“Of course, Your Grace.”
During the housekeeper’s absence, he patted Priscilla’s hands and stroked her cheek. “Cilla, can you hear me? Open your eyes and look at me.”
Mrs. Jones hurried back in with the smelling salts and waved them under Priscilla’s nose. Within moments, she stirred and blinked her eyes open. Gavin expelled a relieved sigh and nodded at the housekeeper.
Groaning, Priscilla placed a hand on her forehead. “What happened?”
“You swooned.”
She narrowed her gaze to him. “Swooned?I never swoon, Your Grace.”
“Well, whatever you call it, you lost consciousness, and I caught you.”
He looked up at the housekeeper. “That will be all for now, Mrs. Jones.”
She curtsied and walked out of the room. He turned back to Priscilla and sat beside her on the settee, slipping an arm around her shoulders.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“I… don’t know.” She rubbed her temples. “I fear my mind is still swirling, and voices are still ringing in my ears. By chance, did youproposeto me, or was I dreaming it?”
“Forgive me for not being more romantic about it, but yes—”
“Romantic?” Her voice lifted as she moved off the settee. She swayed, but quickly righted herself. “I don’t know what you werethinking, Your Grace, but there is no need to offer marriage to me.”
Gavin grumbled under his breath. He’d worried this would happen. “You don’t understand, Cilla. We were alone in the cottage for several hours. Although nothing really happened between us, the fact still remains that my grandmother’s staff knows we were together. In case it has slipped your mind, that is how rumors get started, and then soon both of us will be in the middle of a scandal.” He frowned. “The only way to prevent that and so save our families from the embarrassment of a scandal is to marry.”
Her eyes teared up again, but it was entirely different than before. This time she wore a scowl.
“But… we didnothing,” she whispered.
The urge to tell her about the passionate kiss was on the verge of spilling from his mouth, but he couldn’t do that. Not yet. “What matters is that we were alone together, and… I was undressed and wrapped in a blanket for at least one hour of that time.”
He stood and reached for her, but she pulled away, shaking her head.
“Cilla, my grandmother believes it is the best for both of us, and our families, if we marry.”
“Your grandmother doesn’t want a companion who has a tarnished reputation, is that it?” Her voice broke.
“Don’t do this to yourself. It is not like that, I assure you. She knows this is not your fault. I know how you feel, but we cannot wipe away what happened—”
She threw him a glare. “Don’t presume to know how I’m feeling, because you don’t, and you never will.”
As she stormed out of the room, irritation grew inside him. Obviously, she was still in shock and not thinking clearly. Perhaps it was time to get his grandmother involved. But in asplit second, he realized he didn’t need his grandmother fixing his problems.
Irritation flowed through him. If Priscilla knew how much he was against this marriage, she would certainly hate him, so he must pretend. He did care for her, and because of those feelings, he couldn’t allow her to be shunned by Society because of circumstances that were out of their control.
Gritting his teeth, he took long strides, heading after Priscilla. She was already halfway up the stairs. He didn’t care if she was going to her bedchamber or not. He was going to get this issue straightened out tonight whether she liked it or not!
She must have heard him coming, because she quickened her pace. That only frustrated him more, and he moved faster. By the time she reached her room, he was upon her and was able to stop the door from being slammed in front of him.
Her face was red with anger as she glared at him. “Get out of my room.”
“If one must be precise in that statement, one would say this was the duke’s property,” he said, trying not to let the annoyance filling him take over. “In other words, the room doesn’t really belong to you.”
She growled and reached for the small pillow on the loveseat. “I mean it. Get out or… or…” She threw the pillow at him.
Although he shouldn’t find the situation humorous, he did. It helped lighten his anger. He chuckled, catching the pillow. She certainly didn’t have a strong arm when it came to throwing.
