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But Rose ignored him and ran toward the mansion, disappearing into the vacant ballroom.
Cameron buttoned his trousers, his arousal still burning. “Fuck you, you stupid idiot. How could you believe she actually wanted you?”
He walked away from the house. He couldn’t go in and join the party for dinner. If he missed out on a chance for another commission, so be it. He couldn’t see Rose again. Never again. It was over. Hell, it hadn’t even begun.
It never could.
He trudged home to his cottage on the Lybrook land. The sun was edging over the horizon when he finally fell into his bed, exhausted, his feet blistering from the long walk in his new boots.
Chapter Two
Rose entered the ballroom from the back terrace. Several servants were cleaning up, but they paid her no heed, thank goodness. She hurried to the back stairwell and made her way to her bedchamber on the second floor of the east wing. She longed to fling herself on her bed and cry herself to sleep, but she couldn’t miss the midnight meal. Her parents would never forgive her. She wished for a moment that she were Lily, who wouldn’t think twice about defying convention and doing what she wished. But she wasn’t Lily. She was Rose, and Rose always did what was expected of her. Lily would have slept with Cameron tonight, on the grass, if that was what she had desired. Rose, however, knew her place.
She strode into her dressing room and sat down in front of the looking glass. Her eyes were puffy, her cheeks streaked with tears, her lips dark and swollen from Cameron’s kisses. Cameron’s kisses, so different from Evan’s. Evan’s kisses were gentle and sweet, and Rose enjoyed them. But Cameron’s… She had never imagined… Kisses that took as well as gave, kisses that made her womb ache, that changed the very composition of her soul. She went to the basin, splashed cold water on her face, and returned to the mirror. She pinched her cheeks until they had regained their peachy rosiness and began to work on her hair. When she was satisfied that she was presentable, she rang for maid to tighten her corset. She moved to the full-length looking glass and smoothed her gown as best she could, tucking in her swollen breasts.
As she walked down the hallway toward the stairwell, she hesitated for a moment, tempted to go up instead of down and find Lily. But her sister was no doubt in bed, making love to her new husband. She would never forgive Rose for disturbing her wedding night.
Lily and Daniel were leaving early the next day for London to begin their wedding trip. Rose would rise early tomorrow, no matter how exhausted she was, and catch Lily before she left. In the meantime, she had no choice but to venture downstairs and partake of the midnight meal. She was already unfashionably tardy.
Lord Evan Xavier stood when Rose entered the dining room. “Where have you been?” he asked. “Your mother has been concerned.”
“Please forgive me, my lord,” she said. “I was feeling a bit poorly so I went to my chamber to rest for a bit. I didn’t mean to cause anyone needless worry.”
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Evan furrowed his brow. “Are you better now?”
“Yes, thank you. I hope I haven’t missed too much.”
“Only the appetizers. The soup is being served now.” He led her to her table with the rest of the wedding party. The chairs for the duke and duchess were conspicuously vacant. “I see Lybrook and your sister decided to forego the feast,” Evan said, chuckling. “Not that I blame the bloke.”
Rose’s cheeks warmed. “I’m sure they didn’t mean to be disrespectful.”
“Who said anything about disrespect? Here you are.” He held out her chair and sat down next to her. Her brother, Thomas, was on her other side, and her cousin Alexandra next to him.
“Where have you been, dear?” Alexandra asked.
“Just resting a bit. I was feeling poorly, but I’m much better now.” Rose took a taste of the winter squash soup set before her. “This is delicious.”
“Yes, it’s divine,” Alexandra said. “Guess what? The most wonderful thing has happened!”
“What?” Rose asked.
“Well,” Alexandra said, “you know that Mama and Miss Landon have renewed their childhood friendship during the past several weeks.”
“Yes, of course,” Rose said. Lucinda Landon, sister to the dowager duchess, and Rose’s Aunt Iris had been best friends as girls.
“They’ve so enjoyed each other’s company,” Alexandra continued, “so Miss Landon and the dowager duchess have invited Mama and Sophie and me to stay here at Laurel Ridge for the summer! Isn’t that amazing?”
“It sounds lovely,” Rose said.
“Just wait. The best part is that they’ve asked that you join us! Mama will be here to keep an eye on you, and then we’ll all be here to welcome Lily and the duke home when they return from France. Mama has already spoken to Auntie Flora and she says you may stay if you wish. What do you think, dear?”
“Oh, goodness.” Stay here? And possibly see Cameron? She couldn’t….
“That way you can continue to…you know.” Alexandra winked and nodded toward Evan.
Evan’s estate was only a few hours away by carriage. If Rose returned to the Ashford estate in Hampshire, continuing Evan’s courtship would be difficult at best. No doubt her mother, Flora, the Countess of Ashford, was in favor of keeping the relationship going.
