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“Are you going to offer for her?” she asked, pulling away again. He could see the unshed tears gleaming in her eyes and he groaned inwardly. It took everything in him not to tell her the truth.
The word no rose to his lips. He wanted to tell Millie more than anything that he would not marry her sister. Even if that meant giving up the boon, he’d not torture Millie for his own gain. But he’d made a promise…
His insides shrank and shriveled.
Millie’s eyes widened and then she spun, racing from the room.
“Millie,” he called, taking two steps after her, but her skirts had already disappeared around the corner and besides…
What else was there to say?
But as he stood in the center of the library, he had the vague sense that his future, the real part, the person who truly mattered, had just slipped away.
* * *
Millie spentthe next two days avoiding the house party. She’d cried a megrim on the first day, and the second day, her mother took her to the modiste for her first fitting of her new wardrobe. She hoped her absence was inconspicuous.
By the third day, however, she knew she had to rejoin the party or give a definite explanation as to why she was avoiding everyone.
She sat in bed, trying to convince herself to toss aside her covers and begin preparing for the day.
She ought to attend breakfast. Find out what activities had been planned.
After two days, she should stop hiding. She was a grown up, after all, and she’d have to face Lord Rangeley at some point.
If for no other reason than to prove she didn’t care.
She’d been so worried about how awful she was, having these feelings for Parker, she meant Lord Rangeley, that she forgot to consider what a selfish cad he had been.
Her sister had warned her that he was a rake. Of course he’d court one sister while attempting to steal kisses from another. She’d forgotten about Tillie’s warnings with all Lord Rangeley’s talk of farming, and hard work, and providing for his people.
The man was pond scum.
The icky bits of slime that floated on top of the water. And now that she knew the truth…
She gasped in a breath.
She’d been so busy wallowing, she realized that she needed to warn Tillie. Her sister was about to marry the worst sort of man.
That thought drove her from the bed, and hurrying across the room, she pulled the bell cord to call for her maid.
An hour later she made her way down to breakfast, her head high as she entered the already-full dining room. Everyone chatted amicably as they filled their plates from the sideboard.
Tillie was the first to turn to her with a broad smile of greeting. “You made it! Feeling better?”
She winced in regret. She’d felt fine physically. “Yes. Thank you.”
Tillie searched her face as she moved closer, plate in hand. “You look a bit pale. Have you been eating enough?”
The last thing Millie needed was her sister’s worry. Like she didn’t feel bad enough, now she’d caused her sister anxiety. “I’m fine. Ready for a fun day. What do we have planned?”
Tillie gave her a tentative smile as she continued to stare at her sister. “Shopping in the village.”
Millie gave a quick nod, relieved. At least she could go to different shops, spend some time away from the group even as they all shopped together. It would have been far worse if they were playing games or going for a carriage ride. But the moment she thought the words, her gaze swept over the room and caught Parker’s.
Her insides twisted into knots.
He looked just as dashingly handsome as he had a few days prior and his eyes crinkled in question as they met hers.
