Page 29 of Kathryn

Katie had been stung. “Why did you bring me an invitation if you didn’t want me to come?”

“Mrs. Grayson felt compelled to invite you as Chatham and the Duchess will be there.”

Katie had counted Angus Fowler among her closest friends for more than five years. Indeed, she had grown to think of him as an older brother. And now she had forced him into marriage with one woman when she knew he had already lost his heart to another.

“I am truly sorry, Angus,” she said quietly while he’d paced Chatham’s drawing room, refusing to look at her.

“You can show your contrition by avoiding my wedding.”

“Of course, I will do what you want and send my regrets to Mrs. Grayson.”

He’d spun on his heel and glared at her through eyes that were almost the same color as her own. She had seen not just fury and thwarted desire in Angus’s gaze, but grief and loss. “You take pride in doing the unexpected, no matter how much devastation you leave in your wake. I hope to God you have learned something this time after wrecking three lives.”

“Three lives? There are four people getting married, Angus.”

“You don’t expect any sympathy from me?”

Katie bit her lip, but the words had slipped out anyhow. “I do not think your life is wrecked. I think Letty will make you a wonderful wife. Far better than Elizabeth Jennings. Not that you would have ever come up to scratch and made Lizzy an offer given that you could scarcely speak three words to her—”

“How dare you even say her name?” Angus thundered.

Katie had shut her mouth then and kept it shut while Angus had ranted and raged about the loss of Lizzy.

While Katie mourned the loss of his friendship, she could not feel terrible about saving him from a marriage with Lizzy Jennings, a sweet girl with scarcely two thoughts to rub together. Angus was a clever man, and he deserved a wife who would be his companion and not just a pretty ornament on his arm. If he was even half as smart as Katie hoped he was, he would stop dwelling on Lizzy and recognize Letty’s value sooner rather than later.

“Katie?”

She looked up to find Andrew watching her, a notch of concern between his eyes.

“Is something wrong?”

“I am fine,” she said, drinking the rest of her champagne and wishing she had asked for more.

“Angus will forgive you, Katie.” Andrew patted her hand. “He won’t come around quickly, but he’ll come around. I very much liked the little I saw of Fowler’s wife.”

“Letty is a wonderful person, but Angus can’t see beyond Lizzy Jennings.”

Andrew laughed. “Oh, Angus never would have asked Lizzy to marry him. Hell, he could hardly ask her to dance with him.”

“That is what I said to him.”

“I’m sure he enjoyed that observation.”

“He said that he was on the verge of proposing and I believe him. I haven’t seen him that way about a woman before.”

“Ah, but that’s because you’ve not known him very long. You should have seen how wrecked he was by Selina five years ago. Trust me, Katie, he never would have come up to scratch with Lizzy Jennings if he’d been left to his own devices. He was attracted by the idea of her, but his heart was not touched. I think not so deep-down Fowler knows that and wishes to keep it that way by falling for unattainable women. In any event, do not fret, my dear. He’ll forgive you.”

“Letty is both intelligent and kind. He is a fortunate man.”

And you just forced her into a marriage with a man who will never love her.

“I am sure Angus will recognize her value,” Andrew replied absently, his speculative gaze on Dulverton, who was still giving all his attention to his food. “As for you and your new husband…” Andrew’s smile looked a bit forced. “Well, I’m sure it will all work out for the best,” he added lamely.

“More champagne, Your Grace?”

Katie startled at the sound of her new title. “Yes, please,” she said to the waiting footman after a moment. “Pour me another glass.”

***