Page 81 of This Marquess of Mine

“Yes, something is wrong,” she said, and the anger in her eyes took him aback. “One of my dearest friends is about to marry a man she does not love because the man she does love is a nincompoop.”

She cocked her head to one side, her brows raised in challenge. “Or is he a coward? I haven’t yet decided.”

Griffin’s lips parted but no words emerged. He was too stunned to form a coherent response, or even to think of one.

“Olivia is going to marry Paxton,” Emmy said slowly, as if speaking to a simpleton. “And you are letting her go without a fight. I don’t understand you, Griffin. You are obviously in love with her. Everyone knows it. Everyone but you, apparently.”

The shock began to wear off as irritation bloomed in its place. Griff inhaled slowly through his nose, wrestling his temper to the floor before he allowed himself to speak.

“I care about Olivia,” he said finally, evenly. “But I am not going to marry her. I’m not going to marry anyone yet.”

His sister shook her head, as if deeply disappointed in him, and Griffin’s jaw tensed with the effort to hold his tongue. Emmy was a meddlesome bother, but he loved her, and he had no wish to say anything he would later regret.

“I understand that you are uncertain of what the future might bring and that frightens you,” Emmy said. “It frightens me, too. But, Griff, I haven’t met the person I’m meant to be with. You have. You’ve found love and you are throwing it away.”

Love? Nonsense. He folded his arms over his chest and shot her a quelling look. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She plopped her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Of course I know what I’m talking about. I always know what I’m talking about.” She arched her brows. “I know you think you don’t love Olivia, and I know you think you’re not ready for marriage. But what will happen when you are finally ready? What will you do then, when it’s too late? Olivia will be lost to you, Griff. Forever.”

Her eyes held his, frustrated and imploring, but Griffin pressed his lips together and said nothing, for there was nothing to say. He could not give his sister the answers she craved.

“Now I understand why she lost her nerve,” Emmy muttered. “Who could possibly confess their feelings when faced with such a scowl?”

“What are you talking about?”

“That night in your study,” she said, flinging an arm toward the other end of the corridor. “Olivia went there to ask you to marry her. I told her you were in love with her, and that maybe the reason you hadn’t confessed your feelings yet was because you thought she would only accept a duke.” Her jaw worked. “She went there that night to find out, once and for all, how you felt about her, but she lost her nerve. And I can’t say I blame her.”

Tossing one final look of disgust his way, she turned on her heel and disappeared up the hall.

Stunned, he watched her go, staring into the empty corridor long after she’d gone, her words settling on his brain, heavy as an anvil.

Olivia loved him.

She’d intended to ask him to marry her.

It was unconventional, yes, but that was hardly the point. She’d gone to him that night, intending to confess her feelings, hoping that he would do it first, that he would marry her. That he would want her.

Guilt swamped him, and something else too. Remorse? Regret?

He did care for Olivia. A great deal, in fact, but he hadn’t been lying when he told Emmy he wasn’t ready for marriage. Even the thought of shackling himself to another person made his belly roil.

But then, so did the thought of Olivia marrying the duke.

Paxton was a decent enough fellow, but he would never be able to make Olivia happy. He wasn’t good enough for her, noble title or not. Hell, no one was good enough for Olivia. He couldn’t let her go through with this marriage. Not this like, not when it wasn’t her choice. Not when she was doing it for all the wrong reasons.

It came to him then, what he must do, and he strode down the corridor toward the stairs, determination firming his jaw. His club would have to wait for now.

He was headed to Surrey.