And yet, Barney had always been up-to-the minute with the doings of London society.And Tessa had been behaving oddly, far from the open-hearted little girl he remembered.What was going on?
He looked again to where the old gentleman was seating Tessa beside him on the settee, patting her hand, with her brother smiling benevolently on.Her expression was blank, cold and distant as the moon.
He hadn’t seen her for years, but it was only natural that she’d changed.
Was she being forced into some hideous mismatch?Was her brother exploiting her?Was she frightened of him?Did he mistreat her, was that it?There had been definite undercurrents in their brief exchange, undercurrents he didn’t understand, and didn’t like.
The questions hammered at him.The contrast between this reserved young woman and the warm and passionate little scrap was ...unsettling.He had to speak to her, in private.
After a while the old man rose and after a brief exchange with Blaxland, he kissed her hand, shook the hand of her brother and tottered off.
Immediately Tessa turned to her brother and said something that made him throw up his hands in apparent exasperation.Then he jerked his head and the small party rose and turned toward the exit.
Marcus hurried to catch them.“May I have the next dance, Lady Hewitt?”he said.
She opened her mouth, but her brother answered for her.“My sister is still in mourning and doesn’t dance.”
And yet he’d brought her to atonparty and though she hadn’t danced, she was not wearing black as she would be if still in full mourning.
“In any case she’s tired and we’re leaving,” her brother added.She didn’t look the slightest bit tired, but she didn’t try to contradict her brother.And when Marcus caught her eye, she gave a barely perceptible shake of her head.It was very odd.
“Then may I call on you, Lady Hewitt?”Marcus persisted.
“She doesn’t wish for callers either,” her brother snapped.“Goodbye.”
Marcus looked at Tessa, willing her to indicate something—anything—that would help him to understand her situation.But as her brother urged her out the door toward the waiting carriage, she looked back at Marcus and though he searched her face for signs of regret—or any other emotion—she simply said, “I’m sorry, Lord Alverleigh.Goodbye.”She looked pale and ...brittle.
He watched her leave, puzzled and more than a little disturbed.
Chapter Two
Tessa waited untilthe carriage moved off, then she turned to her brother.“How dare you introduce that man to me!And indicate I was willing to accept his attentions with a view to marriage!I’ve told you and told you, Edgar, I won’t marry again—not to another old man, not to anyone!And I really, really mean it!”
It was gloomy inside the carriage, but she could see her brother give an indifferent shrug.“It was just an introduction.”
Tessa thumped her fist on the worn leather upholstery of the rented carriage.“It was nothing of the sort!It was clear to me Sir Henry thought it was all agreed, and that any “courtship” would be for the sake of appearances.But I won’t marry him—or any other man!”
