A little discomforted by his flattery and the direction in which she suspected it might be leading, she chose to direct the conversation elsewhere. “Have you ever traveled abroad?”
A frown puckered his brow to confirm his surprise with the unexpected question, but he quickly recovered and he spun her about, leading her expertly between two other couples.
“Yes. I did a tour of the Continent a few years ago right after the war ended. Rome was particularly impressive—more so than Paris.”
“I would love a chance to see those places for myself,” Amelia confessed. “And other, much further destinations, as well, like Egypt and China. The cultures are so vastly different, I hear. They are sure to make an impression.”
“So there is an adventurous streak inside you just waiting to break free,” Mr. Lowell murmured. “I was not aware, though I have to confess that I find this new insight extremely intriguing.”
She wasn’t sure why it would be. In her mind, the urge to explore what lay beyond England, to see the wonders of the world for herself, was such a natural thing she couldn’t imagine not wanting to do so. “And why is that?” she asked.
“Because if there is one thing I do not enjoy, it is monotony, so I welcome adventure with open arms and applaud it.”
Unable to argue with that since she rather agreed, she allowed herself to simply enjoy what was left of the dance while imagining what a life might be like with a man like Mr. Lowell by her side. He would, it appeared, support her ambitions while accompanying her to various parts of the world. Granted, a spark did not exist, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t enjoy each other’s company or that they wouldn’t feel some affection for each other eventually. He certainly wasn’t displeasing to look at, and he did show a keen interest in what she had to say, which was definitely something she liked.
“Please join me for a moment,” he said after the dance had ended. “There is something I would like to say, and it must be done in private.”
Unsure of where this was going, Amelia looked around in the hope of finding a familiar face. “I should probably consult with Lady Everly or the Dowager Duchess of Coventry before allowing you to lead me away like this.” But they were already exiting the ballroom and heading through to a hallway beyond.
“You may rest assured that I have no intention of compromising you if that is your concern.”
“I... ah... well... Would being alone together not lead to ruination anyway?” She’d always been told to keep a chaperone with her.
“Not as long as we keep the door open,” he said, ushering her into a comfortable parlor and carefully closing the door most of the way. “There. See? It remains respectably ajar.”
“I would be more comfortable if we opened it more.”
He ignored the comment and pulled her toward an armchair instead. “Please. Have a seat, my lady. Your feet must be tired from all of the dancing.”
Unable to deny that, she sank down onto the chair with a thankful sigh. He, however, did the most extraordinary thing, dropping to one knee beside her and reaching for her hand. His eyes met hers, and she realized then with alarm that something awful was about to happen—something she now knew with startling clarity that she did not want.
And yet, she felt powerless to stop it as he gazed into her eyes and said, “I have spent an eternity looking for the right woman—a passionate, life-loving lady with whom to share my days and nights.” The “nights” part made her cringe for he followed the word with a slow calculation of her body, his eyes lingering a moment too long on her breasts. “Considering Mr. Burton’s keen interest in you, I feel compelled to act quickly before he chooses to make you an offer.” His hand tightened around her fingers. “My dearest Lady Amelia. It would be the greatest honor if you would agree to be my wife. We will travel the world together just as you wish, I will build you a library with books of your choosing and...” He looked away briefly as if overcome by emotion, then turned a blazing pair of eyes on her. “I will fill your life with exquisite passion—of that you have my word.”
She stared at him in absolute shock. This was anything but a simple proposal. This was a declaration of need and desire, which wasn’t at all what she had expected. Apparently the man had been holding back his yearning for her, though there could be no denying it now. He drank her in, his entire body taut with the expectation of her answer.
Which reminded her that it was her turn to speak. What on earth would she say? Whatcouldshe say? Until she’d realized his intentions, she’d been quite set on marrying either him or Mr. Burton since Coventry wasn’t a realistic possibility. But then every part of her body, every fiber of her being, had rebelled against the hopeful gleam in Mr. Lowell’s eyes. She’d wanted him to stop—had prayed for him to do so in order to let her flee. It had apparently taken a rather impassioned proposal for her to realize that she would not settle. Not where the rest of her life was concerned.
“I am... incredibly flattered that you would consider me in such a way,” she managed to say. “But I must decline.”
He stared at her as though her words made no sense, then gathered himself and asked, “Is there something else you require? Something else I can do to convince you?”
“No. I’m sorry. I just... I wish to marry for love, and as wonderful as you are and as kind as you have been, I must admit that I do not feel more than friendship for you.”
He averted his gaze. “And Burton? Do you love him then?”
“No. I do not, and if it is any consolation at all, I can assure you that I will not be marrying him either.” She pushed out a deep and agonizing breath. “You see, the trouble is my affections lie with a man who I cannot have.”
His eyes found hers once more, and she saw that he was giving her comment some serious thought. She shouldn’t have said anything, but the hopelessness that now swamped her had made her want to confide.
“Is it Coventry?”
When she nodded, he gave her a sympathetic smile and rose to his feet. She stood as well, her hand still clasped by his, and for a long moment, they simply looked at each other without either uttering a word. Eventually, he took a step back and bowed over her hand, kissing her knuckles at the exact same moment the door to the parlor opened and Coventry walked in.
His eyes found Amelia before shifting to Mr. Lowell who presently straightened himself and released her hand. All pleasantness vanished from Coventry’s features in a second. He marched forward with a glower.
“What the hell is going on here?” he asked in that same angry tone Amelia had now grown accustomed to having directed at her.
“Nothing for you to concern yourself with,” Mr. Lowell said. He stepped around the duke and headed for the door. Pausing there, he looked back at Amelia. “Thank you, my lady. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.”
