“My, my. From martyrdom to murderous intent in less than ten minutes. Isadora will be delighted when I tell her.”
Tobias ignored him, staring out at London’s darkening streets. Somewhere in this sprawling city, Amelia was stepping into hercarriage. Travelling to her own potential engagement. Steeling herself to accept a man she didn’t love.
Not if he could help it.
The journey seemed to take hours, though it couldn’t have been more than twenty minutes. Every street, every turn, every delay felt like torture. By the time they pulled up outside the Harcourt townhouse---the location of tonight’s ball---Tobias’s nerves were strung tighter than a violin’s strings.
Light blazed from every window. Music drifted into the night, punctuated by the sounds of laughter and conversation. The cream of London society gathered to witness what they believed would be a triumph of propriety.
They were about to be disappointed.
Tobias descended from the carriage, straightening his cuffs with hands that trembled fractionally. Daniel appeared beside him, expression unusually serious.
“Once you do this, there’s no going back. You understand that?”
“I know.”
“Society will talk. Possibly for years.”
“I don’t care.”
“And if she refuses you? If she’s already accepted Ashbourne?”
The possibility struck like a blade. She could do it—could think it worth it, could want to get away from him. The thought hurt more than he’d want to admit. Tobias shook his head.
“Then I will accept her decision… but I need her to know the truth. I need… to fight for her. For what I want. For once in my life...” He paused, feeling the weight of what he was about to do. “I’ve spent my life running from anything that mattered. From responsibility, from genuine feeling, from the risk of being found wanting. But not tonight. Tonight, I fight.”
Daniel’s expression gentled into something approaching respect. “Then let’s go claim your future, shall we?”
They mounted the steps together. The butler’s eyes widened fractionally at Tobias’s appearance---clearly not on the guest list---but Daniel’s presence smoothed over any potential objection. The man stepped aside, allowing them entry into the glittering chaos within.
The ballroom stretched before them in a riot of silk and candlelight. Couples swirled across the floor in elegant patterns whilst others clustered in conversational groups, their laughter rising above the orchestra’s strains. Tobias scanned the crowd with predatory focus, searching for golden-brown hair and clear blue eyes.
There.
His heart stopped.
She stood near the refreshment table, resplendent in pale blue silk that made her skin luminous. Lord Ashbourne hovered at her elbow, his expression one of proprietary satisfaction that made Tobias’s blood boil. As he watched, Ashbourne leant closer, murmuring something that made Amelia’s polite smile tighten fractionally.
She looked beautiful.
She looked miserable.
And she washis.
The certainty of it blazed through him like wildfire, burning away the last of his hesitation. Tobias started forward, dimly aware of heads turning, of whispers beginning to ripple through the crowd. He didn’t care. His entire focus had narrowed to the woman across the room---the woman he loved, the woman he was about to claim in front of half of London society.
He loved her. It was more than care, more than admiration. He loved her with a depth and breadth his soul could hardly hold.
And there was no way that he would let Ashbourne—or anyone—take her from him.
His reputation be damned.
CHAPTER 29
“You honour me, Lady Amelia.”
Lord Ashbourne’s voice was smooth and cultured, perfectly suited for the glittering ballroom surrounding them. Amelia forced her lips into what she hoped resembled a smile, though it felt brittle enough to crack.
