“I’d like that. Good evening, Lord Davies.”
Fletcher quickly ushered her out of the theatre before a firm commitment for another outing could be made. When they returned home, he said, “Miss Parker, I’d like a word with you before you retire.”
“My lord, I’m quite tired this evening. Can it wait until morning?”
Fletcher shook his head. “No. It will only take a moment.”
She nodded and headed into the drawing room.
Fletcher barely kept his anger in check until he got the door closed. He began to lecture her on her inappropriate behavior with Lord Davies. “You put yourself in a compromising position this evening with Davies.If anyone else had happened upon you, you would be ruined. What were you thinking?”
Her eyes flashed with anger, and she lashed out at him. “Do not lecture me, my lord. You’re the one who’s been pushing me to join in the Season’s activities. I’ve done nothing wrong. I must secure a future for myself and my sisters, and that means being in the company of other men who may wish to spend time with me.”
He was shocked that she wanted to marry someone other than him.
“Secure your future?”
“Of course. Isn’t that why young ladies participate in the Season? To find a husband?” she asked, turning on her heel and stalking toward the door.
Fletcher was growing more desperate by the minute. This was not how he’d expected the conversation to go. Miss Parker was walking away from him again, and he couldn’t let this chance to tell her how much he cared for her slip through his fingers.
He reached out and grabbed her arm.
“Let me go!” she cried. “You’ve made it perfectly clear time and time again that you do not care for me.”
Fletcher stepped back as if she’d slapped him, and disappointment wrapped around his core. “How can you say that? Have I not done everything in my power to show you how much I value you?”
“Value me?” she asked, shaking her head. “You may keep your values to yourself, my lord.” With one last tug, she jerked her arm free and began to leave the room.
This was it. It was now or never, before she walked out of his life forever.
“Audrey, stop!” he shouted. He hadn’t planned on using her given name, but he needed to regain her attention and stop her from leaving.
It had the desired effect, and she turned to him, her eyes ablaze with fury. “How dare you! I haven’t given you permission to use my given name.”
“I apologize, but won’t you please stay and listen to what I have to say?” he pleaded. “I beg of you, just listen.”
She relented, but only slightly. “What’s so important to say now that you haven’t said before? I know you’ll be returning to New York soon, so there’s no sense denying it.”
“What? Whatever gave you that idea?”
“I overheard you talking to Beckwith about packing your trunk.”
Jacob rocked back on his heels. Now he understood her anger and dismissal of him. “My dear Miss Parker, you are correct. Seeing as I haven’t secured the services of a valet yet, I did ask Beckwith to pack my trunk, but it was for a trip to Dandridge Manor. I thought it would be a nice family trip to see what the estate looked like.”
“Family trip?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t dream of going there without all of you.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“I would not. Don’t you know how I feel about you?”
She stood stock-still, her eyes searching his face.
He knew if he didn’t tell her now how much he loved and adored her, he would lose her.
She shook her head. “I do not,” she whispered.
