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“My father can have nothing to say to this I explained the situation to you, I thought”
The Devil waved this away
“You are merely his son,” he said “He does what he likes with you He will not find me nearly so e’s, Hanover Square, and all the world will be obliged to think it a very good match, indeed Rely upon it”
Mr Deso to her now,” he said “After you’ve had your anshatever it is— more to say to you”
Mr Langdon had proceeded frorave House to that of Lord Rand, in order to see his friends one last tied himself
He had devoted the walk to convincing himself he had no need to see Miss Desain It ounded in so many places already that one ether, and he did not wish to die in front of her Hanging hinified, and certainly more discreet
All of which he kneas ridiculous, but he was lovesick and his case was hopeless and, in the circuation
Peace, he thought, eternal peace Never again need he struggle to preserve thebeast within fought wildly to overpower him
In the end he’d be quiet, just as he’d told Tony—in a cool, tranquil vault where she could never get
at hily beautiful face or hold her in his arh his hair and, pull his mouth to hers and moan so softly, her breath warm on his face
He had just turned the corner into Governor Square and had to stop and lean against a railing because all the breath seemed to have rushed out of his body at once He stood there, clutching the railing, oblivious to the curious stares of passersby, a long while Then he straightened, tugged at his cravat, and turned back in the direction of Potterby House
The butler was just explaining that Miss Desmond was busy at the moment, when Lady Potterby fluttered out, all s room
Ten minutes later, Jack was on his way hoer Tony was in the parlour with Delilah and they were unchaperoned because Tony was proposing, as Lady Potterby had been stubbornly assuring one and all he would He had even, her ladyship announced triu first to the young lady’s papa
Oddly enough, Jack felt cal hiroomsman, and it would be churlish to coations to one’s friends
Meanwhile, Jack would go back to Rossingley He would not, however, stop at any inns along the way, not even if overtaken by a hurricane
Lord Bernelady was like to hear in this century Following his intervieith her father, Tony had decided he’d be wisest to commence with a clean state He admitted he’d been driven by lust and had intended only to make her his mistress The special license, he explained with soes, and had used twice before to deceive his victims
Delilah did not appear at all surprised She listened quietly, in a vaguely bored manner that made her suitor feel even more like a worm than he’d been made to feel by everyone else
Nevertheless, he went on deterht only of myself, and felt sorry for myself because I had failed and would not have another chance I was even prepared to wed as my father ordered, because I was afraid of the consequences if I didn’t Luckily, I have a friend far more loyal than I deserve, who helped me see my error I tell you all this to make an end once and for all, of deception I only hope you will be ive in fresh? Will you do reat happiness of consenting to be my wife?”
Delilah was certain she’d meant to say Yes The words caht her heart would break when she saw the shattered look on his beautiful countenance More beautiful, she thought, than it had ever been before, perhaps because for once in his life he had told not his fantasy truth but his heart’s truth
Yet as he’d spoken, he’d somehow revealed her own heart’s truth as well, and that crumbled all her carefully built defences, her cynical rationales, and her assurance
“I’m so sorry, Tony,” she said “I really am sorry to hurt you I meant to marry you, you knoould have made you do it—you don’t know me— and then ould have been so unhappy”
“Why? How?” he asked “You could never make me unhappy—except now, to tell me you will not be my wife I love you, Delilah I would die to make you happy”
Even as he spoke the words, he knew they were futile Though she sat quietly enough, gazing down at her folded hands, he sensed this was not the world-weary repose it seemed to be With a jolt he remembered what Jack had said
Tony lifted her chin so he could look into her beautiful eyes “It’s Jack, isn’t it?” he asked “You’re in love with him That’s why” There was no reproach in his tones He saw it in her eyes, a fact, and like the others he’d confronted today, this would not go away for wishing or pretending