“Kiss you,” she replied.
“I said nothing of kissing.”
A slight blush came to her cheeks. “But you spoke of affection.”
“Those are two different things,” Greydon said with a smirk on his lips. “But I would be happy to kiss you.”
Enid took a step back and dropped her hand. “I am quite fond of you as well, but nothing can come of it.”
“Pray tell, why not?” Greydon asked.
Her eyes grew downcast. “I am still picking up the pieces of my shattered heart from when John abused it.”
“Allow me to help you with that.”
With a shake of her head, Enid said, “You deserve someone who isn’t ruined; someone who can love you with a whole heart.”
“But I choose you.”
Enid gave him a sad smile. “You are everything that I have ever wanted, and if my situation were different, I would be more than happy to accept your tokens of affection.”
Greydon furrowed his brow. “Did I do something wrong?”
“You did nothing wrong,” Enid replied. “John gave me hope with so many promises, and I was so naïve to believe all those things. He broke my heart in such a way that I do not think it will ever recover.”
“I am not John,” Greydon asserted.
“No, you are not, but I can’t risk it; not again,” Enid said.
Greydon ran a hand through his dark hair. “You will find that I am not one to give up so easily.”
“I wish you would because my position will not change, not now, not ever,” Enid asserted. “You are heir to an earldom and need to marry a woman that is above repute.”
“Regardless of what you think I want, it isyouthat I need.”
The tears started rolling down her cheeks but she made no attempt at wiping them away. “I’m sorry, Greydon. I cannot give you what you want.”
Greydon reached into his pocket and removed a handkerchief. He extended it towards her and said, “I do not mean to upset you, my dear. I will drop it… for now. But I am determined to make you my wife.”
Enid used the handkerchief to wipe away the tears. “You will be disappointed, then.”
A smile came to Greydon’s lips, as if he were privy to a secret. “I won’t give up so easily, but I will not pressure you to do anything that you don’t want.”
“Thank you,” Enid murmured.
Greydon took a step back and revealed, “I did manage to meet with Lady Eugenie at Newgate.”
“You did?” she asked, grateful for the change in subject. “When was this?”
“I went with Mr. Moore and I do believe she had nothing to do with the murder of my brother,” Greydon said. “But I cannot rule her sister out as a suspect. I must speak to her and I was hoping you would go with me.”
“You suspect Lottie is a murderer?” Enid asked. “That is impossible. She is only seventeen.”
“Age does not preclude her,” Greydon said. “She may have been the last person that saw him alive, or she killed him.”
“I will go with you, but only because I want to prove that Lottie is not capable of murder,” Enid said.
Greydon stepped forward and placed a hand on her arm. “I shall call upon you tomorrow, assuming you are in agreement.”
