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“Apparently, everyone knows about it. Except me, it seems.” Lucas was glaring at her. Was that pain she saw in his eyes? “I thought you said you didn’t care for him like that.”
“That’s none of your business.”
“After what transpired between us, I believe it is.”
Dorothy wished she could draw on her confidence right now, but that reserve seemed to have deserted her. There was nothing, and all she could feel was the urge to cry, to apologise to him. But then Dorothy remembered who Lucas was and knew she couldn’t. Otherwise, she would be at the mercy of a man who had no true regard for women.
Even if she loved him.
“We had a fling, and that’s it. Nothing else is going to occur between us. It won’t.”
“Even if you end up carrying my child at the end of it?” Lucas snapped. “You would marry Burville to hide that fact?”
“I …”
“If you marry Burville soon, and you’re saying you’re pregnant not long after, I will know that the child is mine. You don’t think I would fight it out?”
Dorothy stared.
“And ruin my reputation in the process?”
“Well, mine’s already ruined by false rumours.” Lucas pushed off the wall. “Might as well even it out, mustn’t we?”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He would actually do that to her?
“I didn’t think you would be that cruel to do that to a woman,” she whispered.
“And I thought you were a smart woman,” Lucas shot back. He stepped towards her, and Dorothy couldn’t force herself to move back. “Someone with their own agenda started up those rumours you heard about. You had to know that, and yet you believed them. I thought you were clever, given what you like to read.”
Dorothy wanted to slap him, but with people nearby, she didn’t want to draw attention to them. They were already standing out where the other guests could see them. Stepping around him, Dorothy moved out of sight and into the shade. Given the sun was still out and shining brightly, she couldn’t exactly call them shadows. Lucas joined her, and before Dorothy could gather her thoughts, he was kissing her.
He didn’t touch her except with his mouth, his hands pressed on the wall on either side of her head, and his body didn’t brush against her. All he did was use his mouth. Dorothy had to press her hands flat against the wall to stop herself from touching him. Her fingers twitched on the bricks, but she didn’t bring them up. She would not reach for him.
Although she really wanted to.
When they came up for air, Lucas’ face was still close to hers, and Dorothy could see the pain in his eyes. He was hurting. She had really upset him. She wanted to apologise over and over, but Dorothy held her tongue.
“If you didn’t care for me, you would have pushed me away.” Lucas’ voice was a whisper, his breath tickling her mouth. “You would have slapped me and left already.”
“What’s your point?”
“There’s still something between us. We both know it. I don’t want to lose any of that.”
Dorothy swallowed. She hated that she knew he was right.
“I’m not another conquest for you, Dashwood.”
“I never said you were one. You think I do this with all the women I’ve supposedly been with?”
“I don’t know. Do you?”
“Of course not! And the last time I had a lover was before our engagement last year.”
Dorothy faltered.
“I don’t believe you,” she said faintly.
“Sure, I’ve been flirtatious, but I’ve not taken anyone to bed. And I certainly didn’t want to think about anyone else once I met you.” Lucas briefly looked away, his eyes closing. “I’ve never proposed marriage to any of them, either. You’re the first.”
