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Tobias strolled to the side mantle and poured himself a splash of brandy, which he downed in one swallow, then he poured another before walking over to his desk. He lowered himself onto the edge with his legs sprawled. Livvie was not fooled. She could feel the tension vibrating from him. She was grateful for his restraint.
“My sister is now ruined and you encouraged her in her fancy,” he murmured.
“The letter says they are to be married,” she said softly, though her heart was twisting. How would they weather the scandal to come? What if someone had recognized her before they were married? Livvie pressed fingers to her pounding forehead. Even when they were recovered it would be perceived as a disaster. The daughter of an earl married to a commoner.
She met Tobias’s gaze and faltered. He was glaring at her with accusation and what seemed like contempt. “Their marriage—”
His hard mouth curved faintly. “And are you naive enough to believe marriage will render my sister respectable after she slipped away in the night with…Mr. Browning, a man who is obviously a debauched fortune hunter, unchaperoned?” The glass filled with amber liquid snapped between Tobias’s fingers, betraying the depth of his fury. With cool aplomb, he dusted away the shards, placed the remnants of the broken glass on the desk beside him, then withdrew a handkerchief and cleaned his bloody fingers.
Her heart jolted at the controlled anger evident in his actions. She looked to the broken crystal and swallowed. The rumors she had heard hinted at a terrible temper, though she had yet to see it. Not that she believed him to be good-natured and amiable, but certainly not as fearsome as a few of the ladies had hinted at behind their fans at the last ball. In fact, the man before her now appeared as if his emotions were locked away in a cold, remote place inside of him. “You’re bleeding, Tobias,” she said as ruby drops settled on the peach carpet.
“It’s negligible.”
She glanced up into dark eyes. “Let me assist you.”
“A small cut is not important in the circumstances, countess.”
“I am truly regretful Francie acted in such a ruinous manner. I do believe her to genuinely love Mr. Browning and that he holds a strong attachment for her. I cannot credit she could—”
“Since our acquaintance, you have continually courted the edge of propriety. With her willful action, my sister has shown she has little respect for her stance in society or the power of scandal that has already gutted our family. Your stupidity in believing in love and fairytales are what prompted my sister to act in such a wanton and reckless manner.”
Anger stirred in Livvie’s breast. “I—”
He pushed from the desk and prowled closer. “From the moment I saw your reckless and unseemly influence I should have moved to reduce your effect on her,” he snapped.
Tears burned in her eyes, and she brushed aside the uneasiness his words triggered. “I assure you, I did nothing but advise your sister to act according to her heart. I told her to inform you of the attachment she formed. I never imagined she would elope. I would have advised her against it, Tobias.”
The coldest green eyes considered her. “The deed has been done. Now I must once again work to fix my family’s foolish behavior.”
“If they are already married—”
“I assure you, I will not allow such a marriage to stand. I will ensure a legal declaration is made to a solicitor of law and then the magistrate will sign all relevant documents.” He was, in this moment, the epitome of a man sure of his strength.
“And if Francie truly loves him and he her?”
“With
out her inheritance or monetary support from her family, his supposed love will wither,” he said with cutting scorn.
A pang sliced through her heart as she recalled one of Francie’s passionate assurances as she’d spoken about her mysterious suitor.
He loves me, Livvie, truly. We are two souls connecting as one.
“Would you prefer your sister to be trapped in a loveless marriage, one without any genuine affections and respect? Is it truly better for Francie to be wedded to a man who has no regard for her beyond her fortune, but because he is a lord, the marriage is a good match?” Livvie demanded, shocked by his pronouncement.
“Yes.”
She jerked. “You are cruel. It was ill judged of Francie to act in such a ruinous manner, but I believe she was being true to her heart. Mr. Browning has been your steward for some time. Should you not know the manner of man he is, and know whether Francie will be cared for?”
A hard, cynical smile twisted his lips. “I know exactly the kind of man he is, and I am still trying to decide if I will kill him when I recover my sister.”
Alarm filled her. “Please tell me what you know.”
“I am leaving. I must find my sister, have the ridiculous marriage annulled, and squash a scandal. It’s best when I return that you are at another of my estates.”
She recoiled. What? “You’re sending me away?”
“It is wise, countess, for you to be elsewhere for a while. Your presence is not calming or reassuring, for I have been envisioning wringing your pretty little neck and am doing my damnedest to convince myself otherwise,” he growled, the anger burning his eyes even greener.
