There was a light applause from the gathered few. Clarissa jerked her stare to Roderick and found his jaw set so hard she feared he’d break his teeth. But he didn’t lash out. No, he reached back and took her hand.
“Happy, indeed,” he said, and tugged her gently to his side. “I seeMr. and Mrs. Lockhart have announced the joyful news. Well, how could any of us keep it in until amore appropriate time?”
Her father laughed. “Well, there’s no use being too worried about appropriate now.”
Clarissa turned her head. Great God, what had they said to the others? “We are all a little overwrought,” she said. “I hope you will all remain quiet about this…this happy news until we can make the official announcement tonight at the supper.”
There were many whispers and nods amongst the gathered crowd and then the handful of people her parents had dragged into this dissipated. Roderick glanced down at her. “I think I had best find your cousin before someone tells him this news before I can.”
She nodded. “That might be best. I’ll manage…them as best I can.” She glanced at her parents.
Roderick squeezed her hand and then strode off. But she was warmed by him regardless. She felt like she had an ally. Whether or not she deserved him.
She pivoted toward her parents. “Did you just destroy my reputation with part of our party?”
“We landed you a husband,” her father said, his smile falling. “Better than you have done the last few years, isn’t it? You should be thanking me. And I thought that since the gentleman didn’t seem that excited to be your bridegroom, that making sure he couldn’t wriggle out of it was best.”
She shook her head. “Well, you have what you want. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go lie down. We should announce the engagement officially at supper, as I suggested. Until then,pleasedon’t make this situation worse for him. Or for me.”
She staggered away up the hall then, not waiting for their response as she would usually do. She could no longer do that. Not when everything in her world was spinning. Everything in her world had been torn apart and the future looked like a horrible, empty space.
CHAPTER 9
Roderick’s hands were shaking as he strode from the house and into the garden. He’d been told that George was outside, taking a break from the other guests, and he needed to find him before he was told this news by someone else. He knew his old friend cared deeply for his cousin and he had no idea how he would respond to this sudden match forced by Roderick’s imprudence.
He slowed his steps as the actions of that imprudence flashed into his mind. Clarissa’s face upturned, her lovely brown-green eyes locked with his. He thought of how soft her lips had been when he took them, how her fingers had clenched against his back when she let out a soft, needy sigh. He hadlikedkissing her. That shouldn’t have been a surprise. He hadn’t felt the lightning bolt he’d always believed he’d feel upon meeting “the one”, but she was attractive. And yet the power of the desire that kiss had sparked was still startling.
“You look like a storm coming to wreak havoc on this little garden,” George said, startling Roderick from his thoughts.
He’d been looking for his friend, but thoughts of Clarissa had wrapped so firmly in his mind that he hadn’t even noticed him sitting just ten feet away by a fountain.
He stopped and stared at George. His friend was smiling but the expression slowly fell as he took in Roderick. “What’s wrong?”
Roderick swallowed. “I have something to tell you. And I…I think you might hate me when I’m finished.”
“That’s dire,” George said slowly, and got up. “Come, we’ll walk together.”
Roderick nodded and they fell into step together. He sought words as they paced through the twisting paths of the garden. Finally, he stopped and turned toward his old friend.
“You will hear it soon enough. I doubt your aunt and uncle will control themselves any more than they already have.” He shook his head. “I am going to marry Clarissa.”
George stared at him for what felt like forever, his brow knitted and his mouth opening and shutting like a fish. “My cousin Clarissa?”
“Christ. Yes.” Roderick scrubbed a hand over his face. “Every time I say it, it feels like I’m drowning.”
“I think you’d better explain that.” George folded his arms, guardedness coming into his eyes. “All of it.”
“I saw her hustle off from the gathering earlier this afternoon and I followed.”
“Why?”
Well, that was the question, wasn’t it? He barely knew the woman, she had disliked him since she first laid eyes on him. He had no connection to her beyond his friendship with her cousin. They owed each other nothing. And yet, when he’d seen her face look so forlorn, seen her on the edge of falling apart, he hadn’t been able to stop himself.
“Kirkwood!” George snapped.
He blinked. “I don’t know. She appeared upset, I wanted to be gentlemanly.”
“Gentlemanly,” George repeated. “I see. And then what?”
