Page 43 of 10 Things I Hate About the Earl

“I will remember that confession, my love. Make no mistake about it.”

They stood embracing one another, Kate drinking in the feeling of being cherished by the man she adored.

“You must speak to my brother as soon as possible.” She leaned her head against his chest and sighed. “This is scandalously improper without his consent.”

“But I’ve had Ainsley’s approval from the beginning.” He nuzzled the nape of her neck, sending glorious shivers down her spine.

“You have? I mean, I know he has been in favor of the match ever since the night of Lady Hamilton’s ball. But he never said anything to me about you having a formal suit.” She stood back. Why hadn’t Nathan told her Marcus had asked to court her? He’d specifically denied it at Lady Hamilton’s. “When did you speak to him? He said absolutely nothing to me about a formal courtship.” Her shiver of delight turned cold.

“Uh, some time ago.” Marcus’s face had reddened suspiciously.

“When exactly?” Nathan should have come to her immediately with this news. Perhaps he hadn’t wanted to for fear she’d say no outright. He’d had her make that list, though. Had he actually been trying to soften her toward Haversham?

“The night of Lady Hamilton’s ball.” He sighed. “And the day after. We spoke of my suit then.”

“Why would you have asked to court me when you’d just been abominably rude to me?” She drew back further. What had happened that night that could have caused him to speak to her brother? Had he been jealous of her attentions to Lord Finley? No, he’d not seen them dancing. He’d gone to the card room with Nathan…

“A wager?” Her brother had said he wanted them to marry. Had he wagered with Lord Haversham for his suit? “Did Nathan bet you couldn’t woo me and get me to agree to marry you?” She had to take a deep breath or she would faint.

“No, Kate, it wasn’t like that…exactly.” His gaze shifted back and forth over her face.

“Do not call me Kate. And do not lie to me.” She drew herself up, outrage thrumming through every inch of her.

“There was no wager over you, I swear it.” He grabbed his handkerchief and wiped his brow, giving her a quick glance that didn’t quite meet her eyes. “I lost almost every hand to your brother that night. I don’t know when my luck has ever been that bad. It was enough money that I would’ve been ruined financially had I paid the debt and ruined socially if I had not.” The sadness in his eyes froze her heart. “He offered to cancel the debt if I agreed to marry you.”

“What?” A whisper was all she could manage. How could her brother have done such a thing? Especially after she’d specifically told him she’d never, ever marry Lord Haversham. Yet she had just accepted him. Dear Lord. She’d anticipated their wedding night. The world around her seemed to waver into shades of gray. What had she done?

“I told him no, at first.” Haversham’s voice came to her from a great distance. “I didn’t think you’d even dance with me again, much less consent to marry me. I found, however, I had no choice. My finances were in shambles, so I told him I’d court you.” He looked her in the face, his brows furrowed, mouth set. “I didn’t believe for one second you’d see past your prejudice against me. You’ve never liked me from the first moment of our acquaintance.”

“No, Lord Haversham, I have not.” She clutched her Spencer around her, shivering with a coldness that radiated from her heart.

“And yet you just accepted my proposal.” He reached toward her, and she drew back so far she almost stumbled against the tree. He grabbed her arm.

“Don’t touch me!”

“You accepted me, Miss Locke.” He pulled her upright and released her. “I had hoped over the course of these last weeks you would put aside your dislike of me and see me for the man I am, not the hobgoblin a fourteen-year-old created in a fit of pique.”

“I do see you for who you are, Lord Haversham.” She spat out each word as though they had barbs. “A miserable fraud who would connive with my brother to save his own honor at the expense of mine.” How could he have done such a thing? Kate hardly knew which man to hate more.

She composed herself, straightening her shoulders until she stood tall as a lamp pole and twice as hard. “I must rescind my acceptance of your offer, Lord Haversham. I will not, under any circumstances, marry you. Please take me home.” Kate stalked toward the curricle, staring straight ahead, willing herself not to cry.

“Kate, you cannot refuse.” Haversham followed right behind her. “I compromised you—ruined you to the point you cannot marry anyone else.”

“I do not know what you mean, Lord Haversham.” She put her foot on the step, shaking off his hand when he tried to assist her. “You have done nothing to me to warrant such a claim.” She stared daggers into his astonished face. “And if you say such a thing to my brother, in an ill-advised attempt to force me to marry you, I will tell him you are lying, and he will be obliged to call you out.” She narrowed her eyes to slits. “And as you know, my brother is an excellent shot.”

Haversham paled, as well he might. No one with a grain of sense would wish to stare down the barrel of Nathan’s pistol.

“As you will, Miss Locke.” He sighed deeply, climbed up beside her, and started the horses, who sped them out of the park.

Their silence weighed heavy, but not as heavy as her outraged heart.

Chapter 19

Marcus sat in Ainsley’s study, a glass of brandy clutched in his hand. He’d only stayed sober this morning so he could come and give his friend the unhappy news that he would not be marrying his sister after all.

Yesterday had been a nightmare. The ride home from the park had been a cold, silent affair. He’d retreated to strict formality with Miss Locke, made more difficult by the fresh memory of her warm body and eager response to him. Her passionate “yes” followed by that scathing “no” had driven him to kill a bottle of scotch last evening, so his head hurt abominably this morning. But less so than his heart. Best get this over with quickly and return home to another round of drink and pray for oblivion.

“Do you want me to speak to her?” Ainsley knocked back his shot and poured another.