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"Certainly," she agreed "You needn’t even ask"
His gaze shot back to hers "And you’ll havehis eyes level with hers A shock a gold-streaked brown hair fell onto his forehead She had to stop herself fro it back "Don’t ask forto hold his stare in the face of words that clawed her heart "I understand"
He stared at her a long ly satisfied with her response "I don’t suppose it seemly for you to relocate to my residence prior to our vows" His lips twisted in derision "However, you cannot remain here Are your parents in Town?"
She could not recall the last tih they permanently lived at one of the Duke of Elder the allowance granted them from Madeline’s husband, they would not welcoo with you"
He eyed the stubborn lift of her chin and appeared ready to argue, then shook his head "Very well I’ll wait here while you gather your things"
"I won’t be long"
She saw no one as she hastened up the stairs Once in her roo that she had very little to pack Six years, and there was little to account for Thoughts awhirl, she swept her gaze over the roo for the ti stirred in her heart save a deep sadness for the years wasted to loneliness
Eager to be gone, she hurried downstairs To Seth
Whatever future awaited her had to be better than what she left Perhaps he evoked feelings too close to those she felt as a girl, those she had no business feeling as a woe with a man who vowed to never share himself with her--to never so much as touch her
But she would overcoirl anymore Seth would never love her She dare not believe he could
"Ready?" Seth asked, waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, face irim warrior
"Yes," shecarriage, she risked a glance over her shoulder to the dusk-shrouded house, wondering if in leaving its walls she would leave her loneliness behind too
"Jane"
She turned Seth held his hand out and she took it, heart leaping traitorously in her chest at the warers slid free of his, the loss of warainst the plu shut echoed in her head like the clang of a great iron gate
Staring out the , they began towhether a future as Seth’s ould prove her torripped Seth’s chest as he watched his sister e Jane’s cheek with far more exuberance than he had bestowed on her at the pronouncement of thee All he trusted hiive He had set the rules for this union of theirs He would not crumble and show hie She would not control hi for her
Jane met his stare over Julianne’s shoulder and quickly looked away,him wonder what she sahen she looked at hiht, he could not muster forth much of his earlier rancor Not if she had done what she did to escape Billings He’d been glad to rerand church wedding Merely a drawing room ceremony No flowers No candles No pews full of family and friends
His eyes flicked over her The ed with so irrationally annoyed to befor anotherto provide her with so of her at all--only his sense of injustice at being forced to wed a woh, he accepted the ishes of the reverend and his wife, still keeping one eye on Jane as she chatted with his sister Morning light poured through the open terrace doors, non
His sister looked happy, ani him to breathe easier At least he had acco else, he trusted Jane with Julianne Even if she was a Spencer Suddenly relanced about the rooesstared back at hi’s dark eyes, a stark contrast to her fair hair, slid over hi
Lady Shillington was lances
He moved to his wife’s side In a low voice, he asked, "Could your fa within her bodice, catching his notice in a way that made him scowl He didn’t want to notice her attributes, did not want to remember the fullness of her brsts in his hands--the way they felt, the way they tasted He would do well to never let hi thinly, she said, "I did not invite the, "I trust you did not do so on ile smile faltered "It wastug at his heart Relief perhaps Whatever the reason, she had not forced hio The realization struck hier included Jane in their ranks For better or worse, she was no longer one of theer a Spencer She was his Possessiveness crackled through hiht she could ever elicit such feelings?
Before his icy reservebutler "Are we ready torooood" Extending his ar the pull of whatever lurked in those variable depths, re, no matter how she made his heart beat harder and his blood pu leaf on his ar roo breakfast Julianne insisted they host Even though he saw little point in pretending theirs was a happy union brought about through a custo breakfast was a sih matter to please his sister
Julianne and the Duchess of Shillingtonto it that the conversation never lagged entirely--no easy task considering the bride and groonified Duchess of Derring concerned herself with her food, feasting with a voracious appetite the likes he had never seen in a lady--the only hint of spontaneity in her icy dematic stare on him He stared back, undaunted
"To Lord and Lady St Claire," the lady intoned, dark eyes fastened on hih "May his lordship know the treasure he holds in a wife"
"Astrid," Jane whispered, dropping her utensils and tucking her hands beneath the table