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“You seem rather put out,” he remarked after several turns.
“My father won’t let me go on the dig in Egypt that Lord Fallon offered me a place on.”
“Ah. Well, it’s a rather dangerous place, and you do have that position at the museum.”
I sighed. “So people keep saying. I don’t think I get through to people when I say this is my career we’re talking about. The more experience I can get, the better, and missing out on opportunities like this is crazy.”
“Oh, come now, you really want to mess about in the dirt in some sweltering hot country? If you want to see the sites, that’s different. Leave it to me, I’ll book us a week in Cairo at a nice, safe resort.”
“That’s nice of you, Jasper, but you’re not getting it. I don’t want to go on holiday. I want to volunteer on the dig. I want to gain career experience.”
Jasper tightened his grip on my waist slightly. “Lady Victoria, you know as well as I do that you have no need of a career. I can understand you filling your time with university courses and even this placement in October while you’re young, but eventually you will need to devote your time to more important things. As the wife of a duke, as a duchess, you will have many demands on your time, and once children come along—”
I froze, and he stumbled slightly over my feet. “Wait, what?”
He sighed. “I had hoped to do this more privately later on tonight, but you are rather forcing my hand.” He stepped back, dropped down onto one knee, and opened a box, revealing a diamond ring that glittered in the golden lights of the ballroom. The music faded and the dancers stopped twirling as everyone turned to look at us.
Oh no, no, no... I knew the night was leading up to this. There had been so many hints and secret winks and whispers, but I had been hoping against hope...
“Lady Victoria Clare Astley-Hawke, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?” He looked up at me, his brown eyes steady and confident. He knew I wouldn’t refuse him. That was why he hadn’t hesitated to do it now in front of the local society. It wouldn’t enter his head that I might turn him down.
Everyone knew we’d eventually marry, that I would become the Duchess of Northbrook when his father passed. It was a huge honour for my family, and a step up too, of course. That was why I couldn’t go on the dig, because I would be planning my wedding for next year. Oh God... Only one more year... I looked up, casting my gaze around the smiling, expectant faces of the ballroom. My father smiled and nodded at me, urging me to answer. Past him, I saw West, his jaw locked tightly and his fists clenched at his sides. His eyes burned into mine with a ferocity I didn’t understand. It shook me for a moment, and I had to tear my gaze away.
“Victoria...” Jasper murmured quietly, still smiling, but I knew he was getting irritated.
I took a breath, my heart thudding deep in my chest as I opened my mouth to accept him, to accept the ring that would seal my fate—the collar that would keep me tamed and bound to him and his title. I saw our future laid out in front of us, hundreds of parties and events where I would be pampered and flattered and dressed up. Charities, hunts, and balls on the arm of the future Duke of Northbrook. I would have to raise children, the future heirs to Jasper’s title. We would have a comfortable relationship based on friendship and duty, but not passion and fire. Not love.
For some reason, I looked across at West again. His jaw was still clenched, and he gave me a sharp nod as though giving me permission to accept. Davenport stood like stone next to him, his face impassive. I swallowed and looked back down at Jasper. His smile had faded.
I reached down and took the hand that wasn’t holding the ring box, urging him to his feet. “I’m so sorry, Jasper. I can’t. I’m honoured, and I know I should be jumping at the chance, but you deserve better, and so do I.”
His mouth dropped open in shock, and the hand holding the ring box dropped to his side. The humiliation and betrayal that spread slowly across his features was more than I could bear, so I turned and fled through the shocked, silent crowd to the nearest open door. This time, I kicked my heels off before running down the steps into the dark gardens and raced across the perfect lawns to darkness and obscurity.
I left the gardens, passing into the woodland at the bottom of the vast lawns, and ran through the trees. I ran as though I was running for my life, and in a way, I felt like I was. The movement made me feel stronger as blood pumped through my veins and my heart hammered in my chest. The stretch of the muscles in my legs as I pounded through the undergrowth was liberating. The moon was bright, even filtering through the branches, but hot tears blurred my vision, and I finally tripped and went sprawling to the ground. The impact jarred me back to reality, and I pushed myself up onto my hands and knees. That was as far as I got before the sobs finally escaped the prison in my chest and burst out. I let them, gasping for breath as I remembered Jasper’s face and the pain of my betrayal, the thought of what my parents were going to say, and the inescapable gossip and harsh comments that were going to haunt me for years.
“Lady Victoria?” a soft voice called behind me, but I couldn’t move. I just knelt there, gasping through my sobs, unable to rein in control now that I had finally lost it.
“Tory.” This time, it was Davenport’s jacket that found its way around my shoulders. His arms came with it, wrapping around me and pulling me backwards until I was sitting on my heels and leaning back against him. His warm, solid body was comforting, and I collapsed against him, not caring if it was appropriate or not. I covered my face with my hands as I cried, and he didn’t stop me, he just sat and held me until the tears finally stopped and my body shook with shuddering, unsteady breaths. I lowered my hands slowly, realising his head was resting gently against mine, and he was softly stroking my hair. The other hand rubbed gently up and down my bare arm, his fingertips occasionally brushing the side of my breast. A jolt of heat ran through me, and I sucked in a deep breath.
“Davenport...” He stopped moving, and all I could hear were my unsteady breaths. I could feel his heartbeat against my back, and it was as fast as mine, if not faster. Slowly, he released me, and a rush of cold air where his body had been pressed against me. He stood up and offered me his hand, helping me to my feet. I didn’t dare meet his eyes, but as my feet took my weight, pain spread through my soles and I gasped. Dropping to his knees, Davenport slipped his hand around my ankle and gently lifted my foot for a brief moment before releasing it again. When he spoke, it was all duty and service again.
“You’ve cut your feet quite badly, my lady. Will you permit me to carry you back to the house?”
I stared up at him. “It’s a long way back. I’m fine, I can just...” I took a couple of steps and gasped again.
Davenport bent and slipped his arms around my back and knees, lifting me up as though I weighed next to nothing. “I can manage, my lady.” He set off, moving soundlessly through the trees, and my heart hammered in my chest at the thought of facing my parents and the guests at the ball—and Jasper, oh God, Jasper.
“Davenport?” I asked tentatively.
“My lady?”
“I… Er… I don’t want...”
“Jackson is bringing the car around as we speak, my lady. We can keep to the shadows until we get around to the front of the house and no one will see us slip away. I shall inform your father of your whereabouts on the way home.”
Fresh tears ran down my face, but this time with relief. “Thank you,” I whispered. He said nothing, but I felt him pull me closer to his chest for a brief moment. I leaned my head against him and listened to his heartbeat as I closed my eyes.
