“Now wait a minute,” Thea said, ready to explain herself, but Lady Carpsley stepped forward, her eyebrows so high on her forehead they seemed to reach her hairline.
“This is scandalous.Shocking. We now know why you kept steering Lord Lyon away from our daughter.”
“That is not true—,” Thea attempted to say.
“I can’t believe my father brought me here,” Lady Lila cut in with a woebegone voice.
“I shouldn’t have,” Lord Corkindale agreed. “This is disgraceful. And I thought you were a woman of moral character,” he said to Thea.
Neal stepped forward, his fist doubling, but Thea herself pulled him back. “Don’t you talk to me about character,” Thea said to Lord Corkindale.
“And don’t you lecture me,” he returned.
“Ihave seen enough,” Lady Montvale said, her voice carrying over the others. “Mrs. Martin, you have much to answer for.”
“And I will,” Thea said. The color had drained from her face at her ladyship’s censure. “If you will all just hear me out—”
“Idon’t think any of us should listen to you,” Lady Lila stated. “This is not the first time you’ve shown poor form, is it now? You have a history of it. I heard someone suggest you weren’t really a widow. That there was never a Mr. Martin—”
Neal could contain himself no longer.“That is enough.”
His words served to quiet Lady Lila. Sheblinked as if just realizing he was present and she retreated back a step, but the society matrons were not so easily cowed.
Lady Montvale spoke. “My lord, I have the highest regard for you. You are a man, after all, and given a man’s appetites, there will be, how do we say it? Ah,peccadilloes. But Mrs. Martin has surprised us all. Against our better judgment we involved ourselves with her. And we are now dismayed by her behavior. However, this doesn’t mean we hold disapproval ofyou. We still think ofyouas an excellent suitor for our daughter’s hand—”
“AsIdo,” Lord Corkindale interjected, “for Lila. Quite a pair you are. Handsome couple.”
“You have lovely daughters, but, unfortunately, I have been taken off the market,” Neal heard himself say. He reached for Thea and gathered her protectively against his body. “Mrs. Martin has just honored me by accepting my proposal of marriage.”
If the roof of the house had fallen in, the gathering in front of him could not have looked more shocked. Including Thea. She rocked back. Her head swung up to stare at him as if he’d gone mad.
Maybe he had ... and he wasn’t sorry for it.
But for the first time in his memory, he wasacting according tohiswishes,hiswants,hisdesires.
Freedom was a heady thing.
Neal took advantage of the silence. “I hope, Lord and Lady Montvale, that you will treat my soon-to-be wife with the respect and courtesy she deserves. Lord Corkindale, Lady Lila, I register your disappointment.” He noticed that Sir James and the Pomfreys had also joined the group. They had been walking toward their rooms when they had noticed the crowd in his hall. “James, wish me well. Mrs. Martin has agreed to be my wife.”
The more Neal said it, the more the idea took hold with him. Perhaps it was the aftereffect of the kiss. Or perhaps it was because now Thea wouldn’t have to worry about money, or where her son would be going to school. He would take care of them. He would be their protector ... and her lover—
“I am not marrying him,”Thea said. “Don’t listen to his rubbish.” She shoved Neal away from her with all she was worth and walked through the dumbfounded crowd and out the door.
In all his imaginings, Neal had never considered that someone would turn down his offer of marriage. Not once.
And Thea needed him.Her sonsneeded him.
“I’llmarry you,” Lady Lila announced.
Neal batted the offer away with his hand, her words as insistent and inconsequential as a black fly. “Excuse me,” he murmured, and went after Thea.
Chapter Ten
Thea knew Neal followed. She could feel his heavier steps behind her. She began running for her room, her bare feet pounding the floor. She almost mowed down a maid as she raced around the corner. She didn’t stop to apologize. She ran to the haven of her room and slammed the door, throwing her back against it, her heart pounding in her chest.
Nessa had lit the bedside table lamp. The room, with its rumpled bed, looked so peaceful. She should never have left it. Who would have predicted such a strange chain of events would uproot her world?
She was ruined. Destroyed ... unless she could think of something to say that would erase this terrible evening from the minds of some of theton’sleading personages. She pushed away from the door and started pacing in an anxious circle—
