That title had been tacked on, almost flippantly, and reminded him of the way she’d screamed his name only a few hours before.
“A turn about the gardens, perhaps, my lady?” He tried to keep his tone mild, hoping she understood he wanted to go someplace private for the discussion they were sure to require.
“The gardens boast some interesting statuary.” It wasn’t exactly an agreement, but he took it as such.
“Shall I meet you there?”
“Why bother?” When he glanced at her, Athena’s head was held high, her jaw tight. “Everyone here already thinks me a doxy. They will assume I am off for a private rendezvous with a handsome, eligible man, and?—”
“Think less of you?” he murmured.
Her eyes flashed with surprise as she glanced at him, then away. “I doubt that is possible, Yer Grace.”
Well, to hell with them. He was the bloody Duke of Cashard, and tonight, he had the arm—and attention—of a beautiful woman. Let them say whatever the hell they wanted to say.
Head held high, he marched Athena right out of that ballroom, and he swore he felt her relax just the tiniest bit.
Until they stepped out onto the balcony.
She led the way toward the marble steps. “As I recall, the gardens are this way.”
The gardens. The perfect place for a private rendezvous with a very eligible young lady. Or, in this case, what Cash was certain would turn into a fight he wasn’t sure he wanted to win.
Trying to make polite conversation instead, he cleared his throat. “You haven’t spent much time at this estate?”
“This isnae the first houseparty the Countess has hosted.” In the soft light from the ballroom windows, he saw her roll her eyes. “My family, as the local gentry, is always invited, and since my father would do anything to impress Lady Dumpkins, my brothers and I have been forced to attend as many events as we can stand. This year…”
She shrugged as they stepped into the formal garden, and he had the sense she was also trying to make desperate conversation, to avoid the fight they both knew was coming.
So he offered, “I haven’t seen you at any of the events. Obviously.”
One corner of her lips twitched wryly. “Because ye have only bothered to join the party for the evening events, by which time I am tucking Callan into bed. Still, I was pleased to make some new friends. I introduced Olive to my brother Phineas.”
Cash hummed in encouragement, pleased she’d been open about her family to him, even if she hadn’t told him her father’s position. “The anthropologist?”
“Archaeologist,” she corrected. “And Olive is just as obsessed as he is, bless her. And I met the Oliphant sisters—nae relation…well, possiblysomerelation, a dozen generations ago. The Oliphants are a big clan, after all. Tiffany is the gorgeous one wearing red tonight; she is engaged to my brother Lysander. Her younger sister Ember—an incredibly talented artist, works with metal—also found love this summer, with my newest brother Max.” She was ticking names off her fingers. “Their other sister Bonnie is a bit of a wallflower?—”
“I remember her.” Bonnie was the name of the woman he’d danced with last week. “She wants to buy a publishing house—she asked me for funding.”
“Aye.” This time Athena’s smile was almost fond as they strolled along the dark walks. “I dinnae ken if she needs the funding any longer, since I paid her a king’s ransom for a…” Her lips snapped closed and she turned away slightly so he couldn’t see her expression. “Never mind. She isnae interested in marriage, is my point.”
“This is the modern age, Athena,” he said softly. “Marriage isn’t the goal ofeverywoman.”
“Like me.”
He felt something deep in his chest clench at her words. Her acknowledgement that what they’d shared, what he’d felt for her…could never be legitimate.
Athena made a sound which might’ve been a sob, but when his gaze snapped to hers, her profile was hard, controlled.She was facing a statue—a classical rendering of a mother and child, which Cash thought was appropriate—but he doubted she was seeing it.
“Marriage cannaebemy goal, Cash,” she said so low he realized he was leaning forward to catch the words. “I learned all about the pleasures of the flesh and chose to bear a son out of wedlock, therefore completely ruining me in the eyes of Society, which are—of course—the ones that matter.” She said the words as if by rote, before whirling back around and piercing him with a dark glare. “I am the most unmarriageable earl’s daughter in Britain.”
She wasn’t wrong. Even he had assumed the worst about her before he’d come to know her.
Of course,afterhe’d come to know her, he’d realized Athena was as perfectly unfettered and unconcerned as he’d hoped she’d be.
LadyAthena Oliphant, you idiot.
Something must’ve showed on his face, because she made a little noise of disgust and looked away. “Ye cannae even argue,Yer Grace.”
