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Harry eyed him shrewdly. He moved so that he could shut the door behind himself, but then he leaned against the doorframe as if to block the exit. “You’re acting rather peculiar this morning. Did something happen between you and Leticia last night?”
“No,” Richard said as he feigned nonchalance. “Did something happen between the two of you last night?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Harry returned. “Something is going on between the two of you.”
“Indeed,” Richard replied, widening his eyes in mock seriousness. “And I’ve already told you all about it. She and I are pretending as though we are courting.”
Harry pushed off the doorframe with his shoulder and pounded his fist into the palm of his hand. “I wish I could understand her.”
That makes two of us.
As Harry began to lament the fact that Leticia wasn’t in her chamber nor at the breakfast table this morning, Richard casually peeled off his clothing. As he did, he thought of Leticia and how she had made him feel so alive and almost capricious. When he was with her last night, all of his worries about his life and the future melted away, and he’d slept more soundly by her side than he had in years. But when he awoke to find her absent, a sharp pain plagued him momentarily.
“This is just like her,” Harry rambled on as he came further into the chamber and began to pace the floor. “If she had it her way, every gentleman in town would be banging on the front door, trying to be admitted into her presence.”
“What are you blathering about?” Richard questioned as he caught the tail end of Harry’s rant. “Leticia isn’t like that. She doesn’t care one wit what others think of her, and as for other gentlemen…she has no experience when it comes to dealing with handfuls of suitors.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Harry countered. “She is not a young woman anymore.”
“She’s younger than we are,” Richard argued.
Harry scoffed. “But this isn’t her first Season. She debuted…” he paused and counted backward, “four years ago.”
Richard fussed with the buttons on his shirt, now finding himself unable to get them to cooperate with his needs. “So, what are you trying to say?”
“Nothing,” Harry said with a disgruntled snort. “It’s just that…hey…I think I’ve figured it out.”
He dashed across the chamber, and just as he reached for the doorknob, Richard stopped him. “You’ve figured what out? Where are you going?”
“Letty is probably in the drawing room. While we might not be in London for the Season, that doesn’t mean she couldn’t be welcoming gentlemen callers as we speak.”
“Harry,” Richard said slowly, “Don’t be absurd. She’s pretending to court me.”
Now it was Harry’s turn to laugh abruptly. “And don’tyoube naïve. She’spretendingto court you. That means she’s free to see other men and entertain them as well.”
“She wouldn’t,” Richard gasped, but then, a terrible thought struck him. Last night, it had been Leticia who taunted and teased him. It had been she who suggested they play the game of Truth or Dare. Moreover, every time they had met privately and shared those passionate kisses, he had been the one to stop matters. Leticia always wanted more. Even last night, she wasn’t satisfied with breaking for the night.
“I’m going to the drawing room,” Harry announced as he swung open the door.
“I’ll be there in just a moment.”
* * *
Richard hustled to dress himself, not bothering to ring for his valet as he felt there wasn’t a moment to spare. He knew he looked a little sloppy, and perhaps he should have spent an extra moment brushing off his jacket and running a comb through his hair, but as he rushed from his chamber and headed toward the drawing room, his insides twisted.
What if Harry’s right and Leticia is entertaining other gentlemen right now?
He bounded down the steps.
No one has come to Pearl House in the last week. What would make Harry think someone would arrive today?
As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he clutched the railing to keep himself from falling flat on his face. His momentum was going full strong, and had the post not been there, he might have careened right down those last steps, sliding on the slick marble floor.
Harry can’t find Leticia. That’s why he’s rushing to the worst possible conclusion. But why am I going there, too?
Richard couldn’t explain his fears, even to himself, but as he caught his breath and raced toward the drawing room, he fretted that the room would be teeming with gentlemen callers.
“There you are!” Harry said just as soon as Richard barged into the room. He should have realized at once that none of the ladies were within as none of the servants were present to open and close the door, but he walked right into the room, scanning every nook and cranny in search of the suitors who were out to steal Leticia away from him.
