…until he’d come to know her heart.
Now, he wanted to find the gentleman within—or what was left of him—for her.
He lifted her hand and turned her fingers so the rubies shone in the firelight. “Because I want our marriage to be perfect.”
She made a throaty sound of approval before snuggling beneath his chin. If this was to be his future, he’d never be lonely again.
Chapter Ten
Before Giles had departed The Pillar the prior evening, he’d warned Katherine his longtime friends awaited them at Southford. Despite Katherine’s fears, the evening that followed had been a success. No one remarked on her late arrival—a careful quarter hour after Giles—and after a delightful meal, they’d occupied the night planning the archery competition in which they were currently engaged.
If Giles’s friends had found his sudden betrothal odd, they had not revealed their misgivings.
Lord Farring, Katherine had been introduced to in London. At the time, she hadn’t warmed to the handsome duke’s son. Last night, however, she and Lord Farring had developed a near-instantaneous rapport—rooted, undoubtedly, in their mutual esteem for Giles.
Tall, slim, and effortlessly elegant, Lord Farring had bright, brown eyes and a boyishly handsome smile that lifted his tortoiseshell spectacles and shook his sand-colored curls when he laughed, which happened to be often. But beneath his smile, Katherine sensed a man of deep loyalty.
Giles told Katherine he and Farring had disliked each other on sight when they’d been assigned to the same room at school, then, over time, he’d developed an unshakable trust in Farring’s judgment. Farring had scoffed in response, saying Giles only tolerated his presence because he’d made it his personal aim to bring levity to the ever-serious, responsible Giles.
Lord Rayne’s character had been harder to decipher. Older than Markham, but younger than Giles and Lord Farring, the earl was exceptionally handsome. His chiseled cheeks complemented a prominent nose and a distinguished cleft chin. Like Giles, his light eyes appeared all-the-more piercing, contrasted by hair black as night. But where Giles’s eyes were gray, Rayne’s were an icy blue. And where Giles radiated vigor, Rayne exuded polished reserve.
Rayne’s lands bordered Giles’s, Giles had reminded Katherine. And, he added, his family had made a significant investment in the mines that had made Rayne a very wealthy man, wealth that had only grown under the advice Giles had provided following the younger man’s father’s untimely death.
All of which meant that Rayne, Giles explained, was almost like a brother.
Rayne had remained strangely quiet while Giles spoke, leaving Katherine to wonder what had not been said. Rayne was charming enough, however, even though his manner suggested perceived superiority. In fact, his lordly manner roused Julia’s ire the instant he’d paired with Julia for the morning’s competition, much to the amusement of Markham and Farring, the self-appointed judges.
But when, on Giles’s turn, Giles removed his coat to allow for a better range of motion, Katherine lost interest in Rayne. She simply could not look away from the shadow of muscle visible through Giles’s shirtsleeve. He pulled the bowstring back and closed one eye. Katherine felt the arrow strike the mark as much as she heard thethunk.
Luckily, the vibrating arrow masked her breath’s subsequent hitch.
Markham and Farring conferred.
“Just to the right of center,” called Lord Farring.
“Agreed,” Markham added.
The sunlight haloed Giles’s face as he turned. He bowed with a smile.
“For my lady,” he said.
The baby thrushes danced.
“Puff up while you can, Bromton.” Rayne peered over baskets of bows and arrows. “I will prevail.”
Julia folded her arms. “You meanwewill prevail.”
Farring leaned back, balancing on the back two legs of his chair. “Care to place a wager, Spades?”
“You’d do well to keep your guineas, Clubs,” Giles replied.
“Oh, come now,” Farring grinned, “you’ve had all the luck so far. Without a win, I fear the loss of my legendary reputation.”
“No, no, no!” Julia sidled past Rayne. “That bow is all wrong.Thisone is far more pliant.”
“Perhaps,” Rayne said with condescension, “I don’t wish for a pliant bow.”
Julia narrowed her gaze. “Perhaps I don’t wish to lose. A true team, my lord, labors in harmony.”
