Page 28 of The Reckless Love of an Heir (The Marlow Family Secrets #4)

What was she thinking? If Alethea walked out of the room would she curse him – or kiss him breathless?

He looked at Alethea, desperate to find a way to speak to Susan. ‘Where will you be this evening? May I escort you?’ If he joined them, then there must come a moment when he might converse with Susan in private. A moment she would not be able to avoid him.

Alethea laughed, in a teasing tone, it rang with flirtation.

She had always flirted with him, but there was a different edge to it today.

Her sculpted pale eyebrows lifted. ‘The Earl of Stourton is escorting us there, in his carriage. He is calling any moment to take me for a drive about Hyde Park too.’

He could tell from her manner, she had been waiting ever since Henry arrived to deliver that coup de grace .

It was in her eyes as she lunged with the fine tip of her fencing sword, pointing at his heart.

Her eyes said, it is your own fault, Henry, you were not here .

She wanted him to be jealous. He was not, he was glad.

What he ought to do, though, before seeking privacy with Susan was to find a moment to tell Alethea his intent had changed.

But then… The opportunity of Alethea’s arrangement registered.

‘I have my curricle. I had intended to ask you, Alethea, but perhaps, Susan, we could make a party of four?’ He looked at her.

She had been looking through the window again.

She turned, the colour in her skin increasing.

‘What do you say?’ he asked her. ‘It is a lovely afternoon…’

Alethea let go of his hand and stood up, physically protesting against his lack of envy.

‘Oh, that is a wonderful idea,’ she exclaimed.

‘I may ride with the Earl and you with Henry. Susan, you must come. We may parade about the park together.’ Alethea was a master at social engagement.

She knew how to turn things to her advantage.

In her mind she must see him jealously trailing behind her, while she laughed and flirted with Stourton.

But it was her social ease that would make her a good Countess.

Susan looked at her sister and her lips parted a little. He could see that given a choice Susan would refuse. Why? Through guilt, or anger?

Alethea crossed the room and clasped Susan’s hands, holding them together. ‘You cannot say no. It would be so unfair on Henry.’ And me . Alethea’s unspoken words echoed about the room. He had never thought Alethea selfish before, but— ‘Would you go up and fetch our bonnets?’ she asked Susan.

Henry stood. ‘I will ring for a maid to fetch them.’ He did not like the way Alethea had manipulated and employed Susan. Had she always done that? Had he carelessly disregarded that too?

He walked over to the bell pull. On this occasion he would forgive Alethea, because he was glad she persuaded Susan to join him.

When the maid came, he said, ‘The ladies require their bonnets, please. ’

‘And my shawl!’ Susan called before the maid could disappear.

He turned about and caught Susan’s gaze for a second. He sighed as she looked away. She would not be able to avoid talking to him when he drove; yet his head was empty of words now. What was there to say?

I love you… The words whispered through his thoughts.

He shoved the thought away – and yet emotions grasped at his heart and held firm. Was it love? To feel half alive and desperate with need for a woman.

A footman appeared at the door. ‘The Earl of Stourton has arrived, Miss Forth.’

Henry swallowed against a sudden sense of anger in his throat. But why? Jealousy. That was the emotion Alethea wanted him to feel. He had no reason to be jealous of Stourton, though, and yet… He had always thought of Alethea as his. Like a possession…

Who was he?

Who had he been?

An arrogant, self-centred, reckless fool.

Susan walked past him as a maid entered the room holding two bonnets, in the wake of an older man.

Henry’s gaze followed Susan, she had seen his emotion. Her posture had stiffened. He wanted to grasp her arm, to stop her and tell her it was no more than habit, a familiarity. It was not because he cared more for Alethea. But Susan took her bonnet and shawl and walked out into the hall.

‘Lord Stourton, this is Lord Henry Marlow.’ Henry turned as Alethea looked from the man to him.

Henry had seen him before but never been introduced.

‘My lord,’ she said to Henry, ‘have you met the Earl of Stourton?’ Her voice dripped with a snide sort of pride as she waved her trophy at him.

Look what I might achieve without you, Henry , was the message in her eyes.

So what? He was not jealous. He was glad.

If she had another choice it would ease the upset when he told her the truth.

He looked at Stourton, held out his hand and bowed his head.

Stourton shook his hand and did the same.

‘Good day, sir. It is a pleasure to meet you, and a fair day for a ride out. Myself and Susan are to follow you in my carriage.’

Stourton’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, it was barely noticeable. The muscle at the edge of his lips twitched on one side in the moment before he spoke. ‘Hello, Lord Marlow. That will make the drive more entertaining.’ Disdain hissed through his words.

Alethea may not have succeeded in making Henry jealous, but she had done a good job on Stourton.

‘I shall see if Susan is ready.’ Henry left the room.

What had Alethea said to Stourton? Did he think Henry a rival? Did he know of their supposed engagement? Or had he heard rumours of Henry’s reputation? Whatever the man knew, he did not like Henry. Well, he could not blame him, Henry was starting to dislike himself.

When Henry walked into the hall Susan was looking at the drawing room door, dressed in her bonnet and shawl. She had probably listened to their conversation.

Her head turned, hiding her face behind the broad rim of her bonnet.

Alethea followed him out, on the arm of her new beau. She smiled as she passed Henry with another look that sought to ignite his jealousy. He hoped she had not seen his first reaction. If she had, it will have misled her.

‘Are you ready, Susan?’ he asked as Alethea put on her bonnet .

Susan glanced at him, her grey eyes looking directly into his. ‘Yes.’ She was scared of this – scared of speaking to him.

The rhythm of his heart lifted in pace. He was suddenly scared too. Scared of what was happening to him, the emotion that was gathering.

As soon as Alethea had tied the ribbons of her bonnet, the footman opened the front door. Susan walked forward, as though she were avoiding the chance he might offer her his arm.

He wished to yell at her – you did not refuse my kiss!

She was acting as though this madness was solely his. It was not, she had responded. She had kissed him with passion.

Before he could follow, Alethea walked ahead, probably to ensure Henry had a good view of her with Stourton.

Susan let her sister pass.

He would have lifted his arm to Susan in that moment, but out of sight of her sister she made a bitter face at him, before walking down the steps.

Alethea laughed exuberantly as her beau held her hand while she climbed up to the seat of his carriage.

Susan waited on the pavement beside Henry’s curricle. She could no longer avoid him.

When he reached her side, he lifted his hand, without a word. She held it, without looking at him, and her other hand encompassed the metal bar beside the seat, then she climbed the steps.

Awareness of the simple contact they shared, the first since the moment of their kiss, clasped within his stomach. He needed her, with a desperation he had never felt for another woman.

When she let go of his hand, he left her to settle herself in the seat and walked about the curricle in front of his horses.

He stroked their heads as he passed in an idle manner, but within he was not calm.

His heart raced. He had returned to London to speak with her.

Yet, he ought to speak with Alethea first and end any expectations.

Damn, this was a mess.

He gripped the rail by the seat and climbed the steps on the driver’s side, then slid into his seat beside Susan. She was his captive audience now. She could not escape.

Yet what should he say?

He lifted the leather straps for the horses, looking ahead.

The Earl of Stourton’s carriage pulled away.

Henry followed.

Susan looked at the houses on the edge of the street, presenting him with the back of her bonnet.

She could not hide from his voice, though.

He looked ahead as he spoke. ‘I take it you did not come to meet me because you do not wish to talk to me, you have made that very plain today. But that will not change what happened. It cannot be undone nor forgotten simply because we have not spoken of it.’

Her head turned and he glanced at her, but she was not looking at him, she looked at Alethea and Stourton in front of them. ‘It must be forgotten,’ she said.

‘Why?’

‘How can you say any different? Alethea is my sister. I am ashamed of myself.’

‘I have felt ashamed too. But attraction is natural. It is not a choice. We like each other and you an?—’

‘And I am angry with you!’ she interrupted, finally looking at him.

He glanced at her; her eyes were accusing.

‘You should not have kissed me.’

‘Then you should have slapped me and not kissed me back.’

‘Alethea should know how you deceive her!’

So all the blame was on him. He would be damned if he accepted it all. She had kissed him back. He would have rather had this conversation when he was not also trying to drive. He was tempted to stop the curricle, but Alethea chose that moment to look over her shoulder and wave.

His head turned and he barked at Susan. ‘Alethea does not give a fig for me. Look at her. This is nothing to do with she and I. This is only about us.’

‘You should love her.’