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Mirabelle waved her hand. “Don’t give it another thought.” Then she leaned close again. “You wanted to see Ace again, didn’t you?”
Emily couldn’t deny it. She gave a quick nod.
Mirabelle bounced on her heels. “Oh that is exciting. Unless…” And then her friend stopped. “You plan to allow the earl to court you after all.”
Emily shook her head. “I don’t know what I plan other than convincing my brother to allow me to invite you all for dinner.”
Mirabelle gave her a sympathetic look. “Ace didn’t make it any easier, did he? I’ve never seen him act like that before.”
“Like what?”
Mirabelle raised a shoulder. “He seemed angry and a bit sullen when you were in the carriage with us. He’s frequently quiet but usually kind.”
Emily lifted her brows. He’d been a bit irritated since the moment she’d met him, not that it had stopped her from finding him attractive. Odd how that worked. “He’s likely just worried about your family. I’ll speak to my brother about that dinner invitation tonight.”
Mirabelle nodded.
“Mira,” Rush called from behind them. “Come look at this bird. Do you know what kind it is?”
Mirabelle gave her brother a questioning glance as she loosened her hold on Emily’s arm and slowed her step to pivot and make her way back to her brother’s side.
Ace instantly took Mirabelle’s spot.
“Good afternoon, Miss Boxby.”
“Lord Smith,” she said, her back stiffening as he held out his elbow. She hesitated for a moment before she slipped her hand into his arm. Her gloved fingers settled into the heat that radiated out of his jacket as he started them walking again.
“How was your evening?” he asked.
“Uneventful,” she answered, swallowing a lump. She didn’t want to spend time with this man. Not after he’d made his lack of interest completely clear. And yet, she couldn’t seem to stop her wayward body from enjoying the thrill of excitement that coursed through her at his touch. “And yours?”
“Very eventful.”
She gasped in surprise, her chin snapping up so that she might look in his eyes. “What happened?”
He frowned. “The details are for another time. If you’d allow me to move straight to the point, Mirabelle and Anna need me to succeed at the business venture I’ve started. It’s imperative. I’ve asked your brother to aid me in my endeavor, but he is…uncertain.”
She nodded, understanding. Was he asking for her help? “I already told Mirabelle I’ll talk to my brother tonight about a dinner invitation. I meant to speak with him yesterday, but our time together last night was mostly spent with me listening and him talking.”
“About me?”
She pressed her lips together as she ducked her head so that he didn’t see the confirmation in her features. The fall breeze fluttered the ribbons of her bonnet even as leaves swirled about them adding a romantic whimsy to the afternoon. She frowned as they danced about her. She did not wish to be swept away by fancy just now.
“He doesn’t approve of me, as well he shouldn’t,” Ace said with a quiet certainty that had her chin lifting again. “And I apologize if I sounded harsh yesterday. I didn’t intend to. I just…”
Chills ran down her spine as she held her breath and wondered what he might say next.
Ace placed his other hand over her small fingers tucked in his elbow. He’d like to tell her everything. That he’d attempted to push her away because she was breaking through all of his carefully constructed barriers. She’d started on their very first meeting and each time he looked into the warm pools of her eyes, he sank a little deeper in, and a bit more of his resistance melted away.
Which likely made this plan a bad idea.
He shouldn’t be walking with her like this. Shouldn’t be telling her that he’d been too hard. She should think of him as too hard, too impenetrable, and then she should marry another man.
But he hated that idea too.
Though to be fair he also hated what he was about to do almost as much, which was to ask Emily for help.
A woman like her should be protected. Not burdened.
