Angel in Scarlet (Bound and Determined #4)(64)
“Why, no wonder you took ill. You know you must take care when you do not feel well. It would be such a shame if you had become too ill to attend the rest of the events.” And meet a nice young man to marry.
The last piece of her mother’s thought did not need to be put into words.
“You are both right. I will take more care in the future. I do believe that I have learned my lesson.” She lowered her head, trying to project an image of absolute innocence.
“I am not sure that you have,” Thorton stated flatly.
Her mother opened her mouth as if to rebuke him but then closed her lips. There were arguments even her mother did not wish to engage in. “Well, come into the parlor and we will get you a sherry.” She took Angela’s arm and pulled her away from Thorton. “Something nice and fortifying is just what you need.”
Thorton made no move to follow.
—
Colton waved his footman back to the carriage and stared up at the house. He had debated sending his regrets once again, but he was not a coward. This must be faced.
“So have you decided what to do?” Thorton demanded, stepping out the front door. The man must have been waiting for him.
“I am still considering my options.”
“I am afraid that you do not have any. I spoke with Miss Ripon just a few moments ago.”
Now, that was surprising—and concerning. “And what did she have to say? I do hope you did not bore her with your threats as you have me.”
“Not yet. I will say that she did not seem altogether pleased with yesterday’s events. I begin to wonder if my early assessments were correct and you have preyed on an innocent.”
Colton felt a sudden urge to plant his fist squarely in the center of Lord Thorton’s face. He was unsure if the impulse was a desire to protect Angela or his own reputation. And he wasn’t sure that it mattered. He had decided not to tell Angela of Thorton’s threat. There was no reason for her to feel this pressure—assuming she did not plot with Thorton. “I am not concerned with what you think.”
“But you should be. One word from me and the poor thing will be ruined. There will not be a corner dark enough for her to hide in. She’ll wish that she could run off to France and join a convent.”
Colton stared back at Thorton. “I never took you to have papist sympathies.”
“I don’t.” Thorton met his look and held it. “I merely state a truth.”
“Why should I be concerned for the girl?” He would do almost anything to protect Angela, but Thorton certainly did not need to know that.
“You admit no fault?”
He marched up the front steps and stared into Thorton’s eyes. “I will admit nothing. And now I do believe we are due in for dinner. I was forced to send my regrets last night; I would not wish Lady Perse to think I was so rude as to be late this evening.” He began to walk past Thorton.
Thorton caught at his arm, his voice a hiss. “I do not make idle threats, Colton. You would be wise to consider the full situation.”
Colton did not turn; he merely pulled his arm free and walked in, hoping the doorman had not heard too much.
Chapter 18
Tonight the headache had become all too real. Angela sat between Lord Peter and Mr. Wilkes—both young enough, both eligible, both of reasonable countenance—and was bored silly. No, that was not fair to either of the gentlemen. They were both perfectly pleasant. She just found every demand on her attention trying. She didn’t want to discuss common friends and which ball they had attended during the past season. She didn’t even want to hear of Mr. Wilkes’s time at Oxford and his studies of the ancient Greeks. She wanted to be alone. No, she wanted to talk to Colton. No, the last thing she wanted was to talk to Colton. If possible, she wanted to never see him again.
Which was of course difficult when he sat just down the table, talking to Mrs. Links. He was too far away for Angela to hear his conversation, but did he have to look so entertained? She was miserable and he looked as if he was having the most wonderful of times. He’d probably get up and swing into a waltz in a moment. And why did Mrs. Links think that gown was appropriate for dinner? It looked like something that belonged at Madame Rouge’s. No, not even one of Madame Rouge’s girls would have worn something so…
God, her head ached. She rubbed her temple and smiled and nodded at Mr. Wilkes.
“So you do agree that my father should let me go on an excursion to seek Troy, Miss Ripon. He has been quite unreasonable on the subject. He seems to think I should come home and concentrate on estate management. I suppose I am lucky he doesn’t want me to join the Church. He can be so traditional.”
She nodded and then blinked, trying to be sure she was not agreeing to anything that she shouldn’t. It would be dreadful to find she’d agreed to dance every dance with him or that she was meeting him in the gardens at midnight. There was only one man she wanted to meet in the gardens at midnight.
No. No. No.
She did not want to see him, much less meet with him. And definitely not in a dark garden, not someplace where they might press against each other, where she might finally kiss him, feel the stroke of his very talented tongue upon her mouth, might find herself tempted to…
No.
No.
No.
Never.