AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Trust me when I tell you it’s likely better you waited,” he said, leading her toward the stairs. “So many women marry young and come to regret it. When you wed, it will be for nothing less than love.”
“You’re thinking of Minerva again and making yourself sad,” she murmured, shaking a finger at him.
“She’ll never know love the way she deserves.”
“We’ve talked about this,” she admonished.
Now he was the one to sigh. “I know, but it was still selfish of me. And it was selfish of me to make you part of my facade.”
“Nonsense. What would I have done if not for you?” She didn’t wait for an answer before changing the subject. “What shall we do next with regards to Blackthorn?”
“Continue to let him think he’s succeeding.”
“That should be easy, given both our reactions tonight. I imagine he must be quite proud of himself at the moment, having made us blush. Any idea how long we should let it go before entering the next stage of the game?”
“You’ll know when the time is right, and you’ll tell me,” he said, steering her down the hallway and into her bedchamber.
Diana let him lead her over to the bed and sit her on its edge. The room was spinning ever so slightly. She really ought to have had better sense than to try and drink brandy on top of all the wine she’d had with dinner and the sherry she’d enjoyed during cards. She’d been worse off but knew this was still going to bite her in the arse tomorrow morning.
The sound of Harrow closing the curtains behind
her filled her with intense relief. Knowing there would be no eyes watching from across the way as he helped her strip down to her chemise was a blessing. Ever since moving here, she’d felt like she was on display.
On impulse, she leaned over and planted a kiss on Harrow’s cheek. “Thank you for being such a wonderful friend.”
The corners of his kind eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Don’t thank me yet. We’ve yet to see the end of this tribulation.”
“Nonetheless, I thank you,” she insisted, peeling off her stockings. “And I promise I’ll do whatever I must to keep you, René, Minerva, and Henry safe. He won’t find out.”
“I know,” he said, his tone placating as he helped her into bed and tucked the covers beneath her chin.
She felt a bit ridiculous, a grown woman being put to bed like a small child, but it was also more comforting than she’d ever admit. As Harrow trimmed the lamp’s wick, she grimaced. What would Blackthorn say if he could see me now?
“Try not to think about it anymore,” murmured Harrow as he opened the door to his and René’s room. “It will all become clear in time, and you’ll know what to do.”
“I hope so,” she said, stifling a yawn.
…
Lucas refrained from getting the opera glasses back out again, but only just. The sight of Harrow leading Diana into her bedchamber had him pressing his nose against the glass, glad that he’d declined to light a lamp. It was just as well that he hadn’t gone to the trouble, because the man shut the drapes only a moment after depositing her on the bed.
Seeing them together didn’t bother him at all. He was more confident than ever there was nothing between them, especially after his little experiment with Harrow had resulted in a rather spectacular blush from the man.
The sight of the music teacher leaving his room a moment later, however, tied his stomach in knots and made his hands clench into white-knuckled fists.
Lucas knew exactly where he was going.
All the desire he’d seen bloom in Diana’s eyes when he’d kissed her hand would be spent on someone else tonight. Envy coiled like a venomous serpent in his gut, filling him with its poison until he felt it was oozing from every pore. He didn’t even know the fellow, and the man had done him no ill save that of being the lover of the woman he wanted for himself, yet Lucas despised him.
The musician was probably a very amiable person. He must be, if two people felt so passionately about him they’d be willing to share his affection. But Lucas knew he’d never be able to meet him face-to-face. So strong was his dislike that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to hide it.
More than ever, he regretted turning down Westing’s invitation to finish out the evening at their favorite tavern. Now he wished he’d taken him up on the offer, because the last thing he wanted to dwell on was what was happening in Diana’s bedchamber, and that’s all he could think about.
He nearly ripped the curtains off the rod as he yanked them shut, blanketing his room in total darkness. Determined to forget about his neighbor, he went downstairs to find a bottle of brandy.
It was time to get drunk. Exceedingly drunk.
The brightness bleeding through his closed eyelids was an unwelcome intrusion, chasing away the blessed oblivion that had enveloped him after downing far more liquid comfort than any man ought. He dared not open his eyes.
