“I suppose he is.” His wife agreed, adding to his resentment. “But he is too old for you, Elizabeth.” She finished with a troubled frown.
It seemed his wife didn’t want to encourage Elizabeth’s infatuation with Aycliffe. Why? Was she jealous?
“Oh, nonsense. He is not that old. And he looks better than many of the young lords that swarm to my side.”
“Be that as it may, he is thirty-two and you are only eighteen. It is a big difference, Lizzie.”
“Oh, but the younger men are not as... interesting. He has this way of making a woman feel protected, cherished, beautiful.”
Oh, indeed? And when had His Bloody Grace worked his wiles on the women of his family? His scowl was ferocious now.
“Where do you get all these fanciful notions, Elizabeth?”
“Well, he is so sophisticated and knowledgeable, and yet he looks at a woman as if he is hanging on her every word. As if there’s nowhere else he’d rather be than by her side. Like today, for example, when we met him by chance on Bond Street. He dropped all his plans to accompany us from shop to shop, never showing impatience, helping us make the best selections with his impeccable taste and showing us the best places to shop.”
Colin practically rolled his eyes. The guy sounded like a dandy. But of course his sister would find shopping prowess irresistible. But wait. That was not the point, was it? Aycliffe had spent all afternoon with his wife. Working his charms on her. And on his sister.
His teeth bared as feral jealousy consumed him. He would beat the overreaching dandy to a pulp. He would warn him to stay the hell away from his women. Except he couldn’t do that, could he? Aycliffe had done nothing improper, had offered no offense against his honor. If he confronted him over his escorting his wife and sister around the shops, he was going to look like a fool.
With a ferocious scowl, he mounted the steps to his rooms. Damn it all, he wanted to be the one to escort his wife everywhere. He wanted to accompany her to balls and dance with her. Only with her, and have her dance only with him. He wanted to make love to her and hear her cries of ecstasy, not her whimpers of restraint. He wanted her to love him the same way he loved her...He paused mid-step - the realization of his true feelings was a slam to his chest. He shook his head to try to deny it. But try as he may, it was impossible. He couldn’t run from it any more. He was in love with his wife.
Stupidly, absolutely, mindlessly in love with her.
CHAPTER 27
“OH MY DARLING, YOUlook divine!” The countess said, holding her hands to her chest as she contemplated her daughter, all ready for her court presentation. “How I wish I could accompany you!”
Elizabeth skipped over to her mother, no small feat when she was dragging a seven yard train and sported tall ostrich feathers on her head, in accordance with the court requirements.
“Don’t you worry, mama. I’ll be back in a thrice for the presentation tea and I’ll tell you all about it.”
The countess lopsided smile couldn’t quite hide her wistfulness. She held her hand to Abigail. “Thank you so much for all you have done. This wouldn't have been possible without your help.”
“No thanks necessary, Esther. We are a family now. But even if I had not married Colin, I would still consider you and Elizabeth my family. Now we should be off if we don’t want to get stuck in the carriage line.”
Colin met them at the entrance ball. He looked so handsome in his black formal attire, his wild hair slicked back. Personally, she preferred him in the nude, his hair wild and falling over his face as he leaned down to kiss her...
