another, everything would be fine? Of course, everything wouldn’t be fine. She couldn’t even look at him without feeling as though her heart was about to stop.
He had left several feet of space between the two of them, but Edwina felt heavily aware of that space, as if it was something that lay on her very skin. She moved in place a little, trying to dispel the feeling, but it went nowhere. As long as he was beside her, she thought, she would feel this way. There would be nothing she could do about it.
He looked over at her. “I saw that Lord Kentrow brought you out here,” he said quietly.
“And that’s why you’re here now? Because you followed?”
“Yes, that’s why.”
She was startled. “You’re being very honest with me today.”
“I’ve never lied to you, Lady Edwina.”
“You’ve never been like this either. You’ve never spoken to me so…openly.”
He lifted his shoulders and let them fall. “I suppose I don’t see the harm in it,” he said. “Why shouldn’t we be honest with one another?”
