Instead, he faced the clouds floating above, which hid the waxing moon and obscured the sharp planes of his face.
“I believe I owe you an apology,” he finally said as he rested both palms on the balustrade.
“What?” I asked, still slightly disoriented while feeling one traitorous lone tear drip down my jawline. I brushed it away as quickly as I could.
“I am asking for your forgiveness for my rudeness many years ago. Worse, I teased you mercilessly during our first introduction. Pulled your curls, if I remember.”
“Yes.” I sniffed, hoping he didn’t see any further evidence of me crying. “Yes, you did. I slapped you for it, and as a result, I missed both supper and dessert that night.”
He pivoted toward me. “A horrible punishment, especially considering my role in it.”
I shrugged. “I missed lemon syllabub, I believe. Quite disappointing.”
The moon broke free of its tether in the clouds, providing just enough illumination for me to see Mr. Sinclair swallow. Hard.
“And you are disappointed now?” His voice sounded almost rough.
A challenge, unspoken but palpable, hung in the air between us. I refused to back down—not from him, not tonight. He had the powerto shape my future, to claim a role in a life I had barely begun to live. I couldn’t let him believe I would surrender so easily.
“Were you aware of this arrangement between our grandfathers? I confess, I only heard a few months ago that I would marry you and forgo a London season.”
His lips tilted in a lopsided smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I was told just over six months ago to leave for Britain and give a defense within Parliament of company policies in order to retain my position.” His hands tightened on the balustrade. “But that was not all. My inheritance was made conditional—tied to marrying you. It was made clear that if I refused... I’d lose everything my family spent generations building.”
The wind stirred the edges of my gown, but it couldn’t cool the heat rushing to my cheeks. I stared at him, struggling to process the words.
So it was not just duty driving him—but coercion. His future shackled to mine without so much as a by-your-leave.
And yet... there was no bitterness in his voice. Only weariness. And something else—something that pulled unexpectedly at the threads of my heart.
“You don’t want this marriage,” I said. “Any more than I do.”
His gaze found mine again in the moonlight.
A strange expression crossed his features. “I never said that.”
The words stunned me. He turned to face me fully, moonlight carving lines of tension across his face.
“I expected a girl I’d teased long ago, one with a temper and a sharp slap.” He exhaled. “And I met the woman who confronts colonels over dinner and quotesThe Timesabout mutiny. I’m still here, Katherine.”
I blinked, unsure whether to feel insulted or flattered. My voice, when it came, felt brittle. “And my boldness disappoints you?”
A rueful smile touched his lips. “It’s a little terrifying, truth be told.”
“And will you put to rest Parliament’s fears about the East India Company?” I demanded.
He nodded, jaw tense. “I’ve already sent word to Mr. Wilberforce. I intend to meet with members of the East India Company and lay out the policies we’re enforcing in Hyderabad—trade routes, education partnerships, and reforms to address any possible corruption. Are there rogue agents exploiting their position or local populations? Yes, likely. But the Company will not stand for it.”
He paused, gaze flicking briefly toward the window before returning to me, earnest and unguarded. “We must be worthy of the responsibility we claim, Miss Grenville. Or we don’t deserve it at all.”
Something inside me twisted—torn between admiration and a sharp, unrelenting ache. Because if he truly believed that... then how could he not see what had been done to me?
I, too, gripped the balustrade, the edge biting into my palms.
“Do you know my story, Mr. Sinclair?” I asked, unable to keep the acidic anger from seeping into my voice.
He eased closer to me, the heat of his jacket brushing against my arm. “I’ve heard that the colonel brought you to England after your father died of diphtheria.”
Another shiver rippled through me as I recalled Aunt’s tiff with Grandfather when she challenged him about not sharing all the information. What other secrets did Grandfather hide?
