Chapter Thirty
Edmund had just settled on his balcony chaise with a drink in hand when he was interrupted by the distinctive sound of Brimley’s curt knock. At Edmund’s call to enter, his manservant opened the door to stand prim at the threshold.
“You have a visitor, my lord. Of the female persuasion.”
At half-past midnight.
Edmund sat up straighter. A thrill passed through him before he stomped it out. It couldn’t possibly be her. Lady Lydia knew better than to travel to a bachelor’s residence.
Leaning his head back on the chaise again, he replied, “Whoever it is, tell them I’m not receiving visitors.”
The door clicked quietly shut as Brimley left. Only five minutes passed before there was another knock.
Edmund turned his head to gaze through the open balcony doors and across the room as he called for the manservant to enter once again.
Brimley’s posture was stiff with disapproval. “The lady would not be dissuaded, my lord.”
The thrill flared once again. Could it be her? If there was even the slightest chance, he didn’t dare risk turning her away again.
He turned to sit sideways on the chaise and gave a nod. “Show her up.”
Brimley gave a very subtle eye-roll as he stepped to the side. “She refused to wait below.”
Appearing from behind the tall servant was a female figure shadowed in a midnight-blue cloak. She took three steps into the room—just enough for Brimley to be able to close the door behind his exit—and stopped.
Silence filled the bedroom. Delicate anticipation swirled in the night air around Edmund on the balcony.
This silent, mysterious creature was most definitely Lady Lydia.
He knew it. His body knew. His blood and bones and muscle knew it.
And because he was so certain of that, despite the fire of expectation in his blood, he chose patience.
She’d made the decision to come to his home—late in the night. The risk of doing so was not a small thing she would’ve taken lightly. Especially not considering the day’s revelations. He would not do anything to make her regret that decision. At least, not if he could help it.
He’d misstepped more than once with this woman. It was probably best to sit still and await her next action.
It wasn’t easy.
Her cloaked figure stood for countless breaths. Staring across his bedroom and through the balcony doors to his position beneath the moonlight. Then, without a word, she turned and crossed toward a corner of the room that was beyond his line of sight.
Edmund scowled as he tried to ascertain what she might be about.
But a short moment later, she reappeared and walked toward him.
Passing by the chaise, she continued to the balustrade around the balcony before turning back to face him.
Only then did she push the hood of her cloak back to take a sip from the glass in her hand.
Edmund smiled. The minx had poured herself a brandy. He was amused enough to say, “I wasn’t expecting you to join me for a drink this evening.”
She arched a brow. “Weren’t you?”
“Honestly, I did think it would take you a little more time to convince yourself to trust me.”
“I don’t trust you. Not anymore,” she retorted quickly. Her aim was true and the words hit him straight in the gut. His muscles clenched with the urge to fight her opinion, but it was well-earned.
She glanced away. “But I might be persuaded to consider your offer.”
Pleasure sparked.
Watching her closely, he could see her determination. And her reserve. He admired both immensely, but not nearly as much as he adored her refusal to follow anyone’s expectations of how she should behave.
Young ladies should be demure and pleasant. She was defiant and unflinching.
He held her gaze. “How shall I persuade you, then?”
For a moment, her steady focus flickered, dancing over his lounging form.
The subtle light in her eyes ignited sparks along his nerves and awakened that dark yearning in his core.
But then she lifted her chin in a delightfully haughty manner.
Resting her elbow back on the balcony railing, she took another sip of brandy.
Edmund smiled.
Her gaze narrowed and her jaw clenched.
He smiled wider.
She rolled her eyes. “Why didn’t you just pay your debts before they could be used as blackmail?”
“I’m afraid it never occurred to me that someone might go to the trouble of buying them up to hold against me,” he noted dryly with a tilt to his lips. “I figured I had plenty of time to take care of them. Trust me, I’ve vowed to be much more current on my accounts going forward.”
“And the reason you agreed to such terms in the first place was…?” She paused to flash a twisted smile. “Ah! That’s right. Because you were bored. What an awful affliction.”
He grinned back at her. “One you’ve easily cured.”
She stared back at him with an expressionless look, but for a tiny twitch at the corner of her mouth. He couldn’t tell if it was a twitch of amusement or disgust. Then she took a sip of her brandy and squared her shoulders.
“What if this mysterious debt collector doesn’t accept your repayment in coin?”
“It won’t matter,” he assured. “Once we draw them out of the shadows, they won’t be able to blackmail me or anyone else.”
She turned her head to look out over the garden.
“Are you going to tell me who you think it is?” he murmured.
Her gaze moved back to his. Dark and stormy and full of anger. “It’s just a suspicion.”
“A suspicion you’d like to prove.”
She hesitated, staring back at him with an unflinching gaze. Then she nodded. “Or disprove, if the case may be.”
He smiled. “And you’re here now because you’ve decided to accept my assistance.”
She arched a brow. “I’m considering it. It rather depends on what you think you can do.”
His smile tilted as he pushed up from his reclining posture.
Dropping his feet to the floor on each side of the chaise, he leaned forward.
“An excellent question,” he agreed in a low tone.
“My role in exposing the culprit will likely rely upon their motivation. A desperate admirer who wishes to swoop in and save you from ruin to claim you as their own would be influenced by something different than a rival who desires your downfall through entrapment in an unwanted marriage.”
She blinked slowly and gave a tight smile. “I already told you. Neither of those are at all likely.”
“Then what is likely?” When she stared back at him stone-faced, he sighed.
“I understand you don’t trust me. I deserve it for not telling you the truth from the start, even though my intentions changed almost immediately after our first meeting.
” When she began to roll her eyes, he gave a click of his tongue and lifted his hand.
Her eyes widened instead, and her mouth dropped open at his wild audacity.
He smiled and continued. “I have nothing but respect and admiration for your dedication to remain independent and empowered to pursue happiness as you desire.” He offered an intimate smile.
“In the support of your liberation, at least, you have to admit I’ve been consistent. ”
Her eyes were hard. “Except for when you agreed to trap me into an unwanted marriage.”
“I didn’t know it was unwanted at the time. The moment I understood you had no desire to wed, I decided not to go forward with my part.”
Her eyes flashed and she took a step forward. “That’s a lie. You continued to pursue me.”
“I did.”
“How do you justify that?”
“Very simply,” he quipped with a warm smile. “I wanted you.”
There was a moment as she stared back at him. Her hand gripped her glass tightly before she lifted her chin a notch. “Wanted?”
A growl rolled through his throat. He held her gaze. “Want. Need. Intensely. Deeply.”
Her lashes fluttered, but her jaw remained tense. “Even now?”
“Definitely now.”
“For how long?”
He answered as truthfully as he could. “For as long as we continue to take pleasure in each other.” He gave a soft chuckle. “In truth, you’ll most likely tire of me long before I’ve had my fill of you.”
Her expression was unreadable. Then she shrugged and arched her brow before replying in a dry tone, “Probably true.”
Amusement, warmth, and desire flooded through him, and all he wanted to do was drag her into his arms, into his lap, into his bed. His body hardened in a rush as he stared back at her. Lightning danced down his spine, awakening every nerve as he awaited her next move.