For a moment, her eyes clouded with confusion, then she snapped back and away from him. The loss of her soft body pressed against his filled him with regret and he longed to pull her close again. But he’d spoken those words for a reason. They needed distance between them. He should have never kissed her in the first place. He just hadn’t been able to help himself.
“You’ve made several points,” she said, her voice taking on a sharp edge that cut as deeply as any knife.
He winced. “I’m sorry, lass. I should not have done it. A man better than myself would never take advantage of an innocent woman and I—”
“Enough.” She let go of his arm and began walking away from him. Lifting her skirts, she picked up the pace, clearly intent upon catching Minnie. “You assume too much.”
“What does that mean?” he asked starting after her. “What do I assume?”
She huffed, lifting her skirts high enough that he got a view of her ankles, very slender, lovely little things that tapered off into silk slippers. “I don’t want or need your apology. I am a woman who made a choice to kiss you.”
He reached her side and rather pointedly slipped an arm about her waist. “Did ye now?” The way he remembered it, she’d refused to acknowledge there was something between them and he’d been proving a point. Honestly, she was rather fixated on being in charge of her own destiny. Was she just the strong sister of the Chase girls?
“I did,” she huffed, trying to slip from his embrace.
“And if I stopped and tried to kiss you again?”
She hit him with her hand square in the stomach. Clearly he had a soft spot. He let out a soft whoosh of breath. “Then I shall tell the Duke of Darlington.”
His head snapped back and he arched a brow because she had him there. “But ye don’t want to marry me either. Ye’ve said so.”
She let out a harrumph. “Might be worth it, just to prove my point.”
He couldn’t help it, he laughed. “Ye’re a prickly one.”
“I am.” She held her chin higher. “Bossy too. Loud, opinionated. I’ve even been called brash.” Her skirts swished as they continued to walk. “You might find me beautiful now but just wait.”
He pressed his lips together as he gave her a pointed look. She was convinced that her personality would deter him. The truth was, he liked her just the way she was. “If you ask me, ye’re pretty near perfect. Yer problem isna that ye’re too much of anything. Ye’re just English.”
She spluttered then, twisting toward him and grabbing his arm. “You don’t like that I’m English?”
“I dinnae care either way.” He smiled, knowing that he confused her, but he honestly found this conversation more amusing by the second. She was bloody fun when she was annoyed. “My mother was English and it’s her family home that I live in now.”
“Then what did you mean?”
Her little foot stomped again. She had a temper to be certain. He’d like to kiss that foot and then the ankle he’d caught a glimpse of. He wanted to kiss higher still, over her calf and…his cock jumped again. Gritting his teeth, he answered her question. “Just that the English seem to want women with no personality at all. Any Scot would jump at the chance to be with a woman of such high…spirit as yerself.”
“Oh.” She slumped, her fingers pressing to her cheek. “That was actually a lovely compliment and I—”
“There you two are,” Darlington called, emerging from the darkness just ahead. “We should go back inside. We’re here to be seen and so let’s be seen and be done with it. As you ladies know, we need to speak with Jack about why he and Emily eloped. We’re meeting them in a few hours’ time.”
Exile grimaced. Partly because he didn’t want to end their garden chat. But also because he wasn’t looking forward to the conversation with Jack, who had been engaged to Diana’s sister, Emily, when the two had unexpectedly eloped. That decision had sent all of them, men and women alike, spinning into quite the mess and this conversation was sure to be a difficult one.
“Don’t be too hard on him.” Minnie reached for her husband’s arm. “He’s sure to have a good reason.”
“He’d better,” Daring replied.
Exile agreed.
Diana stood in the ballroom watching the dancers spin about. Tonight was odd, indeed. Normally she’d be out there with the rest of the ladies, but tonight she was content to partially hide behind Lord Exmouth.
She supposed she was unsettled by the events of the past few weeks. Cordelia’s abduction, Emily’s elopement, and her own broken heart had left her feeling exposed and vulnerable.
Then, of course, there was the fact that she’d allowed Lord Exmouth to kiss her. Why had she done that? Hadn’t she learned her lesson already?
Many men found her intimidating, but last winter she’d met one who seemed to enjoy her for who she was. Much like Exmouth, Charles Crusher had looked her in the eye and kept looking. Then he’d pursued her. Relentlessly. Every party, he found an invitation. Every calling hour, he’d been there. Even in the driving rain, he’d come to visit. They’d gone for sleigh rides in the snow, and long winter walks, wrapped together under the winter sun.
He’d found opportunities to pull her from the paths and steal kisses when her chaperones weren’t looking.
Much like Exmouth had tonight. Her breath caught. How had she allowed another man to take such liberties? Apparently, for all her strength, she was a plain fool when it came to handsome and determined men.
She took another step back and surveyed Lord Exmouth. His hair was longer than most and pulled back into a queue. Rather unconventional and her first clue he was up to no good. Only pirates and thieves wore their hair like that, not earls. Large, broad shoulders tapered down to a thin waist and, heaven help her, a muscular rear that only accented his powerful thighs. Why were a man’s thighs tempting? She wasn’t certain but a sudden vision of her legs wrapped about his made her flush with heat.
“I feel ye staring at me,” he said not turning around to look at her.
She sniffed. “Please. Don’t be ridiculous.”
He turned his head to the side so she could see the slight smile that curved his lips in profile. “Should we take another walk?”
“No!” she said too quickly and far too loudly. Then she smoothed her skirts. “I’ve already told you, you needn’t be here at all.”
“Then why stare?” His eyes brows rose as he continued pivoting toward her.
She straightened her shoulders. She’d never tell him that she’d been contemplating the feel of his body against hers. Such nonsense would only encourage him. “Trying to figure out how I’m going to get rid of you.”
He laughed then, deep and rich, and her own cheeks flushed. She liked that he didn’t get fussed about her barbs. That he was strong and confident enough to laugh at them. “Touché.”
She stepped next to him then. “How much longer does His Grace think we should stay?”
“Not too long. We’re meeting at the club in an hour.”
Her insides fluttered at the reminder. Jack was going to explain why he and Emily had eloped. And Diana had every intention of speaking with her sister as well. “Can I ask you a favor?”