She didn’t want to get into a personal conversation withhim. It made her want him to reach over and touch her cheek, slip his arms around her waist, and hug her close to his strong, wide chest and wrap her in his arms.
Denying her desires, and returning to a safe subject, she asked, “Are the contracts for Paxton ready? If you don’t mind me asking?”
“You can ask me anything, Loretta. They’re ready. My solicitor will be sending them over to the earl’s. I expect his lordship will want some adjustments. That will be fine. I’ll do them to make him happy.”
She nodded. “And that will make you happy.”
“I know you don’t want to believe it but pleasing Adele has always been important to me. She’s in London with me,” he added.
“I didn’t know. Perhaps I’ll get to see her.”
“I’ll make sure you do. She’d like that, too. She and I had a long talk after Paxton’s last visit.”
“He told me.”
“But perhaps you don’t know that she’s agreed to attend the Season before they marry.”
“No, I didn’t know, of course. I’m glad, but—perhaps a little confused, too. I mean, will you still go ahead with plans for the betrothal contracts?”
“Yes. I want everyone to know she’s engaged. This has been my goal since we met, as you know.” He moved closer to her.
“How could I forget that?” she stated ruefully.
He walked closer still. “I also told her she’s free to revoke the engagement at any time for any reason. If she falls madly in love with someone during the Season or even if she’s standing in front of the altar, with the church filled with people and she’s about to sayI do, she is still free to change her mind and there will be no unfavorably repercussions. Your brother is free to change his mind, too.Though, I won’t look as favorably on him as I will Adele, if he decides to do so.”
Loretta’s heart swelled with gratitude. “You told her that?”
He nodded.
“I don’t know what to say other than that’s most uncommon and very generous and understanding of you.”
“Though I detest having to admit it, there is one thing your uncle has taught me. I learned from him that people should be allowed to change their minds without being punished for the decision for the rest of their lives.”
Loretta suddenly wanted to hug Hawk tightly, but knowing the folly of doing so in her uncle’s home, she simply said, “He taught me something as well.”
Hawk questioned her with his expression.
“How much easier it is to live with forgiveness in your heart than with bitterness.”
“That shows how strong you are,” Hawk said.
She wasn’t feeling very strong at the moment. In fact, she was feeling extremely weak against her loving feelings for the duke. She was very near to the point of rushing him and burying her face in his neck and the consequences be damned.
Hawk moved close enough he could have touched her cheek. “You’ve always known if Paxton married Adele he would have enough income to provide for you. That you could leave Mammoth House and your uncle’s control, yet you have always talked against this marriage and tried to keep the betrothal from going forward. Why, when it would have made your life so much easier to bear?”
She inhaled softly and enjoyed being so close to Hawk. “My fate was set long ago, and as lonely as it has been at that large stone house, I knew that if I couldn’t be happy, I wanted to do my best to see that Paxton would be.”
“I want you happy, too, Loretta.”
Hawk reached to touch her cheek just as she heard her uncle lumbering down the corridor. She stepped away from Hawk just as the earl walked into the room with a grunt, a limp, and a surprised look in Loretta’s direction.
“Your Grace,” the earl said and bowed.
“Earl,” Hawk answered. “Miss Quick just walked in and offered refreshment. I told her I couldn’t stay. I only stopped in because I was out. I wanted to let you know that the contracts of marriage were delivered to your solicitor this morning.”
“Ah. That’s good to hear. Thank you for letting me know,” her uncle said, stretching his leg out straight as he eased into an upholstered armchair with a fair amount of huffing and puffing. “Loretta, get me that stool to prop my foot on.”
“Yes, of course, Uncle.” She reached for the stool but Hawk grabbed it first and positioned it to where her uncle could use it.
