She rubbed her forehead as the pounding that started when he flew into the carriage grew worse. “Please tell me what I can say to make you leave.”
“What is it that you don’t like about me?”
“You mean you don’t know?”
“Humor me.”
“Well, for one, I don’t enjoy forward men. You are far too bold for my tastes.”
Nodding, he scratched his chin. “And this coming from the woman who kidnapped my friend?”
Heat climbed her face that had nothing to do with her anger. “And secondly, I do not like that you have ignored every hint I’ve given to discourage you, yet you continue to pursue me.”
“What can I say? I find you fascinating.”
“And lastly, I do not like men who think that just because I’m a maid, that I’m a willing participant in their lusty adventures.” Memories crashed through her head of Lord Elliot. Hatred for men like him made her so angry she could spit nails!
“You think that’s what I’m after… awillingmaid? Did you not hear me when I told you how interesting you are to me?”
She folded her arms. “Oh, I’m quite certain you find me interesting, but only for the bedroom. In reality, men of your station would never think of marrying a woman like me.”
His eyes widened and he lifted his hands in surrender. “Stop right there. All I want to do is get to know you, and suddenly you are talking marriage?”
“Tell me I’m wrong, Lord Hawthorne. The only reason you want to get to know me is to charm me into having your wicked way with me.”
He didn’t speak, and silence stretched between them as the seconds ticked by. She knew she was right, and deep inside she wished for once she had been wrong. But she was old enough by now and been taught too many of life’s lessons to know that fairytales never came true.
“You don’t have to answer that, my lord, but please leave. I did not invite you to ride with me, so please be kind enough to go.”
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“Away with Lady Hollingsworth to take care of her ailing relative.” She lifted her chin. “That’s all you need to know.”
“Then where is Lady Hollingsworth? If you are traveling with her, shouldn’t she be here?”
Tabitha fisted her hands, hoping he’d leave soon before she hit him. She moved her arm and pounded on the wall of the carriage and shouted, “Driver, stop the vehicle now.”
Lord Hawthorne narrowed his eyes as the carriage came to a stop. She motioned toward the door. “Please leave now before I summon the watch.”
He nodded. “As always, Miss Tabitha, it was a pleasure conversing with you.”
He opened the door and climbed out. When he shut the door, she released a sigh of relief. Hopefully, from here on out, that man would stay far away from her.
*
Diana decided tohold a dinner party for just her close friends. This would be her last appearance before she went away to help her sickly aunt—so her story would be. If she stayed completely away from her friends, they might suspect she had killed her husband. If they knew what hadreallyhappened, they would have hailed her a heroine because of what she had suffered being married to him.
Nevertheless, this evening she sat at the head of the table as she and six of her friends ate their dinner and chatted about useless topics. It was all Diana could do to keep the faux smile on her face as she sipped a glass of sherry.
After dinner, she led the ladies into the parlor where she’d previously had tables and chairs set up for a game of whist. It was hard to pretend to be enjoying herself, when all she wanted to do was leave this place and go to her grandmother’s cottage to be with Tristan. Concentrating on the topic of conversations was also difficult, and she found herself glancing at the clock in the room more times than she should have.
Once, she thought she’d heard a man’s voice at the front door, and her heartbeat thudded faster in excitement, hoping… praying it wasn’t Tristan for fear people would speculate about their relationship. When she realized she’d been hearing things, her spirits dropped and it was even more difficult to smile.
She really needed to snap out of this melancholy mood before one of her friends noticed. Diana wouldn’t put it past Lady Dashwood to actually say something, either.
Finally, when she could stand no more, she excused herself to visit the ladies retiring room. Up the smaller corridor was the room. A few maids were there, ready to assist. Diana wished to be alone, yet that wasn’t proper without causing suspicion.
She didn’t spend a lot of time in the room before she was presentable again, and when she walked out, she took slow steps, not really wanting to pretend to enjoy her friends’ company. She must make some excuse to end the evening. Perhaps she would tell them that she had a long journey on the morrow, and she needed her sleep.
