“What?”
“When I return toward the end of the year, we can revisit the issue.”
She stared at him in horrified silence while his words sank in. “But I shall be Lady Croft’s companion by then. Unmarried and with you out of the country, I’ll not be able to avoid it.”
“I know, but companionship isn’t permanent, Louise. Not in the way marriage is. So as long as you remain unwed, everything will be fine. We can be together eventually, if that is what you still want by then.”
“Of course it will be.” He wasn’t making an ounce of sense. In fact, he was ruining everything and while she understood his desire to meet with Von Gräfe, she could not comprehend the ease with which he seemed willing to leave her behind. “It is what I want right now.”
“While that may be true, I need you to be absolutely certain, Louise. I need you to think about everything you stand to lose and how your life will be forever changed the moment you speak your vows to me. Given my increased age and the fact that I have some experience in being a social outcast, I feel a responsibility toward you - a duty to stop you from making a serious error in judgment based solely on emotion.”
She shook her head. This wasn’t happening. She could not possibly go from being happier than she’d ever been before to the most dejected state she’d ever endured. “Please don’t do this.”
“I’m sorry, Louise, but as hard as it is, I believe it is for the best. Don’t you see? I’m doing this because I care about you. If I didn’t, I’d compromise you here right now and be done with it. Your father would have no choice then.”
It was as if every dream she’d ever allowed herself to have was slipping between her fingers. Her heart ached and her eyes stung. Her vision began to blur as tears forced their way past her lashes. “I love you, Marcus, and no amount of time we spend apart will ever change that.”
“I hope not,” he said as he drew her into his warm embrace and held her close. “Because I love you too. More than I ever imagined loving anyone. I just have to know that I’m not dragging you into something you’ll later wish you could escape. That’s all.”
As much as she wanted to rail against him, it made no sense to argue when he was being so bloody reasonable. So rather than make any further attempts to sway him, she simply held on for as long as he would allow. And when they finally stepped apart once more, she said the only thing that was proper. “I hope you have a safe journey, Marcus, and that your time in Berlin will be valuable to you.”
“Thank you.”
He closed the distance one final time and kissed her, more thoroughly than ever before, until she was rendered breathless, and until she knew the memory of his lips upon hers would remain with her forever.
“Good God,” Papa announced two days later during breakfast while scanning a missive the butler had just delivered. “You are by far the luckiest girl in the world, Louise.”
Her name brought her thoughts away from Marcus. He would be on his way to Dover right now. Numbed by the awful awareness, she sipped her tea and looked at her father. “I must confess, I have never felt moreunlucky.”
“Honestly, Louise, your ungratefulness is unbecoming.” Papa glared at her as if she were the biggest nuisance he’d ever had to suffer.
“Being Lady Croft’s companion and having to socialize with Lady Deidre will be a nightmare, Papa.”
“Then it is fortunate for you that you will no longer be forced to do so,” he said with an unnerving gleam in his eyes. He gave the crisp piece of paper he held a small wave.
“What’s going on?” Mama asked with a keen interest Louise decidedly lacked.
Whatever her father was going on about now, instinct told her it wouldn’t be good.
“Apparently, contrary to our belief, our lovely daughter here has drawn some unexpectedly desirable notice.” The edge of his mouth lifted to form a satisfied smile. “It seems the Earl of Scarsdale has become interested in her, now that she’s no longer spoken for by Mr. Fairbanks.”
Mama blinked while Louise sank further into her seat. “For his son?”
“No.” Papa chuckled as if his wife’s comment was quite hilarious. “For himself!”
Louise promptly choked and sputtered as her last sip of tea went down the wrong way. Just when she thought things couldn’t get worse, she found her way into the next level of hell.
“He’s rather old, don’t you think?” Mama asked with a swift glance in Louise’s direction.
Louise coughed and drank some more tea in an effort to recover her ability to breathe, though why she bothered she wasn’t sure. Compared with marrying a man well into his seventies, suffocation was surely a more acceptable option.
“He’s an earl,” Papa said, the humor he’d showed before now replaced by annoyance.
“I shan’t marry him,” Louise managed with a hoarse croak.
“You will do exactly as I say,” Papa exploded, his face contorting as it turned an angry shade of red. “The time to humor your fanciful notions is over. We tried that once, if you’ll recall, only to have you change your mind on a whim.”
“What are you talking about?” Louise asked even though she dreaded her father’s answer.
