“I hope I will see you at a soirée later this week, perhaps?”
She studied him, and in Lord Lisford’s hazel eyes, she saw an air of desperation. If she told him no, he might pursue her even more. It was a blow to her pride, knowing that she’d believed in him. Her girlish dreams of wedding the handsome viscount were nothing but air.
“Perhaps,” she said. But she had already decided not to see him again.
Chapter Five
Idon’t trust the viscount,” David said to Margaret as they waited for Amelia to return. “He looks as if he’s trying to sell something.”
“You have good instincts.” She sent him a sidelong glance before frowning. “Viscount Lisford has a silver tongue. There are dozens of women he’s romanced and set aside.” She said nothing of herself, but he saw the trace of bitterness on her face. “I’ll murder him before I’ll let him hurt Amelia.”
“Then we are in agreement.” Even as he spoke, he noticed how her gaze followed Mr. Sinclair. “Who is the Scot?”
“A family friend.” Though she kept her voice even, he recognized a shield when he saw one. Not only did Miss Andrews know this man, but he suspected her defensiveness was there for a reason.
“If he is indeed a friend, shall I escort you over to speak with him?”
Her face flooded with color. “N-no. It wouldn’t be proper.” But her eyes gave a different story. Whether it was a harmless infatuation or a secret kept from her family, it was clear that Sinclair was one of the reasons Miss Andrews had remained unmarried.
Amelia joined them, and she appeared miserable. Before either of them could speak, she held up her hand. “I know you were rightabout Lord Lisford. But I don’t wish to hear ‘I told you so.’ Not just now.”
David offered her his arm, and she took it, but he could see the tears welling up in her eyes. He didn’t know what the viscount had said to Amelia, but he was relieved to see that she seemed well aware of the man’s character.
“Do you want to see more of the gardens?” he suggested.
“What I want is to crawl into a corner and cry,” she admitted. “But I won’t.”
“I would prefer it if you didn’t. I can’t say that I enjoy seeing a woman cry.” He led the two women toward the roses, but he suspected that it was likely best to take them home again.
Margaret Andrews, however, was glancing toward Mr. Sinclair. She was hanging back, and David suspected she only wanted a reason to slip away. He nodded to her silently and increased the pace, walking with Amelia at his side. Soon enough, Margaret had reached the Highlander.
“What are you doing—where is my sister?” Amelia queried.
“She has gone to speak with Mr. Sinclair. They are having a secret love affair, and no one is supposed to know.” He kept his tone dry, as if he were speaking of nothing important. By way of an afterthought, he added, “You see, Icantalk about topics more interesting than the weather.”
Amelia’s mouth dropped open. “That’s impossible.”
David shrugged. “You needn’t look so surprised. Anyone with eyes would recognize how she feels about the man.”
“Our parents will kill her.” Amelia gaped and started forward before David caught her hand and held her back. “She swore she’d marry nothing less than a viscount.”
“I don’t think she would appreciate your interference just now.”He guided her toward the landau, where their servants stood waiting. “She’ll be along in a few moments.”
“I cannot believe her hypocrisy! She was lecturing me about how inappropriate Viscount Lisford was, when all the while she was carrying on with Mr. Sinclair.”
“Let her be.” Miss Andrews’s behavior was of little importance, but it had clearly made a strong impression on Amelia. “It doesn’t matter.”
“But she was supposed to marryyou.” Amelia allowed him to help her into the landau, and from the dismay on her face, he realized that this was not about Margaret’s choices, but rather, about Amelia’s decisions.
“I already knew we weren’t suited to marry,” he told her. Miss Andrews was a decent enough woman, but he couldn’t imagine her with Christine. His daughter would torment Margaret if the young woman made any attempt to rein in her spirit.
He realized he was still holding Amelia’s gloved hand in his own from when he’d helped her inside. And she wasn’t fighting him at all. Instead, she stared at him.
“Give her a chance, my lord. This was just an indiscretion.” Her green eyes were pleading with him, and she squeezed his hand.
She’s just a girl, his mind insisted.Far too young.But the expression on her face held sadness. “Margaret deserves to be happy.”
“As do you,” he felt compelled to point out.
