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Both men jumped when Dorothy’s sharp tone interjected.
“Who said I had made my choice? Did you just assume I had chosen you for something, Gabriel?”
Burville started spluttering, but Dorothy held up a hand. Her expression was stony, which should have been somewhat terrifying. Yet it was far more erotic than Lucas could have imagined. How he found an angry look beautiful, he had no idea. He wasn’t going to argue with it.
“I have not made a choice on anything,” Dorothy’s voice was quiet but clear. “We were friends in childhood, yes, but that doesn’t mean I see you as anything more. Don’t assume something for me when I’ve not clarified my opinion. I don’t like it when others decide things on my behalf. It’s very tiresome.”
A movement out of the corner of Lucas’ eye had him looking at Lady Bedford. She looked a little uncomfortable with that comment. Maybe she remembered how she had got involved with pushing her daughter into an engagement.
“If it makes Lord Dashwood leave, I will speak to him,” Dorothy went on. “I don’t want to hear your opinion about the matter, and I certainly don’t want a fight over something so ridiculous. I’m not a toy you want to hold onto and get tugged back and forth between several people. Treat me like that, and you’re gone from my life. Do you understand?”
“But …”
“Do you understand?”
Burville pulled back from his protest with a sullen expression, and Lucas tried to hide his laughter seeing the state of him. The tea stains were splashed across his cream breeches and on the edge of his jacket. It didn’t look to have caught him where it would really hurt but having hot tea soaking through the fabric had to smart.
“Just go and get yourself cleaned up, Gabriel,” Dorothy said with a sigh. “I’ve got five minutes, remember? I don’t want you hanging around while I talk to Lord Dashwood.”
“Are you sure you should be alone with him?” Burville asked.
“With my mother present? Like I said to you earlier, no one has a claim on me. Let me do things on my own.”
Burville looked like he wanted to argue further, but the discomfort from the scalding had to be getting to him. With one last glare at Lucas, Burville stormed into the house. Lucas almost expected him to slam the glass door behind him.
Dorothy lowered her hand and turned to him. Even with that cool stare, Lucas found himself wanting to take her into his arms and kiss her. If he thought that, there had to be something really wrong with his head.
“Now, Lord Dashwood,” Dorothy’s tone was still chilly. “What is it you want to talk to me about? Be quick about it.”
“Of course.” Lucas glanced at Lady Bedford, who still looked bewildered. “Shall we go for a walk?”
“I prefer to sit.” Dorothy adjusted her chair and sat down. “I don’t feel comfortable going anywhere with you.”
Lucas could go with that. He put Burville’s chair upright, checking it wasn’t wet with tea, and sat down. Dorothy crossed her legs and smoothed her skirts over her knees. Then she looked at him with an unblinking gaze.
“Well? You came here without calling ahead, barged into my father’s house, and interrupted my time with a friend for a reason. So, talk.”
“I meant what I said yesterday, Dorothy. I do want to court you.”
“And you expect me to say yes because you came charging into my house? You’re going to need to do better than that.”
She was going to make this really hard for him. Lucas had been expecting it, but it was still frustrating. He sat forward.
“Look, I know I was horrible to you when we were engaged. Even though we had never met, I behaved appallingly. I was only thinking of myself, and I never took your feelings into consideration. I’m really sorry about that. It was not my intention.
But ever since we properly met, I realised that I had made a mistake. I should have given you a chance, found out what you were really like, and then decided. If I had, I would have married you long ago.”
Something flickered in Dorothy’s face. Lucas might have got a better reaction from her if he slapped her. He ploughed on.
“I understand you have misgivings about me, and you already have an opinion over me and my actions, and I don’t blame you for that. It was my fault, after all, that you came to that. I will hold my hands up at that. But I do want a second chance. I want to try and change your mind about me. From the …”
He hesitated, glancing at Lady Bedford, who had returned to reading her book. She looked like she was reading, but Lucas saw her glancing up before looking away quickly. Lucas lowered his voice.
“From the few interactions we’ve had, away from everyone else, it’s clear there’s something between us. It’s something we should explore.”
Dorothy’s eyes narrowed.
“Kissing someone who seduces women for a hobby doesn’t mean anything,” she whispered back.
