Chapter 12
Three days later, Cora stood in the drawing room, waiting for Christopher to arrive.
She hadn’t seen him since the opera, but he sent a missive late last night that he planned to call on her today.
Both Jeremy and her mother had given her space to figure out what she wanted. Cora was grateful for that.
She didn’t need any more time. The moment she saw Damion at the theater firmly confirmed her prior realization that she couldn’t marry Christopher. Even if Damion refused to open his heart, Cora wanted love if she were to marry.
The butler entered and announced, “Lord Bellamy.”
Cora said, “Thank you.”
Christopher joined her as the butler departed. He left the door open, ensuring there was no hint of impropriety.
“Cora, I’m sorry I haven’t called on you in the last few days. I’ve been busy speaking with some of the clubs about my travels. One associate suggested I write a book. Isn’t that a lovely idea?”
Christopher was her friend, but she understood now that he wasn’t her match. They didn’t value or desire each other as they should. “Christopher, you are my dearest friend.”
He frowned at her. “This doesn’t sound good.”
“I don’t want to marry you.”
He walked to her. “I know I became distracted again, but I promise you are the only lady I want to wed.”
“Why?” she asked, wanting to understand his thoughts on what made them a good match.
His brows drew together, confused. “What do you mean?”
She stepped closer to him. “Why do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?”
“Well, we wouldn’t be far from your family. We enjoy the same things, and you would make a good mother.”
Nothing he said was wrong. From another person, it might have been perfect, but she now understood what Damion had tried to make her see.
Even though, by society's standards, they fit together perfectly, it wasn’t enough.
Now that Cora knew she could have more, there was no going back to her girlhood dreams about marrying Christopher.
“You deserve to be with someone who finds you to be the most interesting person in the room.”
He frowned. “You don’t.”
She shook her head. “And you should feel that way about your future wife too. Do you think I’m the most fascinating person you’ve ever encountered? You dislike my interest in maps.”
“I find it peculiar, but don’t hate it.”
She sat on the sofa and pointed at the empty spot next to her. Christopher joined her. “We should both want more.”
“You have been my friend since I could walk.”
She squeezed his hand. “I hope I always will be, but I can’t marry you. It wouldn’t be fair to me or you.”
“Is there someone else? Did someone compromise you at the party—”
Cora said, “It doesn’t matter. I just now want more.”
“I will call them out.”
“You will do no such thing because I haven’t admitted there is another person. None of that matters.”
He clenched his jaw, clearly unhappy with her answer. “We may not be right for each other, but I still care about you. If a man hurt you, I will fix it.”
“Stop,” she said, squeezing his hand and releasing it.
Even though she’d ended any future with Christoper, things felt right between the two of them.
“Do you promise to befriend my future wife?”
Cora laughed. “Of course.”
He stood. “Are you sure there is no way you will change your mind? There are so many reasons we would be good together.”
She rose. “I won’t. All the things that matter aren’t there. I think you know that too.”
He nodded, and she walked him to the drawing room door. Christopher turned to her. “I wish more than friendship existed between us.”
Cora squeezed his arm reassuringly. “Friendship is a lovely thing, too.”
He kissed her on the cheek. “Goodbye, Cora.”
“Goodbye, Christopher.”
She watched as he strode down the foyer and out the front door. Cora feared she might be devastated when she refused him, but she wasn’t. She’d made the right choice. Glancing at the open door further down the corridor, she suspected her brother and mother were waiting to hear what happened.
Cora walked to Jeremy’s study, and both he and her mother feigned surprise when she entered. She rolled her eyes at them and sat in the wingback chair next to her mother. “I declined Christopher’s proposal.”
Jeremy nodded, and her mother smiled sadly. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”
“I want something more,” she explained. Cora couldn’t say anything further without revealing her time with Damion.
“You will find it,” her brother assured.
Her mother asked, “Is there anyone who interests you?”
She forced herself to remain smiling even though her heart was breaking. There was someone who caught her interest, but he’d sworn that his heart was closed off forever. “Not yet, but I’m confident I will find the right person.”
Her mother nodded, and Jeremy studied her intently.
He’d previously suspected something was amiss, but she hoped he wouldn’t question her further.
What could she say? She couldn’t announce that she’d lost her heart to the Duke of Blythe.
Jeremy would demand he do the right thing, and that would devastate her.
Damion didn’t want to marry, and Cora refused to force another union on him.
Finally, Jeremy said, “I’m confident you will find someone.”
She nodded, but the lingering feeling that she’d already found the man she wanted cast huge doubts that it would ever be possible to find love.
***
Damion sat at Dante’s with Harrington. The man was in great spirits, but none of his jolliness rubbed off on him.
“I wish you hadn’t left with Meredith. We went back to my townhouse and had a grand time. One of the ladies was quite upset you weren’t present.”
He shrugged. “I’ve been preoccupied with other things.”
“You haven’t fallen in love with Meredith, have you? Or someone else? You have a look of sadness about you.” Harrington said in a hushed whisper.
While Damion enjoyed socializing with Harrington, he never shared anything with him. He was a horrid gossiper. “Of course not.”
“Well, I hope you snap out of your wallowing.”
Damion took a large sip of his brandy and studied the group of younger lords walking in.
One of them was Bellamy. They looked ready to let loose.
His hand tightened on his glass, anger buzzing in him.
He scolded himself for his judgmental thoughts.
Bellamy was allowed to have drinks with his friends.
He yanked his gaze away, determined not to fixate on the man who would be marrying the woman he wanted. A woman placed another drink in front of Harrington before heading in the direction of Bellamy’s table.
Damion glanced back over at the group of younger men. The beautiful server leaned down, and Bellamy whispered something in her ear. She grinned and winked at him before taking more orders and departing. Another lord smacked Bellamy on the back, causing him to grin even more broadly.
It annoyed the fuck out of Damion that Bellamy was here flirting with a server when Cora was his. What was the damn man doing?
“Blythe, what do you think?”
Damion turned back to Harrington, confused. “What?”
“Do you want to travel to the Continent with me? Leave England for a bit.”
It wasn’t a bad idea to escape. Maybe he could somehow purge Cora from his thoughts. Yet, he doubted that was truly possible. Damion knew a trip away wouldn’t cure his feelings for the lady. While he thought he’d love Lily, he now understood that wasn’t the case.
No, he loved Cora. It was strange that he was so certain after only a week, but he didn’t have any doubts. Harrington sighed, “Just think about it?”
Damion nodded and watched as Harrington joined Bellamy’s group. They were certainly more festive. The attractive server came back and handed out drinks. She then whispered in Bellamy’s ear. The young lord pulled her onto his lap, and Damion saw red.
He was up and across the room within seconds. He lifted the server from Bellamy’s lap, careful not to be rough, but then grabbed him by his cravat. “You are engaged. What do you think you are doing?”
Bellamy, embarrassed, attempted to wiggle free but couldn’t escape Damion’s grasp. Eventually, he did free himself. The younger lord wiped at his jacket. “I have no idea what you mean, Blythe.”
“You are betrothed to Lady Cora.”
Bellamy’s eyes narrowed, but they also became filled with understanding. “You are the reason she turned down my offer.”
Damion looked at him, confused, but didn’t have much time to consider his words because Bellamy launched himself at him. “You have done something to confuse Cora.”
They tumbled to the ground, sending chairs flying. Bellamy punched him in the jaw, and his head snapped back. Angered, he slammed him to the ground and held him in place. “Enough.”
Bellamy glared at him. “Cora was supposed to be my wife, but now she wants something more.”
Damion released him and rose to his feet. She’d turned him down. Joy coursed through him because he now understood that Cora didn’t want Bellamy anymore. “I must go.”
Bellamy stood. “Promise me that you will do right by her?”
He frowned at the young lord, shocked by the insistence on his face. Bellamy added, “We may not be right for each other, but Cora deserves only the very best.”
“I will make her happy,” he said sincerely.
Bellamy nodded, and then Harrington, fascinated by their fight, asked Damion, “Are you involved with Stanton’s sister?”
He needed to go straight to Stanton’s. The gossip sheets would have details about his and Bellamy’s fight by morning. What had he been thinking? Cora would be ruined.
Ignoring Harrington’s question, he said, “I need to leave.”
Damion rushed to his carriage and ordered the driver to take him to the Stanton Townhouse. It was late, but he had no other choice. He needed to see Stanton and Cora. As much as he’d bungled things tonight, he couldn’t help but feel hopeful. Cora refused Bellamy’s courtship.
He would propose to her tonight and spend the rest of their lives making her understand how much he cared for her. The carriage came to a stop, and Damion hurried up the front steps, knocking loudly. The butler opened the door, surprised. “Your Grace, it is late.”
“I need to speak with Stanton; it is urgent.”
He let him into the foyer and disappeared into the study Damion had visited dozens of times. Eventually, he returned and said, “The Duke of Stanton will see you.”