She laughed and waved her hand airily. “I have no idea. He must be in London by now, probably ensconced with his latest mistress.”
“I’m sorry, indeed. He’s left ye behind, then?”
“At my request,” she said with a calculating look in her eyes and a smile that felt more predatory than sincere. “There’s a rather charming young man who has been chasing after me. Gorgeous fellow, but a bit dull.You’dbe much more interesting in bed. I’m staying here tonight. Room twenty-two. I’ll send him away. Join me tonight, won’t you?”
Miranda was in room twenty.
Blessed saints.
Could this get any worse?
Not that he would ever contemplate taking Brianna up on her offer under any circumstances. Whatever had existed between them was long since over—not that there ever had been anything more than mutually convenient sex.
It was bad enough Brianna was lodged right next door to Miranda. He could have finessed that unfortunate circumstance had he any desire to renew his acquaintance with Brianna. But he did not want anything to do with her.
Unfortunately, there was no finessingthisencounter, since Miranda was in the library with them right now, hopefully asleep and oblivious to their conversation.
Lord, he hoped so.
“Come into the dining room and join me for a cup of tea,” he said, trying to guide the unwanted Brianna out of the library before Miranda awoke.
But Brianna was being stubborn and wouldn’t budge until she got her answer.
There was no way in blazes he was going to join her, not even if Miranda weren’t in her chair within arm’s length of them or staying in the room next door to Briana’s.
“Sorry, ye’d better no’ change yer plans for me. I am busy and canno’ join ye.”
She pouted. “You are a beast to force me to console myself with the young man.”
“Is that so terrible for ye? We haven’t seen each other in several years, and I dinna think ye missed me all that much.”
“You’re wrong. I missed you terribly,” she said with that annoying purr, for she was no sweet kitten, and her voice was not soft. Brianna was better described as a ravenous jungle cat. “No one compares to you, Solway. Are you certain you cannot sneak away and join me?”
“Quite certain.” He gave a dismissive nod. “Well, it was nice to see ye again, Brianna. Enjoy yer evening with yer young man.”
She tipped her chin into the air and glowered at him. “You are casting me off?”
The thing about Brianna was that she was not nice. She expected men to fall at her feet and do whatever she demanded of them, but he was never one to take orders from anyone. Their assignations had been hot and wildly passionate, but that was years ago, when he had been thinking with a body part other than his brain.
But a man mellowed with age, did he not? And gained sense.
He certainly had, and now valued a peaceful home life and good companionship over momentary, lustful gratification.
Other than being a hellion in bed, Brianna had no attractive qualities. Even that had grown tiresome, because it was difficult to arouse lust for someone he liked less and less with every encounter.
“Brianna, it is no’ a question of casting anyone off. I am otherwise engaged.”
“Change your plans.”
“No, I am no’ going to indulge yer wishes just because ye are bored.”
She looked angry.
But this was Brianna, was it not? Demanding. Unforgiving. Not to mention unkind to her staff. In fact, this rankled him more than any of her other unattractive qualities. He did not like the way she treated those in her employ, as though they were no better than dirt beneath her feet. She took pleasure in abusing them, and this disgusted him.
She had laughed and dismissed his concerns when he had chided her about it. He chose not to belabor the point because she was just the sort to take it out worse on her already-beleaguered staff.
Since he had already been losing interest in her, he quickly resolved to disentangle himself from her as fast as possible. He had done so and never regretted it.
