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She was hopeless. Eleanor had been too late with her warnings. As soon as Blake stepped into the room, her heart nearly leapt from her throat and flopped about the floor. Surely a man like Blake had endured enough hopelessly in love women to recognize her feelings for him? She straightened her shoulders and prayed her expression was as blank as she’d intended.
He dipped his head in greeting and Aunt Sarah gave her a little wave, then flashed a bold grin as she dragged a chair deliberately into the corner of the room, wooden feet screeching across the floor, until she settled upon it, her back deliberately turned.
Blake’s lips twitched and Demeter rolled her eyes.
“I was not expecting you,” she started.
“I—” he said simultaneously.
She pressed her lips together and motioned for him to continue.
“After you,” he said.
She shook her head. “No, you.”
“Very well. I—”
The cat interrupted him with an insistent shove against his leg. He glanced down and even from her position by the window, she spied the white hair upon his dark trousers. “Simon,” she scolded.
“Simon?”
“My uncle.”
Furrows appeared between his brows. “The cat...” He pointed at it while it circled his leg and nudged boldly against him again. “...is your uncle?”
“Yes. I mean. No. Not exactly.”
He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I had to come urgently.” He closed the gap between them so quickly she forgot to take her next breath. “My cousin is on his way.”
“Oh.”
“And I fear he is to ask you something.”
“Something?”
His throat bobbed.
“Demeter, you cannot say yes. No matter how...” He made a noise in the back of his throat. “Just do not say yes.”
“Yes to what?”
“He wants to marry you.”
“Oh.” The words filtered in and she widened her eyes. “Oh!”
***
Oh.Not ‘well that’s preposterous.’ Or ‘I would not say yes if he were the last man on earth’. Not even a disgusted look.
Fear beat in Blake’s chest so hard it felt like a bird trying to escape its cage. Which was more preposterous than Mr. Foster asking her to marry him. She’d never say yes, surely? Not with everything they, well, knew. Sort of. Not with her having witnessed beneath his disguise.
Not with his instincts.
Not after their kiss...
No, that had nothing to do with this matter. What was most important was that Demeter did not, under any circumstances say yes.
“He is on his way...right now?” she asked, motioning with a finger.
