“Only to me it appears.”
She stopped smiling. “I’m so sorry. What has he done?”
This time he grinned. “He attached himself to me the first day and nothing I do will convince him I am better off without his company. This evening, he tried to accompany me.”
Thea laughed again, a light tinkling sound that caused Dom to puff his chest out, just a little. He wasn’t sure any lady had ever been truly amused by him before.
“I take it your butler was able to stop Cyrille?”
“Only by the expedient of grabbing him by the neck.” Her eyes flew wide and he hastened to explain. “I assure you, it did no injury to the kitten. I am told that is what their mothers do.”
Her face fell for a moment. “I wonder what happened to her. The kittens are only a few weeks old.”
“I doubt we’ll find out, unless those boys come with another bag of cats.” If they’d not been in the middle of a crowded dance floor, Dom would have pulled her into his arms to comfort her. He gave himself a shake for thinking such thoughts.
“Perhaps they will and then we could have one of the servants follow the lads.”
He did not know another lady who had as much compassion as she had. “Do you try to save everything?”
“When I’m able to, yes.” She worried her bottom lip, obviously thinking of the kittens. “I believe it is our duty to help others, including animals.”
Duty. There was that word again. Was he ignoring his obligations by dancing with Thea, knowing he should not consider marrying her? His uncle would be appalled, yet Dom had never had so much fun or been so drawn to a woman.
Thea lit corners of his soul he had thought permanently darkened. All he wanted to do was crush her to him and kiss her, run his hands over her body and make her his.
After tonight, he could not see her again. He would find some excuse to return to his estate. Worthington was right. If he remained in Town, he’d not be able to stay away from her, and that was not fair to her. Her father had probably spent a great deal to bring her out with hopes she’d find a proper match. And it could not be him.
Dom’s stomach twisted at the idea of her in another man’s bed, but she was everything his uncle had warned him against. No fortune, not of the peerage, and a reformer. Why did he want her so badly?
“After all,” she said, “most people do not choose to be in a bad position.”
Her beliefs were the exact opposite of those his uncle had taught him. Yet, rather than debating her, he nodded. When the dance ended, he escorted her to the supper room, bracing himself as they joined his cousin.
Worthington had insisted Merton and Thea sit with them for supper. Other than their political differences, he had no idea why Worthington was so upset about Dom accompanying her. After he’d had time to give it some thought, his attention to Thea could be passed off as doing his cousin a favor. Therefore Worthington had no reason to berate Dom. He didn’t like his cousin’s attitude one bit.Confound it.He was one of the most eligible gentlemen on the Marriage Mart. Worthington had no right to treat him as if he was a penniless rogue.
At the end of the evening, Dom retrieved his mother and cousin, bid his hostess good-bye, went home to his well-appointed library, and poured a brandy with the intention of sorting out his muddled thoughts. Still smarting from Worthington’s Turkish treatment, Dom scowled into his glass. Perhaps it was for the best. He had a duty to marry well, despite how much he was coming to like Thea.
A pair of laughing green eyes hovered in his mind.
Hell.
He tossed off the tumbler of brandy and slammed the glass on the table.
A footman adding wood to the fire, jumped. “You all right, my lord?”
Merton clenched his teeth. “Never better.”
Rising, he left the room, resisting the urge to slam the door. Taking his temper out on servants would not do, but hitting someone would help. Tomorrow, he’d go to Jackson’s Boxing Parlor.
* * *
The next morning, carrying through on his promise to himself, Dom sparred with one of Jackson’s most promising young fighters. Stripped to the waist and barefooted, Dom exchanged blow for blow. Sweat poured down his face and into his eyes. When he and his opponent were both winded, but refused to quit, Jackson himself called a halt to the bout.
“That’s enough for today, my lord.” The former champion removed Dom’s gloves. “Don’t know what’s happened, but I’ve never seen you display more to the advantage. Pity you’re a gentleman.”
He nodded to Jackson and took a towel one of the boys handed him. Despite how well he’d done, it hadn’t helped. All the frustration he had experienced last night was still present. After he changed, he made his way back home.
As he handed Paken his hat and cane, Dom turned to go to his study and almost tripped over Cyrille. “What do you want now?”
