Chapter 5
A tingle swept down her spine as the air shifted in a manner that Deborah had not experienced in well over a year. It surrounded her as she leaned forward, peering through the foliage to determine the cause and afraid it was on account of one person, but he was not in the room, thank goodness.
“Who are you spying on?”
Lady Deborah Storm jumped at the whisper in her ear and whipped around only to come face to face with Percy—the cause of her disquiet.
A mixture of anger, longing and pain rose from within and nearly overtook her composure, but she kept it contained. Never would Percy know how her pride, dignity and heart had suffered after he had disappeared.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded.
“I was invited.” He grinned at her.
“As was I.” She then turned to peer through the large leaves of the palms set at the far side of the drawing room. If she ignored him, maybe he would go away.
Except, she would still be forced to deal with him during the house party so she must project confidence, pretend that he did not matter, and forget that he had kissed her.
“You did not answer my question. Who are you spying on?” he whispered again. His warm breath on her neck caused goosepimples to form on her arms. That was always the way when Percy was this close. Too near.
“I do not believe that it is any of your concern,” she returned. “Now, go away.”
“I cannot do so,” he insisted.
“Whyever not?” she demanded. “If you wish to spy as well, find some other place away from me.”
“Ah, so you are spying.”
Deborah blew out a sigh and turned. “What do you want Viscount Shrewsbury?”
The corner of his mouth tipped. “You used to call me simply Percy.”
She returned to her spying. It was better than looking into his sapphire eyes. They were deceptive eyes. “A mistake.”
“You wound me, Deborah.”
She snorted. “It is not like you to be dramatic.”
“I think you may have misunderstood past intentions,” he offered quietly.
“Oh, I understood them very well, Viscount Shrewsbury.” She then straightened and shook out her skirts.
“I have learned that you cannot be trusted.” If he was not going to go away then she would.
“Good day, Viscount Shrewsbury. I hope you find your holiday mildly amusing.” With a sniff, she marched from the drawing room, onto the terrace and shut the door behind her.
Back stiff, she continued walking until she was where nobody could see her.
“Blast!”
Of all the people her brother-in-law, the Marquess of Wingate, could have invited for the holiday, why did one of them have to be Percy?
Though, apparently, Wingate and Hannah, her sister, hadn’t done the inviting but Ashton’s brothers who thought to even the numbers because so many female relatives were in attendance.
They’d only received word of the added guests this morning and the reason Deborah had hidden was so that she could see who would be joining them and be prepared.
She knew there were to be five gentlemen, but she had not expected one of them to be Percy.
Now what was she to do?
She certainly could not let him ever know how much his sudden disappearance after kissing her so thoroughly had crushed her heart.
But, treating him coldly and being distant would invite questions that she did not want to answer.
Deborah opened another door and slipped into the library, thankfully empty, which would allow her to think in peace.
When one considered all the options of how she could deal with Percy this holiday, there really was only one.
She must do her best to treat him no differently than she had before he had placed his lips against hers…
No, that was not good enough. It would be as it was before she ever fractured her ankle.
Let him think that her emotions had not grown beyond friendship, just as his had not that summer. It would be difficult, but she could manage to pretend for a fortnight, couldn’t she?
Percy watched Deborah retreat and was not at all surprised by her reaction to him.
But he was determined to win her and he no longer cared about the wrath of Danby, Peter’s fist, or the lifetime of glares that he would receive from her mother.
Percy wanted Deborah. He still loved her, and he was going to win her back.
That had been his intention last Season, but he had once again been warned away.
He wasn’t even so certain that Deborah had wanted to speak with him because every time he looked at her, she arched an eyebrow daring or warning him not to approach.
If only he could have gotten her alone to explain, but that had been impossible, as she was always surrounded by family members.
After the pummeling he had taken from Peter, Percy could only assume that he had informed the entire family, not just Kenley, of his actions and now none of them would let him near Deborah.
It irritated him to no end because he had never even been given the opportunity to explain himself and Peter had not believed him when he admitted that he loved Deborah.
Percy had even approached the Duke of Danby, but even Danby had first put him off and said, “I will make time for you when I am ready. There are more pressing concerns on my mind and more important than anything you could have to say to me.” And then, when Percy was finally granted a second, very brief audience with His Grace, Percy had been denied even the opportunity to dance with Deborah, let alone anything else.
He had even foolishly questioned Danby’s decision and had been sent away.
Percy had thought for certain, based on what Deborah had told him, that Danby would have been eager to see the two of them matched but apparently as a friend to Peter he was acceptable, but for reasons beyond his understanding, not a suitable husband for Deborah.
Eventually he gave up and left London, which only led to an even longer summer—the first not spent visiting Peter’s home.
That was when Percy decided that no matter what, he was going to pursue Deborah in the spring.
He would only be discouraged if she faced him and told him that she had no interest in him.
He no longer cared what anyone else thought, only Deborah.
However, when he received the invitation to Wingate’s home for the Christmas holiday, Percy had immediately accepted because Wingate was married to Deborah’s sister and Percy had hoped to gain her as an ally.
What he had not anticipated was that Deborah would be here, and nothing was going to stop him from pursuing her.
With those thoughts, he stepped from behind the palm with every intention of speaking with Wingate’s wife, only to witness Peter Storm step through the door with his wife, Johanna.
So much for having no opposition, but he would not let Peter keep him from his goal and Percy did not care how often his former friend hit him.