When he was gone, she drew a long breath. This man was offering her a lifeline without even knowing it. If she put her focus back on Claudia’s list, that would keep her mind off Sebastian and all the things she couldn’t have when it came to him.
And since he wasn’t even looking at her anymore as he chatted with his friends, that was for the best.
Sebastian didn’t like feeling out of sorts and yet that was all he’d been since his arrival at Garringford Corners that afternoon. Normally, he found respite here with Delacourt and their friends, with Marianne. But since his arrival he had felt only frustration. Worse, he knew the cause. He could see it as Marianne stood across the parlor talking with some of the other gentlemen as they all shared an after-supper drink. He pressed his lips together and turned to where Delacourt had just finished a conversation with another of their friends and now stood nursing his drink.
“I say, doesn’t it bother you that your sister is center of attention to that…that pack of jackals?”
Delacourt blinked and looked across the room. “You consider Mr. Lanford and the Marquess of Millington to be jackals? One is nothing but a gentleman and the other is married.”
“Marriage hasn’t stopped many a man, and you know it. And as for Lanford, he is nothing but a gentleman on thesurface,” Sebastian huffed.
“Are you saying you know something untoward about the man?” Delacourt asked, his grip tightening around his glass.
Sebastian briefly considered lying, giving an answer that would put Delacourt on guard with Lanford. But then he shook his head. “I…no. I hardly know him. That’s what I’m saying. He could be any kind of man. Why did you invite him anyway? He never ran with our group in school.”
Delacourt shrugged and he was back to the nonchalant disconnection from the subject. “I thought Marianne might like him to be here. She mentioned he was friendly to her at the Brighthollow ball a few weeks ago.”
“Shementionedhim?” Sebastian repeated, feeling the flare of his nostrils at that fact. He hated that he was jealous. He was never jealous.
“In passing.” Delacourt faced him full on now. “What is wrong with you? Marianne always plays hostess at these things. She’s bound to draw the polite attention of the attendees.”
Sebastian folded his arms. “I simply find it odd that you are so protective of her around me, but not around them.”
Delacourt arched a brow. “It seems to me thatyouare the one who could hurt her more. If you don’t know why, then you have no observational skills.”
He turned and walked away and Sebastian stared, stunned by that statement. He looked at Marianne again. She was laughing and her face was lit up the same way he’d seen it a dozen times over the years when she stared up intohiseyes.
Delacourt couldn’t mean that Marianne had feelings for him. The desire, yes, of course. That was a recent development. Or was it? Now he couldn’t be certain.
He gulped for air as Lanford separated himself from Marianne at last and headed his way. Marianne had turned her attention to the marquess now and was continuing to talk, though with far less animation than she had with Lanford.
“Ah, Ramsbury,” Lanford said with a friendly smile when he reached Sebastian. “Quite a gathering, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Sebastian grunted, making the barest effort to be civil. “Seems you’re enjoying yourself greatly with Lady Marianne.”
Lanford looked across the room at her. “She’s a fascinating little creature, isn’t she? A wallflower, but something more is there under the surface.”
Sebastian said nothing and dropped his gaze to the drink he gripped in his white-knuckled hand. “Indeed.”
“I say, a few of us are going to Hedgewig’s tonight around ten to gamble. Will you join us?”
Sebastian lifted his head. Hedgewig’s was a shabby little hell just two miles from Delacourt’s estate. Normally he didn’t mind the place—it wasn’t the worst, nor the best of its ilk. He had gone there plenty of times over his many visits here.
But tonight he had no interest. In fact, he was pleased this man would justgo away. Perhaps it would give Sebastian a chance to speak alone with Marianne. Only to make certain that she understood what a man like Lanford was capable of expecting, even if he presented himself as a gentleman to her.
“No,” he said. “I appreciate the offer, but I’ll decline this time.”
Lanford shrugged. “Suit yourself, Ramsbury. Ah, I see Mr. Pettigrew motioning my way. Excuse me.”
Sebastian nodded him away and then drew a deep breath. Good, now he had a plan. If Lanford’s group was to depart at ten for their outing, he would find Marianne by ten-thirty and speak to her. Settle things with her. Protect her. That was all this was about, after all. Protecting her.
There was nothing else to it at all.
Sebastian stepped into the library at precisely ten-thirty and expected Marianne to be there. After all, that was her habit when she came to this estate. Read before bed for precisely three-quarters of an hour.
How did he know that? He couldn’t recall when he’d learned it or how he’d saved the knowledge over the years. But there it was.
Only when he came into the chamber, the room was empty. Not even the fire was lit. He wrinkled his brow. She had excused herself just before ten, so he had assumed…
