Page 14 of Ruined by the Wrong Earl

His hand cradling hers sent a shiver down her spine. She was highly conscious of the scent of his cologne, his closeness and the warmth from his hand. She tried to focus entirely on him and not the eyes of the partygoers looking at her.

Still, her thoughts were a whirlwind. She reminded herself of his promise to fund her research and that their union would be a mutually beneficial arrangement. He’d offered her an escape from Baron Umbridge. Yes, she could do this. As for whether he upheld all his promises…well…she would have to take a leap of faith and believe him. She had little choice now.

She swallowed and focused on the comfort and reassurance he provided. Tall, lean and full of youthful rigor, he was the complete opposite of Umbridge. She could take some satisfaction in that.

He squeezed her hand, and she was relieved by a tentative trust. She was aware of everyone watching her, waiting for her to answer. ‘Yes, I agree,’ she said, her voice soft. ‘It’s splendid news.’

Candace and Sara came forth to congratulate them as guests chattered around them.

‘It’s a pleasure to have two sisters,’ Ralston said.

‘I know you will treat my sister well,’ Candace said. There was more behind her words and her straightforward blue gaze. Her middle sister was no fool and would always support Nora.

‘Please be assured, I will always do my best, Miss Candace.’

‘I’m sure you will, my lord,’ Sara said. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she looked up at him.

Lord Adler was next to congratulate them. He raised her hand to brush the back of her glove with a kiss. ‘Miss Magarian, may I offer my condolences. My friend can be quite prickly.’

Nora blinked. It took her a moment to realize he was jesting. ‘Why, Lord Adler, as Lord Ralston’s good friend, is there anything I should know?’

He winked. ‘Much. But I do not wish to ruin your evening.’

Nora let out a genuine laugh. It was as if Lord Adler understood she needed some relief and knew humour was the best way to attain it.

Ralston rolled his eyes. ‘Don’t listen to him.’

Adler touched his heart. ‘I, for one, know my friend could not have chosen a better lady. And I look forward to getting to know you more.’

He was indeed a charmer.

The rest of the evening was spent speaking with each house party guest. Nora’s cheeks ached from smiling and thanking everyone. All the while, she was grateful for Ralston standing by her side, his deep, timbered voice, soothing. Together they presented a united front to avoid scandal, despite neither of them wanting to marry. The engagement announcement had gone smoothly, but a wedding and lifelong marriage to the Earl…that remained to be seen.

Chapter Five

‘Good God, I never thought I’d see the day that my friend would be betrothed.’ The Marquess of Adler poured two tumblers of whisky and handed Ralston one. It was late that evening and the two were alone in the library smoking cigars. The rest of the house party had long since retired, and the engagement announcement had gone as planned.

Ralston cleared his throat. ‘Our betrothal came about out of necessity. You must have heard about last night.’

Adler’s lips twitched. ‘That you were caught in flagrante?’

Yes, they had been caught in a compromising position. He’d wanted Nora badly before they’d been interrupted. If he was any judge, she’d also been aroused. Then there was their brief shared kiss in the library earlier. She’d been a bundle of nerves before the announcement, and he’d wanted to put her at ease. For her, the kiss may have served its purpose, but it had only served to further inflame him. The thought of making love to her had consumed his thoughts more than he’d like to admit. He wasn’t a rogue, but neither was he a monk and he’d had his share of affairs with widows who’d sought a mutually satisfying sexual relationship. He never offered more and neither did they expect it. As for the announcement itself, he’d done his best to offer her comfort.

‘How did it happen?’ Adler asked.

‘She wanted to create a scandal to escape a match to an old baron.’ He kept it to himself that her scheme was to slip into Sir Simon’s bed rather than his. And, if he was truthful, he still felt bitter over this fact. Still, Ralston wanted to protect her reputation.

Adler let out a hoot of laughter. ‘You’re jesting?’

‘In hindsight,’ Ralston said dryly, ‘it was an unforgettable evening.’

Adler stopped laughing and turned serious. ‘From what I can tell, her mother is like an overprotective bear. You survived Mrs Magarian’s wrath?’

‘Yes, the woman found us. I believe she also happens to be thrilled at the match.’ If what Nora said was true and her mother had wanted her to marry the ancient Baron Umbridge, then becoming a countess was a much higher rank.

‘No doubt it will help her standing in Society, even open doors.’ Adler eyed him with a critical squint. ‘But you agreed to marry, even knowing this?’

Ralston sipped the whisky. ‘The scandal would have been horrendous. But convincing the lady was no easy task. She claims she is a biologist. I assured her I would not stand in the way of her scientific efforts and would allow her freedom to pursue her research. Even fund it.’