“Have you told Geraint this information?” Forrest asked her.
“I sent word as soon as I could,” Monty added.
Mary listened to the men, and spoke when she had something to say. They asked her questions and actually listened when she talked, which she had not expected. It made her feel good that they believed she had something to contribute to the conversation.
Tea and food was consumed and then it was time for her to leave, or her family would start asking questions.
“I’m sure it will not be long before Geraint summons us when word reaches him that we now all know about each other.” Gabe regained his feet.
“Most things reach his ears eventually. It will not take long for this to do so if we do not tell him first,” Monty said.
They all nodded.
“As it stands, your family may ask questions about why you left the house early, but hopefully seeing you arrive home with Dimity and I will alleviate some of their worry,” Gabe said. “Come, Mary, we must leave.”
“They will not be overly worried.” Mary shrugged.
“And I’m sure with your fertile mind you can come up with a compelling story,” Monty added. He then bowed and said, “Veritas scutumtibi erit.”
They all replied in kind.
“I will see you all tomorrow night at the Latham readings. I am to speak, you know, and I have also been writing my own poetry,” Monty said in his best Plunge voice.
“God have mercy on us all,” Nathan said.
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
How Zach was supposed to walk into a poetry reading as if the world was the same as it was two days ago, after he’d learned Mary was part of Alexius, he had no idea. He now knew irrevocably that he cared for her and was terrified at the thought of her being placed in danger. Clearly there was nothing he could do about this, but he wasn’t sure it would ever sit well with him.
He’d wanted to visit her, but his brothers had cautioned him to wait and let things settle down. As if they ever could.
This was why he’d avoided messy emotions with women. It turned sane men into idiots. Case in point, his brothers. They were often idiots around their wives.
“Smile,” Dimity hissed out the side of her mouth. “What is the matter with you lately? All this scowling and sulking is unbecoming, Zachariel.”
“I am not sulking. I am attempting to be more mature.”
“Well, I liked you as you were.”
“Stop haranguing my little brother, love,” Gabe said, taking his wife’s hand and raising it to his lips.
“I am not haranguing him. I am showing concern.”
“Forgive me for getting that wrong then,” Gabe added.
Zach had thought about making a commitment to a single woman a few times. After all, he was surrounded by men who had done that successfully. But no woman had ever inspired that kind of depth of emotion inside him… until now.
What he felt for Mary was fierce and fiery. He wanted to strangle and hold her all at once. She was like some kind of insect that had burrowed under his skin and stayed there. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. Couldn’t stop wondering what she was doing. Was she out there working for Alexius?
He had no right to tell her she couldn’t be part of the organization, but he wanted to.
Were she and Viscount Montgomery more than fond of each other?
That thought had been circling around inside his head since the day he’d encountered them in the park. They were certainly familiar with each other.
Does the stabbing sensation in my chest mean I love Mary Blake?
“Have a care, brother. You nearly fell down the stairs.” Nathan’s large hand clamped on his shoulder.
