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"I appreciate what you did for me but I never asked for your help then and I certainly will not be needing it now. So you will do well to stop using it against me." His tone was low and warning. He did not like to be reminded of his stupidity, how it had wounded him, and what it had cost him.
"Fine!" Steven snapped, finally displaying his own anger. "Do not come looking for me. Do not even seek my advice." Without responding, Albert walked out and headed to his study where he poured himself a finger of brandy before opening some ledgers on his desk to distract himself for a while.
It did not work and he returned to the decanter to refill his glass. Unable to sit, he stood in front of the tall windows that overlooked the gardens, nursing his drink and inwardly admonishing himself for his deceit of an innocent lady. He had taken advantage of Edwina and dragged her into a mire that was jeopardizing her reputation; all in an attempt to cope with a mistake from his past.
Movement in the garden pulled him out of his thoughts and he squinted into the night for a better look. Realizing it was a woman, he recalled Edwina's words earlier about the garden when she had expressed her desire for a walk and commended the moonlight's effect on it. Could she be out on that walk? It was not safe for her to be out alone at this hour.
He strode out and made his way into the garden. He had not thought she would go through with it; she was not that foolish. He rounded the hedge corner he had spied her taking earlier and immediately collided with her.
"Albert!" she gasped. His jaw hardened. Firstly, that was not Edwina’s voice. Secondly, she never called him Albert.
"Roxanne," he said through clenched teeth. He knew she was attending the party and had arrived with that foolish Viscount. He was also disappointed that it was not Edwina.
Roxanne surreptitiously smoothed her skirts and reached to straighten her cap. He took in her appearance and it became apparent she had been on a tryst. With whom, however, he neither knew nor cared.
Albert blinked. Such knowledge would have made bile churn in his stomach. She was the reason he had proposed to Edwina and now he felt more indifference than anything. Could Edwina be doing this to him? Making him forget her?
"How refreshing that I am Roxanne to you again and not Miss Perkins," she remarked snidely, pouting her lips. "What changed? Could it be the effect of the night and our location?" She looked around meaningfully, covering some of the space he had put between them.
"I saw movement—" he said.
"And you hoped it was that fiancée of yours?" Her dark brows rose and she raised her chin. She was trying to conceal it but he could still see the jealousy in her gaze. It gave him some satisfaction but not very much.
"It is no concern of yours who I thought it was."
"Oh come now, Albert," Roxanne said sweetly, "you can lie to Society, but I know you very well."
"Youknewme," he corrected.
"It does not matter," she whispered seductively, coming to him and pressing her body to his. "What matters is that I know exactly what you want." She placed her hands on his chest and raised her face to him.
"Like you know what every man you betrayed me with wants, eh?" he asked, shoving her hands and retreating from her.
"How dare you?" She stumbled backward as if his words had struck her.
"Your habits never change, it would seem. I wonder what you see in a nine-and-ten-year-old Viscount." Albert chuckled darkly before adding, "I shall leave you to return to your er… meeting. You should not keep your friends waiting."
If the anger in one's gaze could burn, Albert would have been all but ashes at the look she gave. He left her there, grateful it was not Edwina that was out. He would have to caution her against that plan of hers should she wish to execute it. Although, he would not mind it if they walked the gardens together under the moonlight. Perhaps he should arrange it.
* * *
"Can't sleep?" Kitty whispered from her side of the bed.
Edwina had turned in the sheets for what ought to be the umpteenth time since retiring to bed. "I thought you were sleeping." Edwina faced her.
"I cannot seem to fall asleep," Kitty replied.
"Nor I," Edwina complained.
"I hope Roxanne does not join tomorrow morning's ribbon-shopping trip." Kitty sighed and turned to lie on her back.
"Ribbon-shopping trip?" she asked.
"I did not tell you?" Kitty sat up. "I thought I did. Well, you did disappear at some point during the evening. Where were you?"
She had not told Kitty about Steven’s words to her. There was no point in telling her because everything he had said to her was the truth. That was why it wounded her. "I had a slight headache and needed some fresh air."
“We were out of doors, Edwina.”
