“Lady Danbury.” It was Miss Drake. “What parlor games do you have planned?
“I absolutely love parlor games. Charades is my favorite,” said another of the debutantes who’d only just come out the year before. With light brown hair and smiling brown eyes, Miss Crouch seemed to be liked by almost all the other young people.
“It is to be a surprise!” Penelope responded in a manner in which Margaret knew meant she was somewhat irritated.
Margaret forced her smile again. “We must wait for the gentlemen anyway,” she reminded the girls, who then giggled and proceeded along the corridor.
“We will talk later,” Penelope promised.
* * *
“A toast to the future bridegroom.”Riverton lifted his glass toward George. Sebastian did so half-heartedly. She’d not known the announcement was coming. He’d seen it immediately and was surprised that her reticence seemed to have gone unnoticed by every other person who had been present. Even her brother looked pleased with the match.
And yet, going off of what she’d told him earlier that day, she intended to marry him despite… Oh, hell.
Despite that kiss.
She did not need to marry. Not if she owned a townhouse and had a wealthy brother who was a viscount. So why?
Because she wanted intimacy? Because she was fearful of being alone? And yet she was a woman who stood with her toes curling over the edge of a cliff and admitted to wanting to fly.
He hadn’t intended on spending the day with her. In fact, he’d quite decided to keep his distance and only flirt with her when the opportunity arose. He enjoyed getting a rise out of her.
When he’d seen her hat floating in the cove, he’d not even considered allowing it to drift out to sea. He’d been standing on a crag of rock that perched over the water and from his observations had been ninety percent certain it was deep enough.
He’d removed his jacket and boots and then dived off the cliff. It had been exhilarating, the sensation of falling, and then the smooth entrance into the swirling waters.
Climbing out—soaking wet and carrying the drenched hat no less—had been far more arduous. But he’d enjoyed the challenge, nonetheless.
And when he’d returned to the house, he’d merely intended to request that the hat be delivered to her chamber. Because she’d told him it was her favorite.
She’d stolen his breath when he entered the house, standing there in her pink gown, cheeks flushed, and her eyes filled with anticipation.
He had spent the day alone with her. Of course, George would know, they had not done anything wrong, nor had they made an attempt to keep it secret from the household or other guests.
This evening, her cheeks were as pink as her gown had been. She’d taken too much sun while standing on the edge of a cliff pouring her emotions onto that canvas.
It had been one of the most pleasant days Sebastian had experienced in as long as he could remember.
He should not have kissed her. He’d wanted to kiss her several times before; when they’d first stood at the cliff’s edge together when she’d been drinking wine and listening to him go on and on about his plans to sail to America.
But she had reached for him and he’d been unexpectedly delighted.
He could imagine her onThe Diana, standing at the helm, her hair flying in the wind behind her.
Sebastian stared across the table at his uncle.
She was not going to be happy married to George. She might be relatively content. She might have the security of being a married lady. But she would not be happy.
And she might end up lonelier than she was now.
Because shewaslonely. He was certain of that. She was lonely even though she was surrounded by other people.
Many of the ladies seemed to have one or two bosom companions, confidantes with whom they shared secrets and laughter. Margaret conversed with nearly everyone for short periods of time but rarely with any one person for long.
He’d watched her with Monfort’s duchess. Although the other woman openly touched Margaret’s arm or leg, Margaret held herself stiffly. She did the same with George, and he’d seen her close herself off from the viscountess. He didn’t think she did so on purpose, but Margaret Coates naturally shied away from intimacy.
Except for with him.
