“Is everything all right?”
“It is.”
“You’re not angry with me again?”
“No. I just...” He frowned at her. “Eat, Athena, or your food will get cold.”
She made a huffing sound, but did as he asked. Pleased with her compliance, he finished the remainder of his soup in silence and set his spoon aside. “Perhaps we can play a game of chess after dinner. Or cards, if you prefer.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’m not especially good at strategy games. I wonder... Do you still have your marbles?”
Robert instantly grinned. “Of course. They’re upstairs in my bedchamber.”
“Then I would suggest you fetch them once we’ve completed our meal so we can compete. As I recall, you won the last time we played and I’ve a good mind to change that.”
Amused and, he had to confess, eager to have some fun with her, as soon as the meal was over, Robert went to collect the box of marbles he kept on top of his dresser. They’d been his most prized possession once – a collection that had taken him years of birthdays, Christmases, and pocket money to establish. Arriving in the parlor where Athena waited, he set the box on the floor and sat down beside it. She came to join him and he poured the marbles out onto the carpet.
“This one was always my favorite,” she said, picking up a hand cut agate marble, its high polish making it stand out among the ones made from clay.
“Mine too. It was a gift from my favorite aunt. She’d seen me eye it every time we passed the shop window, so she bought it for me for my birthday. My tenth one, I think.”
Athena chuckled. “Just imagine. It’s as old as I am.”
The comment gave him pause. He glanced at her, at the smile curving her lips, the rosy flush in her cheeks, at how a few stray curls hung over her brow while she studied the rest of his collection. He was ten years her senior. Wanting anything more than friendship from her wasn’t right. It just wasn’t. And yet, he could not deny his feelings. All he could do was hope and pray he’d be good enough for her and that she would not regret marrying him.
He gave himself an inward shake. There was no guarantee she’d accept his hand, but now was not the time to dwell on such detail. Removing a long piece of red ribbon at the bottom of the box, he laid it out in a circular shape and placed all the marbles inside.
“Pick your shooter.Notthat one,” he said when she reached for the agate marble. “That one stays in the middle, to be won by the most skilled player.”
“Oh, all right.” She gave him a cheeky smile followed by a low chuckle and selected a yellow clay marble of medium size. Robert picked out a similar one painted blue. “May I begin?”
“By all means.” Robert watched as she flicked her marble forward with remarkable speed and accuracy, pushing a green marble out of the ring. Athena scooped up both marbles. He narrowed his gaze on her. “You’ve been practicing.”
“I have a niece and nephew now. They love to play.”
“I see.” Robert flicked his own marble and was relieved to find he’d not lost his touch as it pushed two others out of the ring so he could collect them.
They continued to play until the only remaining marble in the ring was the one cut from polished agate. Robert had no doubt he would win it. It was his turn after all, and he wasn’t about toletAthena claim the final prize. She’d had her turn already and missed. Gauging the distance and the speed with which he would have to flick his blue marble, Robert aimed and shot it toward the one made from agate. A gratifying clank sounded as they connected and the blue marble pushed the agate one out of the ring.
“You win,” Athena said, not sounding the least bit put out. She’d always been a good sport.
He picked the marble up so it rested between his thumb and index finger, then turned toward her. “Do I?”
Her eyes met his in question. She glanced at the marble, then back at him. A soft laugh left her. “Of course. You cleared the last marble and you also have the highest count.”
“Athena.” He wasn’t sure what the hell he was doing. Allowing instinct to guide him, he supposed. He held the marble toward her. “I want you to have this.”
She shook her head. “I couldn’t possibly. Robert, it’s your most precious one.”
“Which is why it would mean a great deal to me if it belonged to you.”
Her entire face turned a brilliant shade of red. She shook her head again and then she suddenly stood and backed toward the door. “No. I mean, no thank you.”
He’d rushed her. He could see that now. By revealing his intentions before she was ready, he’d pushed her away. Sitting there on the floor, surrounded by scattered marbles, he cursed himself for his stupidity. Taming a woman like Athena took time; winning her would require a great deal of skill.
#
THE NEXT DAY BROUGHTrelief in several shapes and forms. For one thing, the blizzard had stopped and the sun had come out. Athena would be able to leave Darlington House and return to Foxborough Hall – a point she made sure to get across during breakfast. And for another, Robert remained scarce while the servants worked to clear the front steps and driveway. When she did see him, he treated her cordially, without any hint of wanting to give her more than what she’d come for – an end to six years of guilt and the chance to move on.
