She huffed a breath. After a pause, she finally answered through clenched teeth. “I don’t believe so.”
“How advantageous.”
“What has gotten into you, Noah? This isn’t like you. The Noah I once knew would have been happy to see me. He wouldn’t have hesitated to renew his offer and marry me. Helovedme.” She took her turn, but made a sloppy move.
Noah took advantage and claimed a bishop. “That’s the thing, Margaret. I’m not sure I ever did.”
“Now you are just being cruel.” She made another hasty move on the board.
He snatched up another piece. “My favorite color is blue.”
“What?” She scowled.
“I said—” He leaned forward, “my favorite color is blue. Not green.”
“A simple mistake.” She pushed a piece ahead.
“My favorite sweet is lemon drops.” He took a random pawn.
Margaret shrugged as she took her turn. “That is good to know. Consider it noted.”
He flicked over her queen with his king and the soft thud echoed in his ears. “I never want you to touch me again.” He stood, gripping the edge of the small table. “Never talk to me again. Never write to me. Anything.”
She sat back in her chair, clenching her jaw as she looked at him with fire in her eyes. “After all we have been through, this is how you want to treat me?”
“I’m just glad I got to see your true colors before it was too late.” He pushed away from the table and strode toward the side door. He needed to leave before he made a scene. His temper simmered just below the surface, and he wished to get out while he still had some semblance of control. He burst through the front door, breathing in the cool air and clearing his head.
“Noah!”
He clenched his fist but stopped his hurried steps. Turning around, his shoulders sagged. “What is it, Father?”
His father stopped several feet away. “What just happened in there? I feel I deserve an explanation if you are going to be rude and walk out on company in my home. Friends of yours, I might add.”
“I just can’t—” He threw his head back, shutting his eyes. “I can’t pretend anymore. I’m sorry.” He pulled his head upright. “I don’t want to fail or disappoint you and Mother, but I can’t pretend things are the same with Margaret since she left for London.”
“Why? She does not seem to have changed.”
He swallowed. She hadn’t changed. That was the frustrating thing about it. Yes, her actions toward him were more desperate, but other than that, she was the same Margaret as always. “Then maybe I have changed.”
“Is this because of Miss Gibbons?” His tone clearly conveyed he did not approve.
Noah swallowed. Yes, it was because of Hannah. Because she made him see what a healthy friendship could look like. One in which both parties helped the other. “In a matter of words, yes. But things changed before that.”
“It cannot be something so bad that it is worth throwing away our friend’sdaughterfor.”
“Father, really. I am sorry, but things with Margaret—”
“Her parents expect you to propose, Noah.”
“I tried!” Noah finally snapped. “I told her I loved her. I proposed to her.” He slapped the back of one hand into the palm of the other with each point. “And then she said no, that she was going to London.”
His father jerked back. “What do you mean you proposed to her? When?”
“The night of the Lindfields’ ball.”
“But—” His father glanced toward the house before turning back. “You never told us this, Noah.”
“I didn’t want to ruin things between Mother and Mrs. Lewiston. I assumed Margaret would come back engaged and no one would even know that I had proposed, nor would they care because Margaret would have moved on. But then she came back. And was very decidedly still single.”
