“Would you like me to pin up your hair, miss?” the maid asked.
Athena shook her head. “No thank you. It will dry faster if it’s left down.”
“Very well, miss.”
Athena pushed her feet into the slippers she’d been given and shrugged her shoulders. They were a size too large but they’d have to do while her boots were being dried
Satisfied with her ensemble, she left her room and went downstairs. She recalled where the parlor, study, and dining room were from earlier, so then perhaps this door led to the library? Opening it, she noticed the bookshelves lining the walls and stepped inside. A cozy atmosphere born from the glow of oil lamps, the crackle of burning wood, and the rich smell of leather greeted her.
Searching the space, Athena’s gaze landed upon the two armchairs facing the fireplace. One, she noted, was occupied. Her stomach instantly tightened. She tried to force her heart into a calmer rhythm, but to no avail. Darlington’s presence affected her in the most peculiar way, instilling in her a curious mixture of apprehension and excitement.
She chastised herself for her silliness and closed the door.
“Miss Townsbridge.” Darlington rose and straightened to his full height. An awkward moment of silence followed, during which Athena became extremely aware of her appearance. Her arms were bare, her hair a curly mess around her shoulders, the gown she wore a size too small, and he was staring. Honestly, what must he think of her? He cleared his throat and gestured toward the chair beside his own. “Please, come join me.”
Inhaling deeply, she moved toward him with uneven steps as she struggled to keep the oversized slippers on her feet.
“Tea?” Darlington asked once she’d taken her seat and he’d resumed his. Athena nodded and moved to pour herself a cup, only he was swifter. “Allow me.”
She sat back, a bit startled by the firm insistence of his voice and by the fact that he, a man, had chosen to fulfill a task ordinarily reserved for women. It was strangely endearing – intimate, even. She shook away the fanciful notion and settled in to watch him serve her.
“Sugar or milk?” he asked, his blue eyes meeting hers as he angled his head in her direction.
“Neither.”
A dimple formed at the edge of his mouth as if a smile threatened. The teacup and matching saucer looked tiny between his hands when he picked them up and offered them to her. Athena’s stomach tightened further, her fingertips brushing his causing her pulse to leap in the most impractical way.
“Thank you, my lord.”
He hovered near her for an additional second before withdrawing to his own chair. When he spoke again, his voice was gruff. “You’re welcome.”
Athena sipped her tea, allowing the drink to calm her nerves. If only she could escape his company; however, he’d asked her to meet him and as he was her host, she could not deny him. But really, the disquiet she felt in his presence was most unwelcome. And rather than dissipate, it was increasing. Which made no logical sense whatsoever. She’d not been the least bit nervous when she arrived, and yet somehow, with each additional moment spent in his company, she felt herself more unsteady than ever before.
Needing to fill the air with something besides tense silence, she glanced at the book he’d set aside when she’d arrived and asked, “What are you reading?”
“Ivanhoe.”
“Really?” Athena turned in her seat so she could better face him. “I adore that story.”
Darlington chuckled. “I’m not surprised.”
“No?”
“You always were the adventurous sort.” He met her gaze and rather than finding censure there, she saw interest. “Remember when you climbed the tree to access the roof on the stables?”
She grinned. “You and my brother were chasing me.”
“We were pretending to be officers on a mission to catch a traitor. But you knew Charles was scared of heights and wouldn’t come after you. And you were too fast for me. By the time I clambered up onto the roof, you were gone.”
“I wasn’t far away, though,” she said as the memories came flooding back. “I’d slipped through the ventilation hatch and was hiding right beneath you.”
“But I looked,” he said, his voice incredulous.
“And you probably saw a pile of hay.” When he nodded, she smiled. “I was inside it.”
“Really?”
She sipped her tea. “If you’d jumped down I’ll wager you would have landed on top of me.”
Amusement lit his eyes for a moment before they dimmed. A frown appeared on his brow. “I’m sorry for the way I behaved toward you earlier today. Your intentions were good and I...I was unpardonably rude.”
“No one would fault you for not desiring to meet with me. Considering the damage I caused you, I certainly cannot. Nor am I able to blame you for not accepting my apology.”
“I do, though.”
“What?” Her heart gave a hard thud.
“I forgive you, Athena. In fact, I did so a long time ago. After all, you were only a child intent on doing the right thing. It is just that your coming here unannounced caught me completely off guard. I wasn’t prepared to face you.”
“I’m sorry. I probably should have sent a note.”
He answered with a snort. “You’ve never adhered to protocol, so it’s not surprising you did not think to do so.”
“I’m sorry.”
“So you’ve said. Multiple times. I wish you would stop.” She scrunched her mouth in protest, prompting him to laugh. “Life must be an unbearable struggle for you, having to follow rules, being forced to adhere to social etiquette without compromising your own true self.”
He had her pegged to perfection. Athena sank back against her chair with a sigh. “I’m a burden to everyone close to me – a constant threat to everyone’s reputation. It’s why I’ll probably never marry. Because no respectable man will want to take me on. I’m too big a risk.”
“You have gumption, Athena. Life with you would never be dull. Indeed, I imagine it would be riveting.” His voice was low and strained in a way that surprised her. “You’ll find the right man eventually, I’m sure.”
“Time will tell, I suppose.” She appreciated his attempt to lift her spirit, but she wasn’t sure she believed him. Deciding to change the subject before he began suspecting she might want his pity, she asked, “Why have you not married?”
He raised one eyebrow at her. When she did not blink, he eventually said, “After being thrown over twice, I must confess I have not been especially eager to risk a third humiliation.”
“Twice?” Athena asked.
“Bethany wasn’t my first fiancée. I was engaged to Miss Charlotte Walker a few years prior.”
Sweet heavens. Athena didn’t know what to say. She felt even worse now, knowing she’d ruined his second attempt to marry.
“I was young and believed Charlotte to be the love of my life. As it turned out, she was only in love with my title. When she realized there wasn’t a vast fortune to go along with it, she ran off with my cousin.”
The air left Athena’s lungs. “No.”
“Not that he was wealthy or titled, mind you. Billings was a rake but she was apparently drawn to that.”