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“No, but I encountered her last night. She was in quite a state.”
“What did she say?”
“Nothing in particular.”
“What did you say?”
“That men are scoundrels.”
Edward felt every muscle in his body become tense. Why would his friend do such a thing? Although he knew his dear friend to be irreverent, perhaps he had gone too far. “Why did you say that?”
“It was on the tip of my tongue.”
“Get out of my home this instant.”
“Edward, you can’t be serious. She knew that I was being humorous.”
“Still. Get out.”
Was everyone conspiring against him? Did he not have a conversation the evening before about love? Graham shared his own longings. Although Edward wished to inspect Graham’s mind, there was no time for it. He needed to see Laura at once and deal with Graham at a later time.
Entering his room, Edward sat in a chair and massaged his temples. He stared at the clock and listened as it ticked. Any moment now, she would arrive. Any moment now, the nightmare would be over. There was finally a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
It was Ermengarde that stepped in. “I apologize, but Laura is busy with other things.”
“I thought that would be the reply. Tell her that I summon her at once. No matter what she’s doing, the master of the house requests her presence.”
There was fear in Ermengarde’s eyes. She placed the tray on the table and nodded her head. “Yes, Your Grace.”
Edward reached for the tincture and dropped it on his tongue, washing it down with a glass of water. He took a sip of tea and was grateful that it was nice and strong, further antidote for the pain in his head. So, Laura had refused him yet again? Edward vowed that once she was in that room, he’d find a way to convince her never to do so in the future. Was she denying his love? Didn’t she know that if she accepted it, Edward would shower her in it for the rest of her days if he could?
After what felt like a lifetime, there was a gentle knock on the door. Instead of calling out, Edward forcefully walked to the door and opened it. It was Laura. Edward heaved a sigh of relief. “Come in.”
He watched as Laura stepped through the threshold. She looked small and frightened. What the devil had Anna Rutley said to make her retreat and recoil? “I apologize for not coming up with the breakfast, Your Grace.”
“Laura, be seated.”
Edward was amazed that it was the first time that Laura had ever been in his room. He saw her eye the bed and then look away. As she did so, Edward felt a lump in his throat. She seated herself, gazing out the window. “What did you wish to speak to me about, Your Grace?”
“I feel as though you misunderstand me.”
“In what way?”
“I warned you that I’d be dancing with Anna all night, and yet you still got your feelings hurt.”
Laura shifted in her chair. She massaged the back of her neck. “I didn’t know that … it would hurt so bad.”
“Laura, I told you that I love you. What else must you understand?”
She looked up to him, pain in her eyes. “I know that I do. My feelings are the same. But I don’t know that I have the fortitude to sit back and watch you marry another.”
“Are you referring to Anna?”
“I am.”
“And what leads you to believe that I’ll marry her?”
