“No matter.” He propped his arms behind him and leaned back while glancing toward the spot where Peter had taken a seat next to Heidi. The boy was grinning while Heidi persistently pushed her nose up against him. “I’ve got others.”
“That’s hardly the point.”
“Isn’t it?” He turned to face her, his brown eyes meeting hers with such intense pleasure she lost herself for a moment. “I’m fairly certain I have several pairs for exactly this sort of reason. So I may sacrifice one or two for the most deserving lady of my acquaintance.”
She stared at him, unable to speak. Until he suddenly asked, “Why haven’t you married?”
His question broke the spell and Emily managed to tear her gaze away from his. “That’s a rather personal question.”
“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I’m just curious since you did have your debut six years ago. It’s unusual for a lady to avoid the parson’s mousetrap for so long. Especially when her father’s an earl and she has an impressive dowry.”
“I suppose that’s true,” she admitted. “Something similar could be said about you. Dukes are the ultimate prize on the marriage mart since Prince George is already taken.”
Chuckling, Stratton plucked a piece of grass and fiddled with it between his fingers. “I’m beginning to understand why you kept getting in my way all the time.”
“I never—”
“Admit it. You were secretly trying to trap me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes. You’ve caught me. I wonder how it took you so long to realize I’ve always been mad about you.”
“Had you torn part of your gown while falling at my feet, it might have worked.” He winked and gave her a playful smile. “You’re right though. Some ladies did go to great lengths in their effort to get me leg shackled, but none of their ploys met with success and none of the ladies appealed. Besides, I’m only four and twenty. I’ve got time.”
“True.” She brushed a stray strand of hair from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear.
He said nothing further and she got the impression he was waiting to see if she’d open up about her own reason for not yet tying the knot.
She couldn’t. Not yet. Possibly never.
Their friendship was much too new for her to make herself that vulnerable to him.
6
It rained for the next three days, during which Callum received no word from Lady Emily. They’d made no additional plans to meet once their walk in the park was over, and while he’d considered writing her once or twice, he’d eventually thought it best to let her decide if she wanted to see him and Peter again. The last thing he wanted to do was press her.
Standing by the parlor window, he stared at the wet street beyond. Puddles remained but the rain had ceased, giving way to a hint of sunshine that peeked from between white clouds. Was it wrong of him not to write and tell her he’d had a wonderful time?
No. He’d said so when they’d parted ways. Repeating himself in writing would only make him look desperate. He scrubbed a hand over his jaw. She was just one woman among an entire city full.
Yes, and you weren’t the least bit shaken when that horse nearly ran her over.
“It’s a nice day again,” Peter spoke from behind him. “Can we please ask Lady Emily if we can take Heidi for a walk?”
Callum turned to face him. “I’m sorry, but I think Lady Emily ought to reach out to us next time.”
Peter’s face fell. “Oh.”
“She’s probably busy at the moment. We have to be a bit patient.”
“I understand.” Peter slipped from the room like a weary shadow and Callum muttered a curse.
How was it that he’d been over the moon just a few days before, only to feel like he’d now been denied the source of his future happiness? Bothered by it, he started wishing he’d never run into Lady Emily in the first place. If only Peter hadn’t met Heidi, he’d not have to miss her as well.
It wasn’t right. After everything he’d told her, Lady Emily ought to have written, if for no other reason than to—
“Your Grace?” Dawson, his butler, stood in the doorway. “A letter for you.”
Callum snatched the missive from the salver as though it had just been tossed into a fire and he meant to save it from turning to ash. He thanked the butler and waited until he was gone before tearing the seal on the letter.
