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“It was my father’s wish that I court Miss Bidewell,” he replied. “Given the situation between you and me, however, I intend to withdraw my suit immediately. I’m certain he will agree. Ours is the more advantageous match, after all.”
Had she been the romantic sort, his statement would have been extremely offensive. But I am not, she told herself, wrestling her bruised pride into submission. This was merely the preliminary to marital negotiations between them, nothing more. And a perfect opportunity to set the tone for the future.
With an eloquent shrug, she turned to the bright flowers that now bore her name. “It would be unfair of me to expect you to give up your options while I have no inclination to do the same. I assure you, it will bother me not at all if you continue to pay court to Miss Bidewell until such a time as a mutual understanding is reached between us, if ever. You’ll find I’m not the jealous or possessive sort.”
There! Now he knew she would tolerate his having a mistress. She glanced at him over her shoulder as she plucked a flower and tucked it into her curls.
Fairford’s eyes widened, and he nodded slowly. “As you say, then. I shall leave matters as they stand until you decide which of us to accept as your betrothed. But I warn you, I shall not make it easy to choose my competitor.” He stepped forward and placed a kiss on the nape of her neck.
She allowed him to touch her for an instant longer and then sauntered away. She could barely breathe and wanted nothing more than to run from this place. With an iron will, she maintained her leisurely pace as she moved to the exit.
Fairford followed a few steps behind, his presence making her skin prickle unpleasantly.
He wanted her, but he didn’t love her. That much was clear.
And I’ll never be hurt by it because I’ll never love him. It was exactly the kind of arrangement she’d planned. But now that it came down to it, she questioned the wisdom of such a plan.
Plans…
Frustration filled her. All her careful plans had gone awry in the worst way. She’d certainly put her foot in it, telling Fairford that she had accepted Henry’s suit. Now she had no choice but to follow through and make that lie a reality.
Strangely, the idea was not as disheartening as she thought it ought to be.
HENRY WANTED TO hit something, to pulverize it to bits. To make it feel like his heart did at the moment. He’d arrived home only to be immediately informed by his father that Fairford was now officially courting Sabrina.
To find out like this, with nary a personal word from her? How could she?
The very next morning, a servant entered bearing a letter addressed to him in an achingly familiar hand. Snatching it off the tray, Henry crumpled the missive unopened, intending to toss it into the fire and forget all about Sabrina Grayson. But his hand was stayed by the monstrous pain in his heart. Dismissing the bewildered servant, he flattened out the envelope as best he could, tore it open, and scanned its contents.
It was an invitation to tea. Today. He tossed the letter into the hearth and watched it flare orange for a moment before disintegrating into ash. He would see her one last time.
Upon arrival at Aylesford House, he was shown into the parlor where Sabrina waited. The sight of her standing in the sunlight at the window was like a physical blow.
Still facing the glass, she spoke without inflection. “I am allowing Fairford to court me, but I will also accept your suit as well, if you still wish it.”
In two strides he was across the room. “I swear to you that you will not regret it.” He felt her arms tighten around him briefly before she stiffened and pulled away.
“I am only doing this out of kindness to my mother. She wishes me to give you a chance.”
His hands fell to his sides. “If you truly have no real desire to marry me, then why should I bother?”
“Because”—she hesitated, as though debating whether to continue—“because in addition, of late, I have begun to question my chosen path.”
“Fairford is not turning out quite to your taste, I take it?” he said, immediately biting his tongue as her green eyes flashed.
“I simply wish to know whether or not you and I can, in fact, coexist peaceably as adults—something I very seriously doubt,” she snapped.
He watched as she stopped and struggled for calm.
Her eyes were on the carpet as she continued. “I admit that I have perhaps been unfairly biased against you due to a childhood animosity. That, and the fact that I did not wish to allow my desires to lead me astray. I am willing to put aside past differences, if you will do the same,” she stressed with a sharp look, “and stop constantly trying to provoking me.”
“Agreed,” he said. He would try his best. “And as for your latter ex…reason?”
She blushed. “As I said, I have recently come to debate whether or not my chosen course is the best. Regardless, my mother wishes me to give you a fair chance, and I cannot deny her.”
Henry sent a prayer of thanks to heaven. She might think she was
only doing this at her mother’s command, but he knew better. She was finally beginning to come to her senses. He took her face between his hands and kissed her gently. He felt the trembling of her lips, and he breathed in her soft sigh. “Sabrina, I promise you that I will never give you any reason to—” Sounds from the hall outside signaled the arrival of Lady Aylesford and tea, and Sabrina moved away.
