Devlin speared Lady DeVries with his hardest glare. “You will not speak of her in that manner.”
“As much as I respect your family, I hardly think it appropriate for you to advise me on how I may or may not refer to a person of such low moral standing as Lady Cassandra.”
Maybe it was the fact that he’d just gotten off a ship after several months at sea, maybe it was the champagne—though he seriously doubted it, or maybe it was the fact that he’d really enjoyed seeing Cassandra again that finally made Devlin come up with something completely unplanned and, quite possibly, cataclysmic. What he did know was that he could think of only one way in which to give Cassandra the stamp of approval necessary to make this woman regret her words.
Blind with rage and as he’d later admit not entirely clear-headed, he ignored Caleb’s words of warning and leaned toward the baroness. Meeting her gaze with all the hatred he possessed for her at that moment, he said, “It bloody well is when she is to be my wife.”
Chapter 3
The silencethat followed was such that Devlin could hear his own heartbeats.
Thump, thump. Thump, thump.
Oh, dear mother of God, what had he done?
He blinked, startled by the words he’d heard himself speak. And Lady DeVries – her mouth kept opening and closing like a mackerel gasping for air. Which was probably the only reward he would get from his lack of restraint.
Devlin unclenched his fists and leaned back slowly. Now he would have to figure out what to do next. He glanced at Caleb and Monty. Both men stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. And they weren’t entirely wrong. Within a few minutes, Lady DeVries had driven him to madness, and he, foolish man, had allowed her to do so.
“You and Lady Cassandra Moor?” the baroness screeched. Devlin turned to face her. A knot had formed at the base of his throat and his lungs felt horribly constricted. Unable to speak, he nodded.
“Well!” Outrage squeezed her features together in an ugly manner. “And to think I was hoping you’d give your attentions to my Lucinda.” She sniffed with obvious disdain. “Thank you for inviting me here this evening, Camberly. Unfortunately, the company has proven too intolerable for my tastes. I shall see myself out.”
“Please do,” Caleb told her retreating form.
“I don’t suppose there’s a hope in hell of her never mentioning what occurred on this terrace?” Devlin asked once she’d gone.
“It’s unlikely,” Caleb said. “And even if she were to keep silent, the rest of the witnesses probably won’t.”
“What?”
“Did you forget we weren’t the only people out here?” Monty asked.
Devlin turned and saw only his brother and friend. Until they tilted their heads to the left. Certain he was about to have his worst nightmares realized, Devlin looked toward the other side of the terrace. His stomach dropped and his heart stopped beating. Or at least that was how it felt. Because there, off to the side, were no fewer than ten guests, all staring at him in shock.
“Christ.” His hands were trembling, no longer from anger but from panic. “What have I done?” The question kept repeating inside his head. He met Caleb’s solemn expression. “What the hell have I just done?”
“You saved a friend’s reputation,” Caleb told him.
“But at what cost?” He looked to Monty, then back to Caleb. “She’ll never forgive me for this.” And who could blame her when he’d just gone and ruined her life?
“Let’s think about it for a moment,” Caleb suggested. His voice was calm, if a bit strained. “It might not be as terrible as you fear.”
“Marriage can be a wonderful thing,” Monty said, “and considering your longstanding friendship with the lady in question, she might not be averse to the notion of having you for a husband.”
“I’ve actually always imagined the two of you ending up together one day. So has Mary.” Hands in his pockets, Caleb rocked back on his heels and smiled. “Yes, this could quite possibly be a blessing in disguise.”
Devlin could only gape at them both. Apparently Monty thought Cassandra might want this while Caleb had secretly been picturing a love match between him and Cassandra for God knew how long. Frustrated, mostly with himself, he raked his fingers through his hair. Soft, lyrical music drifted onto the terrace. Partially bathed in moonlight, it served as the perfect setting for a big romance, yet it had now become the scene of his greatest blunder.
“Don’t forget,” Caleb said, “giving Cass your name will also help Penelope.”
There was truth to be found in those words. And yet…the optimism they stirred was fleeting. “I don’t want to be tied to England, and that’s precisely what a wife and daughter will do.”
“Something you might have wanted to consider ten minutes ago before you announced your engagement,” Monty said.
Caleb nodded. “Although you do have some options that don’t require being tied down. For one thing, you could take Cass and Penelope with you. Or,” he added when Devlin opened his mouth to protest, “you could leave them here while you head off to sea.”
The second option might work, he supposed, even though he’d always sworn he would never abandon a wife and child for extended periods of time. Monty did it though, so maybe it wouldn’t be nearly as hard as he imagined. Especially since he and Cassandra would not be marrying for love.
