Jeremy glared at him, but the gentleman did not lower his gaze or flinch in fear. Instead, he chuckled to himself and kept sipping his drink, showing no intention of moving away from the duke he had clearly just annoyed.
“It’s none of yer business,” Jeremy muttered.
Colin gave a slow nod. “Quite right. Quite right. None of my business.” He smirked. “But if I might offer a word of advice, if you have any inclination to marry her yourself, I would do so before one of these ravenous gents decides to steal that beautiful woman for themselves. Look at them. Look how eager they are.”
Jeremydidn’twant to heed Colin’s advice, but his gaze drifted to the other gentlemen in the room regardless. Sure enough, they had not stopped staring at Anna, their eyes gleaming with a hunger that Jeremy recognized and did not like one bit.
His skin crawled as he thought of their hands on her, their mouths kissing the lips that he craved, their too-eager fingertips fumbling with the fastenings of Anna’s midnight blue dress, peeling away the layers until they set their hungry eyes on her exquisite figure.Hehad seen it but once and hadn’t been able to get it out of his head, that perfect body, those alluring curves.
Only I should know the softness of her skin. Only I should know how her body responds to pleasure. Only I should know the language of her bliss.
Anger prickled in his chest, a fist of sudden jealousy closing tight around his lungs. Why had he invited these men here? TheseEnglishmen could never satisfy her, cherish her, or worship her. They would not nurture her wildness; they would want her tame.
And yet, what right did he have to keep her for himself when he could not give her what she needed? She would be safe under his roof, of course, but there was no lasting security in that. If anything happened to him, there would be no support for her, returning her to where she had started. As for children, there would be none of those, legitimate or otherwise.
“That is why they are here,” Jeremy said grimly. “I need her married off and gone as soon as possible.”
To somewhere that she has a chance of gaining what she deserves: security, a family, and freedom to move in society again.
Colin shook his head, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Are you really determined to marry her off then?”
“Aye,” Jeremy replied tightly. “So, if ye know someone who–”
Colin left before he could finish his sentence, as the marquess walked straight over to Anna as if he meant to make an offer right then and there. Watching with barely veiled contempt, it took all of Jeremy’s willpower not to march right after the marquess, grab him by the scruff of his collar, and drag him away from Anna.
Instead, he stayed where he was, reminding himself once more that he had no right to intervene. He had said he would not marry her; she had said she was leaving soon. But if she thought that marrying his neighbor would mean she was far enough away from him, she would be sorely mistaken.
I would ride there every day just to hear you cry out my name again…
“Your Grace,” Colin said brightly, extending his hands to Anna as he had done at the masquerade.
This time, she smiled back warmly and didn’t hesitate to put her hands in his. “I am glad you could make it, Lord Belford. I was worried the journey might be too long and arduous for you.”
He laughed, the sound so easy and comforting that she found herself relaxing in his company.
“Itwasa little troublesome by the wheatfield, near the stream,” he said with a wink. “The rains made it terribly muddy and, though I try, I am afraid I am not yet much of a horseman. I thought my poor gelding was going to throw me off and continue the journey alone, to spare himself the indignity.”
Anna covered her mouth with her hand as she chuckled, the image in her mind quite amusing. “I know the place well,” she told him. “I confess, I have slipped there a few times when theweather has been bad and almost ended up in the stream once or twice. And that was without the additional struggle of guiding a horse.”
“Ah, yes, you are fond of walking, are you not?” Colin said as he politely let go of her hands. “I have seen you occasionally, from a distance.”
She nodded. “There is nothing as soothing as a walk through the beautiful countryside here. I think it is my favorite thing about my home, that I can be surrounded by such peace.” She fought to avoid casting a look in Jeremy’s direction. “At least, when itwaspeaceful. I cannot recall the last time there were so many people here.”
“You are not enjoying this gathering?” Colin asked.
She shrugged her shoulders. “I have not been here long enough to know.”
“Then, what do you say we take ourselves over to that table over there and play a game of cards?” He nodded toward an empty side table by the terrace doors. “An oasis of peace amidst all of this chaos.”
Anna considered the offer. “Why not? Although I should warn you, I have never been much good at cards.”
“All the better for me,” Colin said with a grin, as he gave her his arm and led her over to the table.
He took control of the deck and distributed the cards evenly, while Anna did her best to ignore the stares she had actually wanted to garner. Wasn’t that why she had chosen the glittery gown and had Katherine style her hair into a new style? Yet, she felt more like a rabbit spotted by foxes.
“We shall play a simple game,” Colin said breezily. “A swift game.”
He explained the rules of a game she had never heard of, where she had to place the card either above or below the center card, or play the same number in a different suit to change suits. The goal seemed to be to play cards as quickly as possible, hoping to trick the opponent into not noticing that the card might be wrong.
