But I didn’t think the engagement made him stiffen. He knew what I thought of his father. I’d spoken of him terribly that wholesummer, and I’d even made my thoughts known when I’d seen David two days ago. David wasn’t worried about the two of us—he was worried about my reaction to whom he’d been raised by. He should have told me, yet after all he’d done for me, I couldn’t let him worry about that.
“I suppose I don’t think about David’s father when I think about David,” I said. “They are two very different people.”
David’s shoulders relaxed, and his head turned slowly toward me. I could see he wanted to say something to me, but we couldn’t talk, not with the Prestons and Mama here. Instead, he turned to Mama. “My father is almost never in Breckenridge anymore. I’m not even certain you will have to meet him.”
The two of us were talking in code, and the only person in the room who seemed to be following it was David’s sister.
“And your brother?” Mama asked. At least one of us had the foresight to learn a bit more about David’s family.
“Garrett lives in London. Both he and my father have left the everyday handling of Tate Hall in my care for the time being.”
“But they will be at the wedding,” Mama said with a smile. “We will meet them then, if not before.” David gave a terse nod, and my suspicions about how he felt about his father were more than confirmed. But he needed to get that scowl off his face if we were going to convince anyone of our happiness.
I stepped away from Mama and back to his side. With a deep breath, I pulled his hand into my own and smiled large enough for both of us.
It might be ridiculous, but we had to at least pretend to be happy, and if he couldn’t do it at the moment, the least I could do was try to make up for his momentary stumble.
His hand was warm, his calloused fingers a deeper puzzle now that I knew he was the son of a viscount. He didn’t look at me, but he closed his hand over mine tighter than I’d expected, as if he werefloating out to sea and I was the only one keeping him grounded on the shore.
But Mama soon tore our connection apart. She hadn’t forgotten it was her turn to speak with David alone. My face heated. She was going to be only too happy to tell him of my dowry and inheritance, both quite a bit more than would be assumed given our current state of affairs.
Based on the way David had scoffed at Mr. Green’s income, perhaps those things wouldn’t impress him though.
Mr. and Mrs. Preston did most of the talking while Mama and David were gone. I tried to engage Miss Tate in conversation, but she kept her eyes on the door to the library, looking worried. Did she think Mama would be negotiating a marriage contract that would favor only us?
It wasn’t the most promising beginning to the friendship I’d promised David I’d work on.
Finally, the door opened, and Mr. and Mrs. Preston rushed toward Mama and David.
During the excitement, Miss Tate grabbed my wrist. I turned to her, and she spoke low. “Two days ago, David came home whistling. He threw himself on the sofa next to me and said two words.” Her eyes flashed to her brother and then back to me. “Do you know what those words were?”
“No.” Two days ago would have been when we’d met each other at the oak tree.
“She’s back.”
“Oh.”
“That’s all he said, but I knew. I knew from his grin and the bounce in his step. I knew from the reverent and euphoric way those words slid from his tongue that he was talking about you. And so help me, if you hurt my brother, Anna Atwood, God may have mercy on you, but I never will.”
Every early impression I’d had of Miss Tate evaporated at her threat. Her stormy eyes fixed on mine with a fierce, uncowering steadiness. She was quiet, yes, and perhaps even wary of people, but she was not timid, nor was she weak, at least not where her brother was concerned.
I blinked. “I don’t want to hurt him.”
“I’m sure you don’t, but I’m not certain that means you won’t. And David has been hurt enough for three lifetimes.”
Before I could say anything else—not that I had any idea what to say—everyone was back in the drawing room, and Miss Tate was looking forward as if she hadn’t said anything. What kind of precarious position had I put myself in? It was getting more complicated by the minute.
David had made it seem so simple when I’d agreed to the engagement, but Miss Tate’s reaction had me wondering if he’d brushed aside concerns we should have considered. I wasn’t worried he would be hurt because he would fall for me. He might have some fondness for the person I’d been at seventeen, but it would be easy work for him to discover I was no longer that bright and hopeful young lady. Was she worried I would hold him to an engagement and hurt him in that manner? Or ruin his chances with other eligible and younger women in the future? He had a reputation to uphold—he was the son of Lord Murphy, for heaven’s sake.
Mr. Preston pushed David down into a seat opposite me. Mine and David’s eyes locked, but there was nothing we could say with everyone present. Conversation got loud, thanks to Mama and the Prestons, but neither of us seemed to be following what they were talking about.
David and I needed to speak with one another. Desperately. We’d only just been allowed a private conversation, but we needed another one. Ours was not a love match or even a match at all, but I couldn’timagine there had ever been two people who’d only just become engaged who longed for time alone together more than we did.
It was already dark outside when Mama and I took our leave, but the path to the cottage was short, so we declined Mr. Preston’s escort. David looked with longing at the path leading toward the cottage, but he had his sister to attend to.
And if he was willing to become engaged to me in order to help Miss Tate, he wasn’t about to leave her alone with the Prestons while he saw Mama and me home.
Instead of offering his services, he lowered his mouth to my ear in farewell. “I’m sorry, Anna. I promise you, you will never have to see him.” He didn’t have to explain whomhemeant. And then before David pulled away, he sealed his promise by pressing a soft kiss high on my cheekbone.
