He wrapped his hand around her upper arm and lowered his face to hers, because he wanted her to look at him, tohearhim. “I would never accuse you of such low behavior. It’s not manipulation, but instinct—a way to protect yourself. It’s easier that way. Easier if no one expects much from you.”
She yanked her arm away. “Youexpect a great deal from me, I think, and you’re not even honest about it. You don’t truly believe I’m remarkable, but you’d try and convince me you do, to drag me through a season and smooth Isla’s way with theton.”
“I don’t deny it started that way, but now, I just…I don’t want to see you cheat yourself this way.” Lachlan blinked, surprised to find it was true. Somehow, after their call this afternoon, his feelings for Hyacinth Somerset had become more complicated.
Her eyes narrowed to blue slits. “I don’t believe you. Ass is too kind a word for you, Mr. Ramsey. That is, youarean ass, but you’re a scoundrel, as well!”
“I don’t deny that, either.” Maybe he was a scoundrel, because instead of the regret he should feel at having provoked her into a fury, fierce satisfaction shot through Lachlan. “You’ve a quick temper, Miss Somerset. What happens when it’s unleashed? Whatever it is, I doubt it’sdelicate.”
Her hands clenched into fists. “Whatever you may think, I’d never lie to my family, or hurt them in such an unforgiveable way.”
“No. Anyone can see how much you care for them. But you’d hurt yourself. You’d lie to yourself.”
As soon as he said them, Lachlan could see she recognized his words as the truth. The angry color faded from her cheeks, leaving her alarmingly pale.Damn it.He dragged his hand through his hair, regret heavy inside his chest. He hadn’t meant to hurt her, only to make her understand. “I beg your pardon. I shouldn’t have said—”
He wouldn’t have believed she could move so quickly. One moment she was standing with her back to the wall, staring up at him with burning eyes, and the next she’d skirted around him, and darted out of the alcove.
He caught her arm, alarmed at the bleak expression on her face, and eased her back against the wall. “Listen to me. I should never have said that. I’m sorry I did.” But he didn’t take it back, and he didn’t say he hadn’t meant it. He wasn’t going to lie to her. “I’d take care of you,” he murmured. “If you did go ahead with your season. I’d take care of you.”
She let out a bitter laugh. “I don’t even know what that means, Mr. Ramsey.”
“I mean in the same way I take care of Isla.” His feelings for Hyacinth Somerset weren’t what he’d callbrotherly, but it didn’t matter. He had no intention of acting on them. “I may be an ass and a scoundrel, but like most brothers, I’m protective of my sister. Maybe more so than most brothers. Just ask Isla.”
She shook her head, her mouth tight. “I don’t need your protection. I have Finn.”
“You can’t have too many protectors. If you do this for Isla, in turn I swear to protect you from whatever it is you’re afraid of.”
She looked into his eyes then, and hers were shadowed with an emotion that tugged at something deep inside his chest. “I’m afraid of everything, Mr. Ramsey, including myself. How do you intend to protect me from that?”
The sadness in her voice made his breath catch. An unfamiliar urge to soothe her made him move closer—so close he inhaled each of her frantic breaths into his own lungs.
Or maybe it wasn’t about soothing her. Maybe he just wanted to touch her again. He reached out to stroke her cheek, or caress the curve of her lower lip, but as his hand drew closer to her face, her eyes widened with alarm. “Mr. Ramsey?”
He forced his hand back down to his side.
Brotherly.
It was better if he forgot her skin was even softer than it looked, better if he didn’t know if her lips would feel like velvet under his thumb.
When he made no further move toward her, she slid a few inches away from him, her back still pressed to the wall. “Even if you could protect me, I wouldn’t accept your help. I don’t trust you.”
Lachlan said nothing to this, because there was nothing hecouldsay. He knew well enough he hadn’t given her any reason to trust him.
So he did the only thing he could do. He stepped aside to let her pass.
She darted away from him and hurried down the hallway, her skirts billowing out behind her. Lachlan watched her go, half-hoping…
But in the next breath she’d disappeared around the corner, without looking back.
Chapter Eight
Hyacinth tucked a fold of the pale blue silk between her thumb and finger and held it against Isla’s waist. “An inch at least, I think.” She cocked her head from one side to the other, assessing the bodice of the gown with a critical eye. “Perhaps an inch and a half, but no more than that, or she won’t be able to breathe.”
Madame Bell made the sort of derisive noise only London’s most sought-after French modiste could get away with, and marched toward Isla with an air of ruthless determination. “Non. Two inches.” She plucked at the back of the gown, pinching until she found another scant half inch of loose silk. “The gown must be tight here, see? Mademoiselle can breathe after the ball has ended.”
Hyacinth gave Isla a wry smile, then turned to her grandmother, who was ensconced in her favorite chair, with a tufted ottoman under her feet and a plate of biscuits at her elbow. “What’s your opinion, Grandmother? A comfortable inch and a half for Miss Ramsey’s bodice, or two inches, and a fainting fit before supper is served?”
Lady Chase popped a biscuit into her mouth. “I advise you to listen to Madame Bell. She knows what she’s about, and in any case, Miss Ramsey’s corset will be tighter thanthat.”
