Page 52 of In the Prince's Bed

When she lifted her gaze to his, it was bright with tears. “Someone must.”

Blast it, how could Mrs. Merivale allow her daughter to meet with a man like Byrne, rather than deal with matters herself? “So you’re willing to sacrifice your own happiness to pay off debts you never asked for. To keep a frivolous woman like your mother from being bothered by the likes of Byrne.”

“I don’t do it for Mama—I do it for the rest of my family. If we can’t resolve our financial situation, my sisters will have to make advantageous marriages, which is unlikely, and my brother will inherit a ravaged estate. Besides, it’s no sacrifice to marry Sydney. I care about him, and he cares about me.”

He would end her little delusion once and for all. “I see how much he cares about you,” he said coolly. “You’re here dealing with your late father’s legacy, while he’s abandoned you to run off to his friend’s estate.”

“What do you mean?” she asked. “What have you heard about Sydney?”

Though her stricken expression gave him pause, he pressed on. “Rumor has it he’s been at Napier’s estate in Kent for the past week.”

The tears shimmering in her eyes belied her overly brilliant smile. “You see? I told you this wouldn’t work. He doesn’t even care that we’re courting. “We’re wasting our time with thisfauxcourtship, Alec.”

“It’s not afauxcourtship to me.”

A sad smile touched her lips. “It’s nice of you to say so, but we both know it is. And I’m all right, truly I am.” She squared her shoulders. “Let’s not discuss this anymore tonight. We’ll just enjoy ourselves for the last time. I’ll fetch Mama—”

“Not yet.” He snagged her arm as she started to walk past him. Time for another gift. If she didn’t like this one…“I brought you something.”

She faced him with an indulgent look. “More poetry by known rakehells?”

“No, not poetry.” Removing the velvet box from his pocket, he handed it to her.

“I see.” She still wore that cursed indulgent smile. “Jewels. How original.”

“Open it.”

“You know, my lord,” she said as she opened the box, “you’re wasting your money on me. I’m not some silly chit easily tempted by—” She broke off when she saw the contents. “Ohh…that’s so…”

“Original?” he prodded smugly.

Two spots of color stained her cheeks. “Now that you mention it…yes. It’s lovely. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Taking it from her, he removed the black-and-gold brooch and set the box aside. “It’s damascene. I noticed that you prefer unusual jewelry.” He unclasped the pin, a horse of blackened steel galloping through an intricate forest worked in gold. “I bought it during a trip to Spain some years ago.”

She stiffened. “For some other woman. Did your paramour not like it or—”

“I bought it for my mother.”

“Oh,” she said in a small voice.

“I watched it being made in Toledo.” He slid his hand beneath the edge of her gown so he could affix the pin. “They lay gold wire in a grooved steel design. Then they fire the whole thing to blacken the exposed steel before embossing the gold to enhance the design. When I saw the finished piece, I had to buy it.”

“What did your mother say when you gave it to her?”

“I never did. I didn’t want to send it through the post.” Especially since the old earl would have confiscated it. “After I learned of her death sometime later, I kept it.”

She stayed his hand on her bodice. “I can’t accept this.”

“You don’t like it?”

“No…I-I mean, yes, I adore it, but something with such sentimental value should be kept for your wife.”

“I want you to have it, all right?” he growled, feeling helpless in the face of her determination to disbelieve him. “It suits you.” That much was certainly true.

When she looked as if she wavered, he added, “Besides, I doubt anyone else would show it the appreciation it deserves.”

With a hesitant smile, she dropped her hand. “It really is beautiful.”