Page 43 of In the Prince's Bed

She colored. “Of course I’m happy. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because it didn’t live up to your expectations?”

Her back went ramrod straight. “I thought we agreed not to discuss Sydney when we were together.”

Nice try, sweetheart, but you’re not escaping this.“That wasmyrule, not yours. I can break it if I want.”

“You’re very good at breaking rules, aren’t you? After all, you don’t have to face the consequences afterward. Whereas the rest of us—”

“Blast it, I’ve had enough of this. Tell me what Lovelace said to you.”

Now he could see the tears glittering in her eyes. It made him want to ride right back to the assembly rooms and put his fist through Sydney’s jaw. How dared the man hurt her? How dared he?

Katherine shot him a game smile. “I’m not in any mood to talk right now, my lord. I’d much prefer a good hard ride. So if you’ll excuse me…”

She prodded her mount into a gallop, leaving him in the dust.

After a second of surprise, he followed her, swearing as he drove Beleza to catch up to her. God rot the woman; she knew they couldn’t talk at this speed. She was lucky this part of town had little traffic, or her headlong ride would be dangerously reckless as well as annoying.

At least he could keep her from getting into trouble. He matched her pace, scanning the road ahead to prepare for any obstacles, making sure she maneuvered the intersection without incident. By the time he saw her town house up ahead, both their mounts were blowing hard.

When she finally reined in, she didn’t even wait for Alec to help her dismount, but leaped from her horse and handed the reins to the waiting groom, then hurried up the steps. Alec scowled, then did the same. If the blasted female thought to go hide under the protective eye of her mother without answering his questions, she was mad.

Taking the steps two at a time behind her, he caught up to her at the door. He snagged her hand as she reached for the knocker. “For God’s sake, what’s all the hurry?”

“You wanted to chase me, didn’t you?” she said shakily.

“Not like this.”

“What’s wrong, Alec?” Her tone was laced with bitterness. “Is our game not living up to your expectations?”

“It’s not a game to me, sweetheart, no matter what you think. And I don’t like seeing you so upset.”

“I’m not upset,” she said, but her trembling voice belied her. “The man I intend to marry kissed me. How could I be upset?”

Alec tightened his grip on her hand. “Tell me one thing. Did you enjoy Sydney’s kiss?”

She swallowed and looked away. “You’ve got what you wanted out of this. Why do you care how I feel about his kiss?”

“Because if you enjoyed it,” he said with deadly quiet, “I might just have to kill him.”

Her gaze swung back to him, wide and disbelieving. Then the doors swung open behind her, and Mrs. Merivale appeared in the entrance, her face wreathed in smiles. “There you are at last. I can’t imagine where you two could have gone to be out riding so long.”

Turning Katherine toward the door, Alec tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow. As he led her up the last few steps, he cast her mother a smooth smile. “Your daughter took a notion to hear a poetry reading, so I went along.”

Katherine stiffened at his betrayal, then tried to snatch her hand free, but he grabbed it with his, holding it pressed to his arm.

Her mother scowled. “Indeed? I hope your lordship didn’t find it too dull.”

“Not at all,” Alec answered. “I believe it’s best for a man to learn a woman’s tastes as early in the courtship as possible.”

“C-Courtship?” her mother sputtered.

“Indeed. My intentions toward your daughter are perfectly honorable, Mrs. Merivale.” He smiled broadly at his future mother-in-law. “In fact, I’m asking your permission to court her.”

Katherine dug her fingers into his arm, but he ignored her. No way in hell would he continue watching her moon over Sydney Lovelace. The baronet wasn’t right for her, and she knew it. All Alec had to do was convince her he could be a good husband.

That might take some doing, judging from the killer grip she had on his arm as they followed her happily babbling mother into the house. God only knew how Katherine would react if she ever found out he had no money.