Theo fell in step next to his friend and Stallworth began to trail behind them, but Max raised his hand. “Please finish collecting boughs, Mr. Stallworth. Decorations will go up tonight.”
Theo breathed a momentary sigh of relief to hear Max’s voice return to normal, but Max’s next question left Theo cold. “Did you kiss my sister?”
Theo drew in a slow breath. “Yes.”
Max didn’t say another word as they approached the house and Theo didn’t speak either. Because he wouldn’t talk for Sarah. And because...he knew she didn’t want him the way he wanted her.
With every step, Max moved faster until he was practically running up the front stairs.
They reached the doors and Max burst through them, barreling down the hall. Theo kept pace, ready to do...whatever was necessary. He just had no idea what that was.
But as Max threw open the salon doors where all the women currently congregated, dread dropped like brick in his stomach.
“Sarah,” Max bellowed, pointing across the room where Sarah sat holding a book of poetry. Upside down. “Sarah,” he said again when she didn’t immediately rise.
She stood then, carefully handing the book to Lady Abigail, who sat next to her. “Yes?” Her voice was calm, cool. Theo relaxed too. Whatever else, she’d face this with all the grace the situation required.
“The Earl of Everly would like to propose.” Max turned toward him, looking at his friend with a dark glare that Theo had never seen before.
“What?” Sarah squeaked. “Max? What’s the meaning of this?”
“You know very well.” Max spun back, pointing at his sister. “Which is why when he proposes in a few moments, you will accept.”
Sarah’s face paled as several gasps spread about the room.
Max turned back to Theo. “Well?”
Theo met Sarah’s gaze, her eyes pleading with him to do...he wasn’t certain. But if he’d made mistakes before, he’d not repeat them. Not now. Or he’d try very hard not to. The single word stuck in his throat. “No.”
“No?” Max asked, drawing up to his full height. “No...what?”
“No, I will not propose. No, Sarah will not accept.” There. He’d said it. It was either the worst mistake of his life or the best choice he’d ever made.
14
The dowager marchioness let out a cry and promptly swooned, landing on a settee.
Sarah rushed to her mother’s side, wrapping her arms about her mother’s shoulders, fanning her face. Then she looked up at Max. “Are you happy now?”
“Me?” Max cried. “This is your fault.”
She arched her brows, glancing around at the crowded room meaningfully. “I chose to make a public spectacle?”
Max took a half step back, bumping into Theo, who rested a gentle hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Perhaps we should take this discussion to your study.”
Sarah stood, planting her hands on her hips. Her poor, broken, mangled heart was being put through another form of torture, and her head…
Her head knew not what to make of this. She found herself glancing over at Abigail, as if she might know. Abigail gave her a sympathetic wince as she shrugged.
No help there.
Marigold and her friends were merely staring at the gentlemen with wide eyes, clearly speechless at the scene before them. And Theo…
She couldn’t bring herself to look directly at Theo.
Why would Max force him to propose?
And why would he refuse?
She closed her eyes tightly as a wave of pain washed over her. The answer was obvious.
He’d refused to propose because he did not truly care for her. Not the way that she cared for him. Because he’d realized that she was right and he would never respect her enough to love her. Because—
“I must insist. I need to speak with you in private, Max.” Theo’s voice was a low growl, one she’d never heard from him before. “In your study. Now.”
She watched her brother’s reluctant agreement and tried not to be too bitter that he would listen to his friend but not her.
They were nearly to the door and she felt rather than saw every gaze in the room sweep in her direction. The moment they were out of sight she would be expected to answer questions.
“Sarah,” her mother hissed from the settee where she was most definitely exaggerating her swoon. “You will explain yourself.”
She winced. Where to begin? With her ridiculous infatuation for Mr. Stallworth or attempting to explain why and how she had let herself lose her senses over a man who would never see her as a grown woman?
It did not take a genius to see that Max had somehow gotten wind of their kiss. But who—?
Stallworth.
She shut her eyes again, this time so she could mentally kick herself. Why had she not stopped to think before kissing Everly in front of Mr. Stallworth? Stupid, foolish Sarah—
“Sarah?” Theo’s low voice had her eyes snapping open in surprise. He was still there, hovering in the doorway as he and everyone else in the room stared at her. “Are you coming?”
“You and I need to sort this out, Everly,” her brother started. “This is between you and me and—”
“No.” Theo’s voice was sharp as a whip and Sarah winced at the sight of him and Max at odds.
And all because of her.
Theo turned to face Max. “This is your sister’s life we’re discussing, Max. She deserves to be included in this conversation.”
Sarah blinked. Then she blinked again when Max tore off with a muttered curse about men in love.
“Well?” Theo said, turning back to her with an expectant look. “Are you coming?”
She jolted into action. Was she coming? Of course she was. Theo was right—this was her life they were discussing. And he understood that. Which made her heart beat wildly in her chest. He knew that she should not be treated like a child and, instead, be part of this discussion about what happened next.
Her future.
Her heart.
The overworked organ was racing ahead of her as she raced to catch up with the two men, her mother hot on her heels. “Not without me, you don’t,” her mother hissed.
Precisely whom she was addressing was anyone’s guess.
When Sarah reached her brother’s study, she found Max pacing the confines of the room like a caged animal. Theo, for his part, seemed more at ease than she would have imagined a man facing a marriage he did not want. He leaned against the mantel, his arms crossed and one foot kicked out resting on the toe of the other. And while he looked relaxed he also appeared completely male…confident, strong, and striking. She skidded to a halt.
His gaze was fixed on her so intently, she found it difficult to breathe, let alone speak. Her mother, rushing in behind her, was the first to break the silence. “What is all this about, Max? Have you lost your senses?”
Max thrust a hand through his hair and Sarah was only half aware of the words he was speaking, the awkward explanation for all that had transpired. The accusations that had been made.
Theo merely held her gaze throughout it all, his dark eyes so fierce and filled with so many emotions she couldn’t begin to name them.
Her own were easier to identify.