Chapter 11
Blackthorn escorted Miss Knight out of the ballroom and into the rose garden to escape the crowd and give him time to question her further.
He’d done things on a whim before, but the proposal was uncharacteristic of him. Granted, he’d had to adjust to situations quickly when living on the fringe of danger, but this? He’d never made a rash decision that would shave nearly two years off his life.
Why had he been so rash in his decision to announce the engagement tonight?
Was it because the men had gawked at her, watching her move about the room with interest in their eyes? Oh, he had noticed it all right. To his annoyance. Even Grayson had seemed too happy in her presence. Or was it watching Kendall leave the ball with a look of warning? Thirty days, he had said.
Only thirty days.
The air seemed a little warm this evening, and the stars were bright. When was the last time he had seen stars, or looked up at the sky in contemplation? His behavior had been very uncharacteristic as of late. Then he looked at the woman walking next to him. She said nothing. Probably concocting something spiteful to say to him.
“What was that about?” she asked. “I distinctly recall you weren’t ready to give me an answer,” she said, looking squarely at him.
Of course she’d get right to the point of the matter. Still, he found her frankness refreshing, despite her prickly disposition. “I thought you’d rather be pleased.”
She frowned. “Pleased?” she started. “I am pleased that you have agreed to the arrangement. However, I would have preferred the courtesy of knowing your intentions before you announced it to everyone.”
Her lips thinned in anger, then her face eased as she gazed beyond where he stood. She stood on her tiptoes to look around.
“What’s the matter?” he said, looking in the same direction.
“I thought I saw someone,” she blurted out. An aged couple near them smiled, then continued on their way. She shook her head as if frustrated. “You should have informed me before announcing our engagement to the world.”
“It wasn’t the world,” he said. “And I thought this was what you wanted.”
Her brows rose in question. When he said nothing, she continued. “I do like to be part of the decision-making process. Perhaps I made a mistake in coming to you with this arrangement.”
“You’re angry,” he said, his brows rising in amusement. He saw her glare at him with burning eyes. “Again.”
“Yes, I am, rightfully so,” she said firmly. “Just because you are a man doesn’t give you the right to make the decision for me. I have told you, I will be an equal partner in this; otherwise, I shall have no choice but to move on to the next candidate.”
“I am sorry if I have upset you,” he said quietly. “It was not my intention.”
There was a sense of raw vulnerability in her tone, and her eyes filled with controlled fire. His reaction to this was rather perplexing, as he fought the compulsion to hold her in his arms, to kiss away the tension between them. She stood perfectly still as if determined to win the conversation, her eyes cold and proud. Then her defensiveness slowly began to subside.
She looked away. “Please don’t look at me like that,” she said.
“How am I looking at you?” He told himself he’d use this time to find out more about her. After all, he had to protect his interest since she wasn’t volunteering the information he sought from her about the night he’d found her in the alley with a very dangerous man.
“You stare at me with such intensity. It’s quite unnerving, you realize,” she said softly, giving him a wary glance.
Quite unlike him, he said, “Then I shall endeavor to do my best not to.”
She lifted her chin as if finding her strength once more. “You needn’t pretend there is actually something meaningful between us when we are alone.”
Was he pretending? Carried away by his own desires, he leaned in close. His voice almost at a whisper, he said, “We are going to marry, and for the duration of that period, you are my responsibility.” He placed his hand on her elbow and pulled her to him. Leaning forward, he gently kissed her cheek, and she didn’t stop him.
Her gaze met his and remained there for a moment. He wanted to kiss her desperately. Jesus, her skin felt delectably soft. His hand lifted to cup her neck, and she slowly leaned into him, not resisting. He liked this. Oh yeah, his body was reaching to her even before he could get his head around what was happening. Their eyes locked, and desire brewed in her beautiful brown eyes that reminded him of chocolate. Then she quickly pulled away.
She remained still, observing him as she had done numerous times. “I have to go; my chaperone must be looking for me.”
“It is customary for the bride-to-be to meet with the guests and accept their congratulations before she departs.” Since when did he care about his family tradition? This was Max’s territory, but then again, Max was no longer here.
“Oh,” she said. “I don’t suppose you’d tell them I’m suffering a headache?”
“I could, but how will that serve us if we are to convince them the union is genuine?”
She bit her lower lip and contemplated. “I suppose you are right.” Then she became quiet, thinking for several seconds. “Actually, there is something I’d like to ask you.”
“Go on,” he said.
“I hear you were in his majesty’s army. Is that true?”
He nodded. “But only for a short time.” He’d been in the army when he was recruited to spy for his country, but he preferred to keep that information to himself if possible.
“Oh,” she said, stopping short in dismay.
“Why are you asking this?” he asked, intrigued.
“I just thought you seemed to have more experience from the way you handled those hoodlums in the alley.”
What was she getting at? “And if I do?”
Her eyes shone with delight. “How much experience, exactly?”
“Enough. Why?”
“I . . .” She hesitated as if she shouldn’t say more. “I need some assistance finding my friend. I have tried since arriving in London, and I am not having much success. It will be dangerous, as you already discovered the other night. I fear Millie may be in the hands of thugs, or even worse, back with her father.” She paused, as if reflecting on her past. “He can be cruel . . . very cruel, actually.”
“And you feel I can use my fists to get your friend back?”
“If need be, yes,” she said. She paused, watching his expression. It seemed he didn’t look disagreeable to what she had just revealed to him. “I must insist that I am included in this endeavor, as I am an equal partner in this.”
“Does this mean the deal is off if I decline to help find your friend?”
“Of course not,” she said. “But I do hope you’ll consider it. If you want additional sums from my portion, I am willing to—”
“I don’t need additional funds,” he remarked. “We agreed to split it fifty-fifty.”
“And don’t forget Somersby Hall.”
“Once we are wed and I get my portion, you can have the property.”
She smiled at his response. “Good.”
The smile in her eyes squeezed his chest. “You should do that more often.”
“Do what?”
“Smile,” he said. “It suits you.”
She looked away shyly. He touched her cheek with his thumb and rubbed across it. She cupped his hand and held it in hers, then slowly dropped it. Oh hell, he wanted to kiss her, and for a single moment he thought she would let him. Instead, she dropped her gaze and looked away.
“I think it will be best to procure a special license and wed as soon as possible,” he said.
“I do too, the sooner the better.”
“I will need several days to acquire the special license. In the meantime, we can get started looking for your friend.”
“You should be aware my grandmother expects you to present yourself after we wed.”
“I see,” he said. “I will need to make travel plans for us, then.” She seemed nervous, unsure. “What is it?”
Her expression was full of worry. “It’s just happening so fast. If you don’t require my company, I’d like to go home.”
“I thought I’d introduce you to the other guests.”
“Must I?” she said. “I am rather tired and would like to rest if you don’t mind.”
“I can take you home now, if you wish it.”
“Thank you,” she said. “But I can see to it myself.”
He watched her for several seconds, and she had an inkling that he was going to insist on escorting her home. She had already spent too much of her time with this man, granted for a good cause, but it was beginning to feel . . . complicated, and she wanted to keep it simple between them.
“Besides, the less time we spend together than necessary, the better, I think,” she said.
She didn’t have the room for contemplating this man. This big, capable man that made her want and desire things that she shouldn’t; she didn’t have that kind of indulgence in her life. Her own freedom was at stake, and she had bigger things to worry about, like finding Millie. This thought helped her sober up.
“You’re right,” he said. “The less complicated this is, the better.”