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The butler opened it, and Lavinia found herself looking at a tall, imposing, dark man. He commanded attention with his presence, and without even knowing his name, Lavinia understood that he was someone powerful.
He had gorgeous opaque gray eyes, a straight nose, and full lips. His hair—for he did not wear a wig—tied in an unassuming queue at the back, was dark black with a few silver strands showing. He stepped forward and sketched a perfect bow.
“Lady Lavinia, I assume,” he said in a low, silky voice. Sebastian’s arm hardened like steel beneath Lavinia’s touch. The gray-eyed gentleman didn’t even spare Sebastian a single glance. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Earl of Pembroke, at your service. I believe we are to be married.”
Sebastian stepped forward, shielding Lavinia with his form. “Lady Roth,” he said with such coldness that frost might as well have left his mouth, “is already married. To me.”
Lavinia peeked from behind Sebastian. Lord Pembroke’s brows drew over his eyes slightly. “Well, that’s unfortunate,” he said in the same matter-of-fact tone of voice. “It looks like I’ll have to bankrupt the Birch title after all.”
Sebastian and Lavinia bowed out soon after that, leaving the earl to deal with Birch.
“I thought he was old,” Lavinia said in wonder. This was who Atwood had in mind for Lavinia to marry? “When he said he was a widower, an heir to a duke, and someone my father owed to, I assumed he was old, and lecherous like the rest of my father’s acquaintances.”
Sebastian paused before the carriage and looked at her with narrowed eyes. “And if you did know, would you have married him?”
Lavinia bit back a smile. “Perhaps. But I would have missed out on the grandest love I’ve ever known. I love you, Lord Sebastian Devis. And I would never change a minute of my life because it led me to you.”
