Now I just had to convince Lord Kendrick to see it my way. He was acting the gentleman by refusing to bed me. If I were bolder, I could push the issue. We reached the landing, my family box visible from the top of the stairs. Soon, I would watch the play, but instead of watching Hamlet, I would picture Lord Golden naked with the dark knight. The need in my groin grew, and I pretended to stumble, using the excuse to tighten my arm around his. Pathetic, yes, but it frustrated me in a way I had never been before.
Lord Kendrick wasn’t the only fish in the sea. I could find another man, one less honorable. Except I didn’t want anyone but him.
Well, perhaps Colt.
Colt and Lord Kendrick.
Lord Golden and the dark knight with Lady X in between. With a few steps left to my box, my time alone with the duke had run out. My one consolation was he had no intention to marry the vile Miss Cameron. But he was intent to seek out Gavin. No matter how the top spun, it seemed to always tilt away from me.
Chapter Twelve
Lord Kendrick, Duke of Alton
“Are you ready?” Colt adjusted the brim of his hat and opened the front door of the house. Rain threatened in the distance, the storm clouds matching the edginess inside me.
“As ready as I will ever be for marriage, I suppose.” Today was the day I would ask for Lady Lillian’s hand. After our discussion in the lobby, I concluded that marrying her was the right decision.
“You don’t have to do this if you don’t wish to,” Colt said, jogging down the two steps to the street. The tails of his greatcoat flapped in the blustery wind.
“You are right. I don’t.” I kept pace with him regardless of apprehensions. My gaze locked on the house next door with its distinctive red door and polished gas lights. His presence had a calming effect, one I needed now more than ever. In a few minutes, we would be there. My hands inside my gloves dampened, and my heart beat unaccountably fast. I was nervous, which was to be expected given the gravity of the situation.
“We can take a turn around the park to discuss the pros and cons one last time if you would like. Or I will send your apologies, and you can forget about the entire endeavor.” Colt offered me a gentle smile.
“No.” Everything inside of me balked at the suggestion. I had made up my mind, and I rarely changed it.
Colt preceded me to the earl’s door. He lifted one hand to knock.
“Wait.” The dread returned, and I placed my hand on his wrist to halt his momentum.
He looked at me, dark blond eyebrows raised. Familiar amber eyes flecked with gold met mine. Yet something in his stare was more pronounced.
“What if she says no?”
He twisted his wrist and clasped my hand in his for a brief second. The light in his eyes was bright with encouragement, affection, and another emotion that rocked me to my core. I stood in place, stunned by what I had seen. Perhaps I was reading too much into the stare. Except I had seen lust enough times in my past to recognize it.
“She will say yes.” His gaze fell to my mouth, and he licked his lips before shuttering his expression. He turned his back to me and lifted the knocker.
“How do you know?” The flash of need had to be a fluke of the light, a figment of my overactive imagination. Or was it? My stomach sank. There was so much I didn’t know about him. He recently inherited the title of baronet, but other than the duties he performed for me, I had no in-depth knowledge of his wants and desires. He kept his cards close to his chest, and I tried to respect those boundaries.
By all rights, his change in status should give him the ability to leave my employment. Unless the title was empty, which wasn’t unusual. The idea of losing him cut right into my gut.
The butler opened the door and invited us inside. Time for reflection on Colt would come later. The servant led us into the earl’s darkly paneled study. The furnishings were oppressive,and I tugged at my tie. Lord Tapper stood at my entrance and held out his hand to shake.
“Thank you for seeing me,” I said, reciprocating the gesture. “This is Sir Colt Lawrence.”
