Page 47 of To Break the Rules

The Peculiar Ladies had become her friends, and it broke her heart to think a day might come when they would turn their backs on her, yet she couldn’t ignore the possibility. When this venture had begun, she had believed it inevitable. The more she came to know these women, though, and the way they supported each other through adversity, the more she’d hoped that….

Stop it, she scolded herself.

She had dreamed of impossible things once before and had her heart broken. This time she was older and wiser. Despite all that age and wisdom, however, the face of Lord Cavendish swam behind her eyes. His promises and declarations rang in her ears and filled her heart, and she wanted to believe in him so badly it hurt.

That was why she’d forced Matilda out of the house today, despite her protests. Another day flopping about reading books and trying to fill the endless hours while Tilda grumbled about how hot it was would have driven her to do something drastic… such as going to see Lord Cavendish and giving into the desire to put her trust in him.

Foolish girl, will you never learn?

Apparently, the answer was no. She looked away from the sparkling water of the serpentine to the path ahead, and saw the man himself striding towards them.

Lucia’s heart leapt in her chest, such a burst of joy rushing through her that she knew it was already too late.

“Well, well. Now I know why you were so eager to brave this dreadful heat,” Matilda murmured, a smug note to her voice that made Lucia tsk with annoyance.

“I had no idea he would be here,” she protested, huffing at Matilda’s sceptical expression. “I didn’t!”

They greeted him politely, and Lucia gave her irrational heart a stern talking to, but to no avail. The stupid thing was fluttering like a leaf caught in a breeze.

“I came to the house,” he explained, smiling at Lucia with such warmth she thought her knees might buckle. “But your housekeeper explained you were walking to Gunter’s via the park. It seemed like such an excellent idea I thought I would foist my company upon you, gentleman that I am,” he added, winking at them and smiling that pirate smile that made her feel giddy.

“No foisting necessary, my lord,” Matilda said with ease as he fell into step with them. “It is a pleasure to see you.” They walked on, a tense silence falling over them until Tilda said, with obvious relief, “Oh, look, there’s Kitty. Do go on ahead, I’ll catch you up.”

“Matilda!” Lucia protested, glaring at the young woman, who just grinned unrepentantly and hurried after Kitty.

“Unreliable creature, friends,” Lord Cavendish murmured, amusement in his voice.

Lucia huffed, wishing she felt more annoyed than she did. “You don’t say.”

“Oh, but I do. Husbands are the things to pin your hopes upon. A nice, docile, biddable husband. That’s what you need.”

Despite her best intentions to be polite but distant, Lucia gave an unladylike bark of laughter. “And where do you propose I find such a paragon?”

“Why, Miss de Feria,” he said, placing a hand upon his heart. “You wound me. I am surely the epitome of the perfect husband?”

She couldn’t help it. She stared at him and then burst out laughing, finding the delight in his eyes at having amused her warmed her from the inside out.

“Biddable?” she repeated, once she had sufficient hold upon herself to force the word out. “You?”

The look he cast her made her breath catch, not helped in the least by the way he caught up her hand and placed it firmly upon his sleeve. “You could have me wrapped around your thumb in no time at all, and you damn well know it,” he said, his voice as soft as his eyes were warm. “I’m already there, truth be told. Damn it, Lucia, give me some hope, at least.”

Lucia tore her gaze away from his, aware that she was too close to doing just as he wanted.

Remember the plan, whispered a voice in her head. Remember everything you mean to achieve.

Yet the voice that had shouted and raged at her for so many years was not as fierce as it had once been. It was tempered by hopes and desires for a future she’d never dared consider.

Hopes and dreams were dangerous things, though, and she could not allow the earl to get away with what he’d done. If she did not step forward when the time came, her father’s plans for her would have come to nothing. She did it to honour him, his memory. If Lord Cavendish still wanted her after that….

She swallowed and turned back to look at him.

“I would like to… to give you hope,” she said, feeling ridiculous as she blushed and had to turn away from him. “But—”

“But?” he pressed, the word heavy with anticipation.

“But you will change your mind, and then—”

“I won’t,” he said, his hand covering hers. “I won’t.”