Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Miss Kent’s dark eyes widened. She looked just as surprised as Reed felt.
Had those words actually come out of his mouth?
It was not a suggestion that he had planned on offering, but there were multiple factors that caused it to spill forth.
Not only had it angered him to see that miscreant, Lord Baltimore, advancing on her, but it was her candor, the easy way she understood his history without judgment that had made the decision.
Not many people of higher standing had been able to look past his background, and yet, she did not hesitate to have an open mind about people who were socially beneath her.
While Reed had never been the sort of man who fell prey to just a pretty face, as there were plenty of women who fit that description, he had always enjoyed ladies with a strong personality—a woman who challenged others, rather than pleasing the general populace.
Sariah was the perfect example of that. She was a baron’s daughter, expected to behave a certain way, her every movement scrutinized, and yet, she had not allowed the risks to overcome her determination to live life on her own terms. He respected that greatly.
That very approach must be taken in order for things to ever change in England.
He fully intended to allow her to release him from their agreement once the August rake was announced—because if the Belle was anything, it was predictable—he had no doubt the buzz surrounding them would eventually be forgotten with the next victim on the list.
At least, that was the plan.
Miss Kent cleared her throat. “I do agree that is sound reasoning, Mr. Carrington, but I am not sure it is an idea that my father would support. My parents have grand ideas of me marrying a man with a title.”
“I did not say we should keep the truth hidden,” Reed returned evenly.
He did not want to be injured by her words, but he had long known of his shortcomings.
Making a name for himself and amassing wealth had certainly increased his respectability with some, but he was still a commoner and worked for a wage, which most considered beneath their regard.
“I fully believe he should be aware of the intentions behind the ruse.”
“Hmm.” She tapped a finger on her lips and Reed was temporarily distracted by the action. He had told himself to pay little attention to her tempting mouth until that point, but now he could not seem to look away. “In that aspect, you do make a very fair point. Perhaps after the theatre…”
He lost whatever else she might have said, as lewd imaginings of the two of them started to flow through his mind. He did not want them to be there, but the fantasy of her naked limbs intertwined with his was not something he could easily dismiss.
“Mr. Carrington?”
Reed blinked. “What?”
She tilted her head to the side, glancing at him strangely. “Do you not agree that it would be best to approach my father this evening after the performance?”
“Er… yes. Indeed.” He nodded, feeling more foolish than he had since the days he was in short pants.
At least then naivety could be to blame.
Now it was simply an overwhelming desire that swirled in his cock.
From the moment he’d spied this woman in pink from across the Pond, it had been difficult to recall any other woman before her.
It was scary to think what sort of hold she had over him already when they barely knew one another.
He was well aware that attraction was a dangerous devil in disguise, the kind that tempted one beyond all reason.
He just had to remind himself not to be drawn in too deep to that swirling pool of disaster, because experience had taught him that it never ended well, especially for someone in his situation.
One false move and her father could damage his business reputation beyond repair.
Rather than engage with the few prospects Reed had been introduced to that evening, the baron could ensure he never sold another ship contract in London ever again.
As the baron and his wife returned to the box, Reed quickly moved away from Miss Kent to ensure they kept a respectable distance.
All through the rest of the opera he kept asking himself if the proposal he’d suggested was the only solution, but since he knew that Miss Kent had succumbed to the idea, he knew he could not go back on his word now.
He would speak with her father as they had discussed, but not tonight.
He would return in the morning when he wasn’t feeling so tempted by his bride.
Once the curtains were drawn on the stage, Reed stood up with the rest of the family. He uttered a few murmured words to the baron, carefully avoiding Miss Kent’s gaze before he took his leave.
He clenched his fists on the way out of the theatre, telling himself that he had acted out of self-preservation and nothing more.
There was no cowardice present. He simply had more important matters that needed his current focus.
And in order to get back on track, he needed some time alone at his lodgings to dissect a plan for the coming weeks.
Weeks. His steps nearly faltered on the sidewalk as he hailed down a hackney to return him to the Albany.
It would not be days he would be forced to remain in Miss Kent’s charming, independent company, but weeks.
It was early July and the Belle would not mention another gentleman in her column until the following month.
A passing carriage paused and he climbed inside.
Leaning back against the seat, he pinched the bridge of his nose.
If he was already this disrupted by Miss Kent, pretending to be her intended was going to be akin to torture.
He considered paying a visit to the local brothel and satisfying his baser needs, but at the same time the thought crossed his mind, he discounted it, finding it of no interest. There was currently only one woman who was firing his blood.
He scrubbed a hand down his face. A stiff drink it was to be, then. He had to do something to exorcise himself of this desire for Miss Kent or else he might very well find himself in the parson’s noose in reality. Or far worse.
Sariah watched Mr. Carrington leave and wondered what had happened to change his mind. She believed they had been in agreement, and yet, he walked away. Had he already reconsidered their arrangement when he was the one who had introduced it?
“Is Mr. Carrington going home?” she asked, hoping that she kept her voice nonchalant.
“He is.” Her father looked at her with a frown marring his brow. “Surely you did not think he would return home with us? That would surely get the tongues wagging.” He chuckled. “He did ask if he could call tomorrow, and I agreed.”
Sariah released the breath she’d been holding.
It certainly made sense that her father might have discouraged such a late-night visit.
But she realized that wasn’t what she had been afraid to admit.
Now that she had discovered a common ground with Mr. Carrington, she found him to be quite interesting—and entirely too handsome for his own good.
However, that had never been in question.
He was her blond Adonis and he was about to become her betrothed.
A thrill of excitement shot through her, although she wondered what could have possibly created it.
She had long been against marriage without love or true devotion, and against the wedded state in general.
She did not see anything wrong with spinsters or women who had been married but preferred to remain widows.
They were the sort of ladies she admired because they had stayed strong and fought against a world dominated solely by men.
They preferred to take a stance against the injustices.
At least, that was how Sariah chose to look at it.
Whether or not it was true and they never had a choice in their fates was another issue entirely.
She thought of Maggie and Ava and decided that it might be too risky to attempt to pay a call and risk being turned away if their parents were still angry.
However, she fully intended to write them each a letter and once again, express her regret at the way things had not turned out as they had all anticipated.
Of course, she still felt responsible for the consequences that all found themselves in now.
The Pond was supposed to be a fantastic opportunity to explore the forbidden and instead it had turned into a miserable experience.
At least, for the most part.
Sariah wasn’t yet sure that getting the chance to meet Reed Carrington was such a bad thing after all.
Granted, pride and embarrassment had been the key factors in her reaction to him, but seeing him again today and then actually speaking to him on a mature level this evening had certainly raised her esteem of him.
He could have taunted her about her unfortunate dunk, and yet, he had not brought it up once.
Her father had mentioned it, but Mr. Carrington had merely nodded and easily altered the subject.
It wasn’t until later that he mentioned Bath and offered a light jab at her expense. But it was not with a malicious intent.
Sophie helped her get ready for bed and then Sariah lay down, desperate for sleep but finding that it eluded her. She could not stop thinking of Mr. Carrington and how she was already eager to see him tomorrow.
She blinked into the dim light of her bedchamber.