Because forgiving him meant letting go.
Lily had sent off the note immediately to Matthew, hoping he would be able to see her for a short time. In the meantime, she snuggled with Sebastian, nuzzling his nose and delighting in his slobber.
But then, abruptly, the hair stood on end upon his spine. He let out a low growl and bolted up from her lap, snarling as he reached the doorway. Lily stood, uncertain of what had bothered him, but she relaxed when she saw Lord Davonshire arriving. Sebastian’s hind quarters hit the ground, and his tail wagged as the man reached into his pocket for a treat.
“Now how did you find your way to Lady Lily’s again?” he murmured to the dog, giving him the piece of bacon and rubbing the animal’s head. “I must apologize for Louis. He hasn’t wandered off in a long time. I suppose he must have been missing you.”
His tone held a trace of interest, and Lily brushed it aside. “I will admit that I missed your dog as well. Especially his kisses.” She laughed as the dog licked at her fingertips. He sat and stared at Lord Davonshire, politely begging for more bacon.
“How is your mother?” the earl asked. “I presume she has improved, since you have returned to London.”
Her smile grew pained. “No, I am afraid she could not come with me.” She knew that Rose would take good care of their mother, and her husband Iain would be there from time to time.
“I am sorry to hear that. But delighted, of course, to see you again.” He sent her a warm smile and took a seat, making it clear that he intended to visit.
Which was not at all what she’d hoped for. Matthew would come, soon enough, and the last thing she wanted was a gentleman caller to interrupt.
Something about Lord Davonshire’s visit bothered her. It was too convenient, almost as if he had been waiting for herbrother to leave. How else would he have known where to find Sebastian?
Without knowing quite what to say, she sat down. “Would you care for tea?” It was late, but perhaps he would have a cup and then go.
“I should be glad of spending more time in your company,” he answered. She rang the bell and ordered tea, but then decided it was time to inform him of her new circumstances.
“Lord Davonshire, I should tell you that my fiancé is on his way here,” Lily began. “Lord Arnsbury and I are now engaged to marry.”
At that, the earl’s face grew pained. “I know I should offer my congratulations, but I can see that you have not heard the stories circulating around London. Lord Arnsbury is involved in a terrible scandal. You may want to reconsider marrying into his family.”
The edge of anger crept into her voice. “I care nothing for idle gossip. I have been in love with Lord Arnsbury since before he left for India.”
The earl glanced at the door and then back again. Sebastian left his side when it was clear he would get no more bacon. He settled at Lily’s feet, resting his head upon her shoes.
“They say he was not the Earl of Arnsbury’s son,” Davonshire continued. “Others claim that he was adopted from an unwed acquaintance. And I cannot think that you would want to marry a bastard.”
“I could invent the same stories about you,” she countered. “I could pretend that you were a man laden with debt, that you needed to wed a wealthy woman. But it would be nothing more than a story, would it not?” She gave him a pointed look, and his gaze turned away. “I will not abandon Lord Arnsbury, regardless of what anyone says.”
“Then you are not like other women,” he admitted.
The tea arrived, but his demeanor had shifted into concern. “There is something else. I know that Lord Arnsbury suffered a great deal while he was away in India. The stories suggest that he fell into madness. Even his servants say he became aggressive. Are you not fearful that Lord Arnsbury could be dangerous?”
Lily distracted herself with pouring the tea. She didn’t know why he was trying to cast aspersions on Matthew, but she simply sipped at her cup and ignored him. “Thank you for your concern, but no.”
She rather hoped that Matthew would arrive, but it was growing later, and he still had not come. At last, when Lord Davonshire finished his tea, he stood. “I suppose I should be taking Louis back with me now.” He withdrew a length of cord from his pocket and fashioned it into a leash. “I apologize for his unexpected arrival.”
The dog let out a low growl when Lord Davonshire attempted to place the loop around his neck. With an exasperated sigh, the earl took a sandwich from the tea tray and offered it to the animal. The dog instantly quieted and waited politely while the earl put the leash around his neck. He whimpered when the man led him away, and Lily longed to snatch him back again.
He’s not yours,she reminded herself. But she had been grateful to visit with the dog for a short time, even if he had run away.
“I hope I will see you again, Lady Lily. And please do remember my warning about Lord Arnsbury. I should hate for anything to happen to you.”
She stood from her chair and folded her hands. “I will be fine, thank you.”
After he had gone, she paced across the drawing room, feeling restless. She longed to see Matthew, but it was possible that he knew nothing of her arrival. From the window, she saw Lord Davonshire departing, just as another carriage arrived. Herheartbeat quickened, and she couldn’t stop her smile when she saw Matthew disembarking.
Lily longed to run to the door and meet him, but she forced herself to remain in the drawing room. At least she ought to maintain the pretense of being a lady. But when he finally appeared at the doorway, she tossed aside her inhibitions and threw herself into his arms. He dropped a small package on the floor and caught her, holding her in an embrace as he backed against the door to shut it.
She lifted her mouth to his, and the kiss was that of a starving man. There was reckless joy in the embrace, and she could scarcely catch her breath.
“I love you,” she whispered.
