A disapproving frown twisted Udaya’s lips. “She needs time to rest and heal.”
“Heal?” What the devil was she going on about now?
Her sari swirling about her feet, she turned and walked gracefully away, leaving him to shake his head. The whole lot of them were strange.
Still shaking his head, he strode down the hall toward the drawing room. When he entered and saw who was waiting, he nearly turned and walked out again.
“Ridge!” Lucinda Hadley elegantly rose and hurried over to him, hands outstretched to his.
He stood unmoving, his hands firmly at his side.
She slowly let hers drop and donned a pouting expression. One that had served her well in the past. “Surely you aren’t still cross with me, Ridge.” She ran a gloved hand down his chest and let it rest above the buttons on his waistcoat.
He grasped her hand and pulled it away from him. “What are you doing here, Lucinda? Where is Robby?”
She turned away with a flounce, throwing him a look of consternation over one pale shoulder. She was beautiful, of that there was no doubt. Not a single strand of blond hair was out of place, artfully arranged to its best advantage. Cornflower blue eyes glistened with the promise of innocence, a testament to how well she had mastered the art of deceit.
At one time, he had been completely under her spell. He now spent every day thanking God he had escaped relatively unscathed.
She perched daintily on the edge of the settee and drew out a lacy handkerchief. With her flare for drama, she sniffed delicately and dabbed at her eyes.
“Oh, Ridge. I vow I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Barely. He walked to the sideboard and poured himself a generous amount of brandy. Amazing how the woman drove a man to drink within minutes of her appearance. “Whatever is your latest crisis now,” he asked dryly. “And how, pray tell, does it involve me?”
“You’re so cold,” she complained. “You didn’t use to treat me with such disdain.”
“That was before you married my brother,” he said mildly, turning back around to face her.
“But that’s just it,” she wailed. “I’ve made a terrible mistake.
Ridge froze. Then he set aside his drink and crossed the room to stand before her. He grasped her shoulders and pulled her roughly up to face him. “What the devil are you talking about, Lucinda?”
She let out a breathy sigh and leaned into him. “I knew you would receive the news with excitement.”
He thrust her away and stepped hurriedly back. “This isn’t a game,” he gritted out. “What have you done to Robby?”
She twisted her lips scornfully. “Is he all you care about?” Her eyes raked imploringly over him. “There was a time when you cared for me.”
“That was before I discovered what a calculating bitch you are.”
She gasped, color rising high in her cheeks. “How dare you speak to me that way!” She swayed dramatically, her hand fluttering over her chest. Then she settled heavily back onto the settee.
Ridge stared at her in disgust. How had he ever felt anything for her, much less want to marry her? A year ago, he’d been ready to settle down and breed heirs. He’d found the perfect viscountess and future countess. She had impeccable breeding and she was madly in love with him. Or so he’d thought.
It was humiliating enough that she jilted him, but to do so for his younger brother, a man with no title, no inheritance. How awful the prospect of life with him must have been if she couldn’t even stomach him for his title, something most women would sell their souls for.
He shook his head, willing the lingering anger and humiliation away. “Where is Robby?”
“At his club, I suppose,” she said snidely. “It’s where he spends most of his days. There or at his father’s estate.”
“And why are you here?” he asked, leveling a hard stare at her.
She dabbed at her eyes with the lace again. “I don’t know what to do. I fear I’ve made a terrible mistake in marrying him.”
“And why are youhere?” he asked again.
She flushed. “Must you make things so difficult? Do you want me to beg? Very well. I’m here to implore you to take me back. Marrying Robby was a mistake. But it isn’t too late for us,” she said, pleading with him with her eyes.
