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She hesitated, watching him as if she wasn’t sure he could be trusted even now. It sent a sharp arrow right through his chest. Thankfully, she reversed her position then shut the window and relatched it.
He bowed lightly and turned on his heel, intending to honor his promise to leave.
“Why did you choose her?”
Sebastian froze. He closed his eyes and released the breath he’d been holding. He slowly turned around to face Calliope. She had crossed her arms and looked just as formidable as before, but at least she’d spoken in a way that told him she was ready for some sort of explanation.
“I didn’t choose her. My grandfather contacted Lady Abaline with a request to seduce me.”
She frowned. “Why would he do that?”
He didn’t even blink. “To keep me away from you.”
The furrow between her brows deepened. “I didn’t realize he despised me that much.”
“I don’t think it has anything to do with you so much as your father.”
She shook her head, sending those copper curls dancing. He had to look away, because the urge to bury his hand in that mass of loveliness was almost too much to resist. “Why does he harbor such animosity toward him?”
Sebastian shrugged. “I can’t say.” He looked at her evenly. “And I may never know the answer to that. In light of his actions at Vauxhall, I severed all ties with him.”
Her green eyes were steady. “I see.”
Time seemed to stop as they regarded each other, both too apprehensive to break the silence. Sebastian had never thought of himself as a coward—until now. Why was he hesitating when it came to telling her how he felt?
He opened his mouth to rectify that, desperate to do anything that would make her forgive him, when there was a brisk knock at the door.
Calliope’s eyes widened and Sebastian uttered a curse. If they were discovered alone together, it would ruin her reputation and prove, yet again, that he was the scoundrel she believed him to be.
Granted, he had deserved that moniker at one time, but no longer. There would never be another woman for him, except Calliope.
He pointed toward the settee, and she nodded in understanding. Only when she had ducked down on the other side and out of sight, did he open the door to tell the person on the other side to go away.
He blinked. For surely his luck wasn’t this bad.
Lady Abaline’s blue eyes cornered him, her lips tilting upward. “Lord Blakely. There you are. We’ve missed our dance, so I set out to find you.”
He closed his eyes briefly, praying for the patience to deal with conniving women. “I don’t recall asking you to partner me this evening,” he returned brusquely.
She smacked at his chest in a playful manner. “Don’t be so cross.” She gave a pout that used to bring him to his knees, but now it only annoyed him. “Don’t say you’re still upset with me over that little mix-up at Vauxhall?”
“I know you were not there by error. My grandfather admitted as much to me.”
She sidled closer to him. “Surely you know he was only doing it for your own good to keep you away from that Bevelstroke gel.”
“I would be very careful how you tread, Lady Abaline,” he warned. Not only did he take offense at any slight toward Calliope or her family, but he knew Calliope had to be listening to every word that was spoken.
She blinked with wide, innocent eyes. “What’s wrong with you, Seb? I’ve told you more than once that I made a mistake by marrying the baron, but it had to be done. I love you, and I want you back.”
He snorted in disgust. “The only person you love is yourself.” He pointed toward the hallway. “Now get out and leave me in peace.”
“I can’t believe you’re speaking to me this way. Don’t you remember what we had together?” She pressed herself against him. “How good it was between us? It can be that way again. All you must do is—”
He set her away from him none too gently. “Goodbye, Sabine.”
He slammed the door in her face. He placed his palms on the hard wood and clenched his jaw. He had to wonder if his grandfather was still pulling the strings. If he was behind this latest seduction attempt, they would be having words very soon.
“Well, that was certainly interesting.”
He slowly straightened and turned to face Calliope, who was standing behind the settee with a copper brow raised curiously. She moved around the sofa and came toward him.
“I swear whatever you’re thinking is wrong. At one time I might have believed that Sabine meant more to me than an empty affair, but I was wrong. I—” He shoved a hand through his hair. “Odd’s fish. I can’t seem to say anything right,” he mumbled.
He started when a gentle hand touched the side of his face. Calliope’s lips were curved upward. “Then perhaps you shouldn’t speak at all.”
She kissed him.
