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But he didn’t want to see the light extinguished from her eyes. Or the smile fall from her lips. She had such nice lips, and her eyebrows were particularly appealing. They were always flying up when she spoke in such an expressive way.
“You probably think that you can reform him,” Drew said. “Well it’s just not possible. He’s no half-hearted dissolute. He’s leapt fully into the hellfire. Find someone else to want, someone who will love and respect you in return.”
“I’ll tell you what I want, Your Grace. I want adventure.” Her eyes glittered in the gloom. “I’m longing for it. I’m so tired of the humdrum, the predictable. I want my heart to beat faster, and my blood to rush through my veins. I want to take risks.”
And I’m the exact opposite. I need routine, predictability. My blood is too icy to rush.
He knew from personal experience that young ladies sometimes thought that wicked rakes were the answer to all of their midnight longings.
“MissPenny,” he said gently, touching her shoulder. “Let me make one thing very clear. Stay away from my brother. Do you understand me? He’s in some kind of trouble right now. He won’t tell me what it is, but that’s why I’m here—to drag it out of him and set about fixing whatever mess he’s made.”
She raised her eyebrows. “I’m still not sure why you’re speaking to me of your brother.”
Smooth voice, not a hint of a telltale tremor. So that’s how she wanted to play this.
He dropped his hand. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to cause offense.”
“None taken. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Her gaze traveled to the door.
“You should change back into your other gown, MissPenny, because my brother will not be making an appearance.”
“Good evening, Your Grace.” She wasn’t a woman to heed warnings—he saw that as clear as day in the determined set of her jaw.
If she wanted Rafe, she was damned well going to have him.
She wasn’t his to save. All he could do was warn Rafe away from her, make it very clear that if he took advantage of her in any way, Drew would make his life miserable.
“Good evening, MissPenny,” he said coldly.
He cloaked his fingers in white gloves and set off down the garden path back to the ballroom.
He wasn’t here to save adventurous debutantes from their own worst impulses.
He was here to protect his sister, rescue Rafe from his difficulties, and return to Thornhill with a sensible bride who agreed to a convenient, loveless arrangement.
Or the bride business could wait another year and he could return alone.
He just wanted everything to go back to the way it had been before he left Thornhill. He hadn’t had one of these attacks in years. He followed a schedule, knew precisely what would happen every second of every day.
The right bride would only make a small ripple in his life. No waves. Nothing to engulf or destroy the tenuous peace he’d finally forged out of the darkness and the painful memories.
MissWilhelmina Penny was treacherous ground. She wanted to fling herself headfirst into life and damn the consequences. He should stay as far away from her as possible.
I’m so tired of the humdrum, the predictable. I want my heart to beat faster, and my blood to rush through my veins. I want to take risks.
She wasn’t only longing for adventure—she wanted love. That’s what ladies meant when they said they wanted their heart to beat faster. They wanted to be swept away by love.
He hoped she found everything she desired and never had to learn the hard lessons—the harsh lessons.
Love was a false sense of security. Fathers refused to pay ransoms. Love offered no protection from the darkness.
No one came to your aid.
He had no one to rely on but himself.
He was alone with his memories. Alone with his pain.
He could trust no one.
