Chapter Fifteen #2
He shook his head sadly. “I have felt an attraction to you almost from the beginning. I know . . . it is wrong. I swear . . . I fight it whenever I am near you. I have no business . . . kissing you.”
He gripped her shoulders, pushing his away from her, holding her at arm’s length. “You can do far better than me, Lady Tia. My advice? Stay . . . away.”
She gazed up at him, a long way since he was so very tall. “What if I do not wish to stay away?”
He frowned. “You must.”
“I can do whatever I want.”
His lips thinned. “You do not . . . need me. Open your eyes. You . . . will find someone worthy of you.”
His hands released her, and he strode across the room. Stopping at the door, he said, “I advise you go . . . to tea now.”
Stubbornness filled her. “Why are you trying to get rid of me? Oh, I know if we are caught alone, I am ruined. If Lady Dilly came upon us, though, she would not blab, forcing us to wed.” Tia went to him. “Why can we not explore what is between us? See where it leads?”
“Nowhere,” he said emphatically. “It leads . . . to nowhere. Go,” he ordered.
“You are the most confusing man I know,” she told him. “And just to let you know, I have kissed two other men since you.” She paused, thinking of the stolen kisses and how they had disappointed her, having known Lord Merriman’s kiss. “Their kiss barely affected me.”
His brows arched.
“But when I kiss you? I feel we are just beginning upon some grand adventure.” Her hands came to her waist, fists resting upon it. “I want to explore more with you, Lord Merriman. I do not expect you to offer for me. I simply want to see where this might lead us.”
“We cannot,” he told her. “Go and find yourself . . . a nice lord. And have a nice life.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You want me. I can tell.” She almost told him that she wanted him in return, but she bit back the words, not wishing for him to trample upon her pride if he refused her.
He snorted. “Go, my lady.”
She sniffed. “You are the most confusing man, Lord Merriman. Far be it from me to be the lady who tries to figure you out.”
Tia left the music room and headed down the corridor to the drawing room. She opened the door and saw Lady Dilly, Lady Merriman, and Lord Forsythe just starting to take a seat and was glad they had been delayed.
“Oh, there you are, Lady Tia,” her friend said. “I feared you would be left alone because we were late leaving the modiste’s this afternoon. I was hoping my brother would be here, however, to entertain you.”
Not bothering to explain her own tardiness, she joined the trio. “How did your fitting go? Is this the pink gown you have described to me?”
Lady Dilly began talking about the gown, with her mother chiming in. As the teacart was rolled in, Lord Merriman followed behind it. Tia’s breath caught, surprised that he had made an appearance.
“I hope I am not too tardy,” he said, looking so perfectly composed that she wished to throttle him.
“You are right on time, Merriman,” his mother said. “We are getting a bit of a late start for tea. Madame Laurent was extremely busy this afternoon.”
As Lady Merriman poured out for them, they discussed the musicale they all would attend this evening.
“I hear the singer is German,” Lord Forsythe shared. “Supposedly, she is the most sought after soprano in all of Europe.”
“I look forward to hearing her,” Tia said.
“While I am not the most accomplished pianist, I do enjoy listening to music.” She turned to Lord Merriman.
“I recall you played the pianoforte for us at my brother’s.
You are very talented, my lord. Perhaps I will have an opportunity to hear you play again sometime. ”
“Perhaps,” he said coolly.
As tea came to an end, Lord Forsythe turned to Lord Merriman. “If you can spare a few minutes, my lord, there is something I wish to discuss with you.”
“Certainly. Come to my study now.”
The two men left. The minute the door closed behind them, Tia threw her arms about Lady Dilly.
“Oh, this is it!” she cried.
“Do you truly think he is ready to offer for me?” Lady Dilly asked.
“I cannot believe it has taken him this long,” Lady Merriman said. “I expected an offer from Forsythe a few weeks ago.”
“He wanted me to be certain, Mama,” Lady Dilly explained to her mother. “Last night at the card party, he hinted to me that he might doing so today.” She smiled brightly at Tia. “Oh, pinch me. Else I will think I am dreaming.”
“I will do no such thing. I am not going to leave a bruise upon you,” she told her friend. “Just think—you will be announcing your betrothal soon!”
Tia looked to the countess. “Might it be something you would have announced at tonight’s musicale, my lady?”
“If it is true and Forsythe offers for my daughter, tonight’s event would be the perfect time to make the news known.
It will be a smaller gathering, most likely only fifty or so present.
News travels quickly within the ton. By tomorrow night’s ball, most of Polite Society will know of the engagement. ”
“If there is one, Mama,” Lady Dilly said. “Lord Forsythe might be asking Hugo something mundane, such as to accompany him to White’s tomorrow.”
But Tia knew that was not the case, especially when the two men returned to the drawing room. Lord Merriman looked pleased, while Lord Forsythe seemed about to burst.
They joined them again, and Lord Merriman nodded, causing Lord Forsythe to declare, “I have offered for you, Dilly. And your brother has accepted my suit.”
She noticed the earl called her friend Dilly, not Delilah, and that he had also dropped the use of her title.
Lady Dilly leaped to her feet, and Lord Forsythe took her hands in his, kissing her fingers.
“I knew you were the one for me from that first night,” Lord Forsythe proclaimed. “You blinded me with not just your beauty, Lady Dilly, but with your sweet nature.”
“I felt the same, my lord,” her friend said, happiness written across her face. “Oh, I cannot believe we are to be wed!” She turned to Tia. “And you must help me plan my wedding.”
As they embraced, Tia said, “I would be happy to do whatever you request, Lady Dilly.”
Flush with her happiness, Lady Dilly said, “Then please call me Dilly. I feel as if you are a sister to me.”
“Then I am to be Tia to you,” she told her friend.
They debated for a few minutes whether a summer or autumn wedding would be best.
“You do not have to decide anything just yet,” Lady Merriman said. “Enjoy your betrothal. In a few days, when things have calmed down, we can speak again of the ceremony. Where and when to hold it. And we must visit Madame Laurent again so that she might begin creating your wedding gown.”
Dilly turned to her. “You will come to the wedding, Tia, won’t you? Wherever it is?”
“I would not miss it for anything,” she replied, her gaze meeting that of Lord Merriman’s.
He reached into his pocket, withdrawing a small box. “I forgot. This is for you, my lady. From Lady Swarthmore.”
“Whyever would Lady Swarthmore give you a present?” Lady Merriman questioned.
“Lady Tia won at cards last night,” Lord Merriman said. “Unfortunately, she had to leave before the prizes were awarded.”
“Open it,” encouraged Dilly. “I recall Lady Swarthmore saying that the lady’s prize last night was to be earrings.”
Tia opened the box, seeing the sapphire earrings inside.
And knew exactly which gown she would pair them with tonight.