“You’ll find there are people not so worth defending, Abernathe,” he sneered. “And enemies you’ll regret making.”
James took a step toward him, and Sir Archibald jerked away and hustled toward the house at the closest to a run he’d probably made since he was young.
“Ladies and gentlemen, why don’t we all retire to the house to prepare for our picnic?” Margaret called out, but there was deep tension in her voice as she stared at James.
Guilt flashed through him. Meg spent so much of her time trying to mitigate any damage their mother might do to their reputations, and now James had just had a physical altercation with Sir Archibald, who was well known in Society. From the way people were staring and whispering already, it was clearthatwas going to cause a stir for some time to come.
Then his eyes caught Emma’s in the crowd. She was watching him closely, her lips parted slightly. And suddenly he didn’t give a damn about anything else. She had needed a champion against the bastard. He wasn’t sorry he had taken on the role.
She deserved better than a life shackled to Sir Archibald, being seen as some pretty toy for his pleasure and none of her own. That wasn’t the future he envisioned for Emma.
The crowd began to move toward the house and Meg walked to him, her gaze still even on his. He forced himself to focus on her, letting Emma fade into his peripheral vision as her mother came to her and they walked up to the house with the others.
“What in the world was that, James?” Meg asked under her breath.
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Meg. I shouldn’t have made a scene and embarrassed you.”
“What could you have against Sir Archibald that would make you grab him like that?” Meg pressed.
He always tried to be honest with his sister. He always had been, for in some ways it had always been them against the world. But right now he was reluctant to tell her the truth. “He was…untowardabout one of our guests,” he muttered.
Meg leaned in, eyes wide. “One of our guests? Who?” He was silent for too long and she grabbed his hand. “Did he say something about Emma?”
He pulled away. “Why would you guess that?”
Meg put her hands on her hips. “Because I know you. You don’t give two damns about any woman at this party save one. Emma is the only woman I’ve ever seen you pay more than two minutes of attention to. Was it her?”
He nodded slowly. “Yes. Should I not have defended her?”
“Perhaps not so strenuously,” Meg said, and she was watching him even more closely now. “What is between you?”
“Who?” he asked, his voice rough.
“You and Emma, you great lout,” Meg said with a laugh. “God, it must be something if you are trying so hard to pretend it away. I mean, you asked for her to be seated next to you, you danced with her last night, I catch you watching her all the time and you threw an acquaintance out of our party on her behalf…so what is it?”
He hesitated. Partly because he knew Meg wouldn’t approve of his ruse with Emma. Partly because it was much more complicated than just that. He knew it. He didn’t want to admit it out loud.
“Are you interesting in…courting her?” Meg asked slowly. When he didn’t answer immediately, his sister clapped her hands together. “Oh, Jamie! That is wonderful! I have long worried about this drive of yours to have your revenge against Father by destroying your own future. A life alone punishes you more than him. And I adore Emma, I truly do. I’m so glad you will pick someone who is bearable and not some brainless chit.”
She looked so happy that James could hardly breathe. Hardly speak. And yet he must, for he wasn’t about to let Meg float through the rest of the party with this joy in her heart only to have it crushed. That was something their father would have done. Their father would have taken great pleasure in making Meg feel like a fool.
James wanted nothing to do with that.
“Meg,” he said, but she was still talking about Emma. He cleared his throat. “Margaret!”
She stopped and stared at him. Her smile fell. “What is it?”
“I’m not…courting her,” he said softly. “I’m only going to…pretend to court her.”
Meg’s brow wrinkled. “What?”
He drew in a short breath. God, but this was difficult. He could already see the beginnings of disappointment on her face. Disappointment in him.
“She needs help garnering fresh attention,” he said. “You must have noticed how much more she’s been getting with just a little from me.”
“Pompous, James,” Meg said.
“True,Margaret.” He shrugged. “And I…I recognize you don’t approve of my desire to avoid marriage, but it exists. At that first ball back in London, I was besieged. I don’t want it, any of it. So if I pay some extra attention to Emma, it also helps me.”
