He blinked in surprise. “How did you guess?”
She laughed and once again he was struck by the sheer beauty of the sound. “I find that when most men reach their thirtieth year they experience a bout of restlessness and seek new adventures.”
“I fear my thirst for adventure has little to do with my advanced age,” he said dryly. “I have longed for it since I was a mere boy.”
“I used to,” she said softly. She looked away as if embarrassed by her admission.
Before he could respond, the door to the drawing room flew open and Lucinda stormed in, her face flushed with anger and her skirts whirling about her.
“How dare you!” she wailed.
He stared in stupefaction at the scene playing out before him. Had the entire world gone bloody mad? He glanced over at India who looked equally shocked.
Lucinda flew at him, her fists pounding his chest. He caught her and held her away from him as she flailed at him. “Pull yourself together!” he said sharply.
Her eyes sparked in outrage. “Is this your revenge?” she demanded. “You would ruin my marriage to Robert to soothe your pride?”
“What the devil are you going on about, Lucinda?”
Lucinda jerked away from him and turned her furious gaze on India. “Is that her?”
Ridge clenched his jaw and mentally counted to ten. “Who my guests are is none of your affair.”
She pointed an accusing finger at India. “She’s that Ashton woman isn’t she?”
“I am India Ashton,” India said calmly.
“I knew it!” she hissed.
She turned back to Ridge. “She’s the one who has you and Robert going off half-cocked to God knows where.”
His pulse pounded at his temple. “Robby asked me if he could accompany us.”
“Liar! He wouldn’t leave me. You put him up to this.”
Ridge rubbed his forehead wondering how on earth he or his brother had ever gotten mixed up with this woman. “Lucinda, I suggest you return home and discuss this with Robby. He approached me. I told him he could go after he insisted he wanted to accompany us.”
Her eyes screamed outrage. “He wouldn’t leave me,” she said resolutely.
He arched an eyebrow. “Are you so certain of that? Were you not here just a day ago asking me to take you back?”
A dull flush worked its way up her delicate neck and infused her cheeks. She trembled with rage and embarrassment.
“How dare you,” she said in a low voice.
He glanced over at India who had taken a sudden interest in the draperies. Damn Lucinda and her hysterical theatrics. What must India think of his family?
He straightened his stance. No matter. What she thought was inconsequential as long as she didn’t change her mind about helping him. Now if he could just be rid of Lucinda. He was realizing now why Robby was so desperate to leave the country. In his place, he may well join a monastery.
“Lucinda, I really think you should return home and talk things over with Robby. Surely it’s all just a misunderstanding. If you tell him how you feel, perhaps you two can come to an understanding.”
“There wouldn’t be a misunderstanding if you hadn’t encouraged him to take up your pursuits,” she said through clenched teeth. “Your father was right. These fantasies of yours are the mark of an imbecile.”
“Out,” he ground out, pointing his finger at the door. It was all he could not to throw her out, lady or not.
His hand shook slightly as she flounced out of the room, and he damned his reaction to her hurtful words.When she had gone, he lowered his hand and took a steadying breath.
“And to think I always longed for a home and family,” India murmured much closer to him than she had been a moment ago. “Yours makes a case for the prolonged absences adventuring brings.”
