Promise Me (19 page)

“
Adrian caused your daughter a great deal of pain, my lord, but I’m convinced he loved her.”

“
Apparently not enough.” The earl sighed. “Forgive me, Chase. That was a tasteless remark and uncalled for.” He paced about the study. “For a woman to use her child as a bargaining tool for blackmail is unthinkable, yet I’m certain it occurs more often than any of us care to admit.” His lordship halted. “Have you spoken to Leah?”

“
No. I wanted your approval first.”

“
As a father, I strongly object to what you’re proposing, but that does not mean I do not understand it. And knowing my daughter as well as I do…well, the decision is hers.”

“
I understand.”

“
I’ll send a servant to fetch Leah.”

“
Thank you, my lord.”

After Greyson departed, Nicolas paced about the study. Sweat trickled down the back of his neck. His chest felt tight, and his stomach churned.

Why was he so nervous? He had made amends with Miss Sheridan. Did she not adore Edwin? Surely there was no valid reason for her to be uncooperative.

Was there?

###

A cool breeze stirred through the trees as Leah carefully made her way down the slippery hillside toward the pier. With the amount of rain that had fallen last evening, the lake had overflowed its banks, forming stagnant pools in various places along the wet ground.

Maneuvering around these muddy puddles, she finally reached the pier. A few more inches of rain and the entire platform would’ve vanished under water. She glanced up. Scattered clouds blocked the sun. The lighting wasn’t perfect, but then she didn’t intend to sketch a portrait.

Leah sat down in one of the wooden chairs and opened her sketchpad only to discover she’d picked up the wrong one. A single blank page remained in this one. She flipped through the beginning, through sketches of the lake and the gardens of Greyson Manor. At length, she came upon a drawing of Adrian, his warm brown eyes and handsome face captured forever in time. His endearing smile tugged at her heart, and a moment of sadness overwhelmed her. She traced her finger along the line of his jaw.

Why?

That three-letter word had stubbornly chained itself to her troubled soul.

Why had Adrian asked her to be his wife only to betray her? Why had she accepted a proposal of marriage from a man she did not truly love? At least not the way her mother had loved her father. Was this the reason her conscience refused to leave her in peace?

Leah sighed. Her father was right. She couldn’t continue brooding over the past. It wasn’t healthy. She flipped through the drawings until she found one of Edwin when he was only a few months old. Such an adorable little fellow. She must show this one to Lady Chase.

A family of swans called to each other as they glided toward the pier with their slender necks held high. She turned to the blank page and grabbed a charcoal pencil from her valise. But instead of sketching the swans, her thoughts traveled in a different direction, and her hand moved quickly to capture the image in her mind.

His dark eyes held such intensity they could brand a woman with a single glance. The way he held his jaw revealed determination while the line of his mouth offered a glimmer of cynicism. This was a man accustomed to privilege. Nothing was unattainable.

She drew a lock of dark hair across his brow before studying the crude sketch of the Duke of Chase. Last evening his conduct had been flirtatious. Like a suitor. After he left, it had taken a long time for her to fall asleep.

Had he been serious when he spoke of seeking a wife?

Who would he choose?

Why do I care?

A devil...that’s what he was. A dark, seductive demon.

Giving in to wicked temptation, Leah drew a set of horns protruding from just above his brow. But that wasn’t enough. She quickly embellished on the horns, making them longer and curling the tips.

“
Good morning.”

She twisted around. Lord! The devil stood at the end of the pier. “Good morning, your Grace.”

“
Am I interrupting?”

“
No, not at all.” She closed the sketchpad and hugged it to her chest. “Did you walk all the way from Chase Manor?”

“
My horse dislikes mud so I left him with your stable lad.”

“
I see.”

“
There’s a matter I’d like to discuss, if you don’t mind.”

Leah set the sketchpad aside. “Certainly.”

He walked up, towering over her. “What were you drawing?”

“
Nothing in particular.”

“
May I see?”

Her heart rose in her throat. “Oh, well these are merely sketches, your Grace. Most are rather uninteresting.”

“
There’s no cause to be hesitant, Miss Sheridan. I’ve seen your work.”

Alarm shot through her, and every muscle in her body tensed. Surely he hadn’t seen..?

“
It hangs above the fireplace in Chase Manor’s drawing room.”

Relief rushed over Leah. “Oh, you mean your grandmother’s portrait.”

“
Yes. You’re quite the artist.”

“
No, I’m merely adequate.”

“
Now you’re being modest. May I join you?”

“
Well...”

Instead of waiting for her to agree, the duke chose the remaining chair and placed it beside hers. “When we were lads, Adrian and I could spend an entire day on this pier.” He sat down, leaned back, and crossed one booted foot over the other. “If Lord Greyson spotted us, he usually strolled down the hill to say hello. On several occasions, we encountered your mother sitting here. Most often with a book in her hand.”

“
I’m not surprised. She loved to read.”

“
How old were you when she died?”

“
Eleven. Kat was almost two.”

“
I was ten and Adrian five when we lost both our mother and father.”

“
He told me how difficult it was.”

“
If not for Gran and Lord and Lady Greyson...” He stared across the lake but didn’t finish the thought. “Forgive me, Miss Sheridan, but my memory of last evening is a bit cluttered, and I’m not quite sure what happened.”

“
I’m sorry to hear that, your Grace. I recall the evening quite well. You see, I met a delightful gentleman.”

His somber expression lightened. “Did I say anything…offensive?”

“
Not at all. In fact, you were most pleasant.”

“
Did I explain why I was standing beneath your bedroom window in the middle of the night?”

“
You don’t recall?”

“
I have some idea, but it’s still a little unclear.”

“
Well, I could be mistaken, but I believe the main purpose of your visit was to apologize for your behavior in taking Edwin so abruptly. You also mentioned a question you wished to ask me, but we were interrupted.”

He frowned. “By O’Connell.”

“
Yes. When I returned to the window, you’d gone.”

“
What did he want?”

“
Mister O’Connell thought he heard voices in my room.”

“
He was probably listening at the keyhole. I assume your father is unaware of what O’Connell does to earn his coin, but why is he staying at Greyson Manor?”

“
He’s in the process of opening Westwood Hall for his grandmother.”

“
Grandmother
?”

“
Yes, I reacted much the same way. I’ve invited them to the Bal Masque.”

“
I’d rather you kept your distance from the man.”

He’d rather..?

“
Forgive me, your Grace, but you’ve no say in the matter.”

“
I stand corrected.” He removed his jacket and glanced around. “Where is he now? Lurking behind a tree, hoping to catch a part of our conversation?”

“
He received a message this morning that his grandmother has arrived at her estate, and he hurried off. This might sound a bit odd, but I like Mister O’Connell. He seems to be a true gentleman.”

“
Gentleman?” His gaze narrowed. “You have a high opinion of rats.”

“
Let’s just say my opinion has changed somewhat since that night at the inn.”

“
Oh? How so?”

A large swan took flight across the water, and its flock soon followed.

“
I just think that some circumstances, and most people, aren’t always what they seem at first.” Leah changed the subject. “I spoke to your grandmother at the cemetery this morning. Edwin looks remarkably happy.”

“
He and Gran get along well. Miss Sheridan, I meant what I said last evening. You may visit any time you like. In fact, Annie and Becca are dining with us this evening. I’ve invited your father and sister as well. Perhaps you could join them.”

“
Yes, I’d like that.”

“
Splendid. Oh, I should mention that I’ve yet to receive my invitation to the Bal Masque. Can I assume one will be delivered shortly?”

“
That depends.”

His gaze drifted to her mouth. “On what, may I ask?”

Do not dare act like a smitten, addlebrained female.

“
On which gentleman wishes to attend,” she replied. “The arrogant duke who cannot be concerned with trivial matters or the witty gentleman who showered me with such lovely compliments last evening.”

Chase offered a wicked grin. “I had no idea the two were so far apart. Which gentleman do you prefer, Miss Sheridan?”

“
Which do you think?”

“
Just a hunch, but I’d say the latter.”

Leah smiled. “And Adrian swore you were not a clever man.”

He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. His light touch lingered, not only upon her skin but inside her heart as well. “It’s easier to speak of him now.”

“
Adrian? Yes. At least with you.”

“
I’m glad.” His candid gaze slid over her. “So tell me, Miss Sheridan. Did you ever throw a green ball of yarn at my brother?”

“
Actually, your Grace, I emptied an entire multi-colored basket one evening.”

“
Had he upset you?”

“
No, it was all in good fun. You see, Adrian had decided to serenade me, and...well, the sound was clearly disturbing the wildlife.”

He laughed. “Agreed. My brother’s voice was not meant for song.”

“
I begged, but he wouldn’t stop. He must have stood beneath my window half an hour. I chose the least threatening object I could find.” She smiled at the bittersweet memory. “Surely he didn’t write you about that?”

“
No, I found the yarn among some of his childhood treasures and wondered if he’d taken up knitting. During my impromptu visit with you last evening, I finally figured it out.” He stared at her for a long moment. “Did you love him?”

“
Yes, but…” Shame squeezed her heart.

“
But what?”

“
My mother told me that the first time she saw my father she knew they were meant to be together. She never doubted it. Not once. She said that’s the way a woman feels when she’s in love. But with Adrian...” Leah sighed. “I loved him, your Grace, but more as a friend. Not my intended.”

“
Did Adrian know?”

“
No. I didn’t realize it myself until after his death.”

“
How can you be certain that those particular feelings did not stem from anger or humiliation?”

“
When Adrian looked at me, my heart did not flutter, and his touch never left me breathless. Not like...”

The rest of the sentence caught in her throat.

The silence lasted a full five seconds.

“
There is someone else, isn’t there?” His expression hardened. “Surely not O’Connell?”

Dear lord in heaven! She
was
in love! But not with Trinity O’Connell!

“
No, your Grace. I’ve no interest in Mister O’Connell.”

“
Then who?”

“
I’m sorry. I must’ve given you the wrong impression. There is no gentleman. You may ask my father.”

His tight expression relaxed. “My apologies, Miss Sheridan. Whenever you and I are together, it seems I do nothing but jump to the wrong conclusions, and I must constantly make amends.”

“
Perhaps if you didn’t allow foolish words to slip past your lips...”

A muscle twitched in his jaw. “You, my lady, are a sharp-tongued vixen.”

“
And you, sir, bring out my worst character flaws.”

“
No, Goddess.” His slow gaze flickered over her. “Perfection has no flaws.”

A thousand butterfly wings fluttered inside her stomach. She prayed she wouldn’t faint. Or worse...mumble something stupid. “I believe that is the first sincere compliment you’ve given me.”

“
Have you forgotten last evening so quickly?”

“
Those were not valid. You were soused.”

“
Not entirely,” Chase teased. He hesitated, as though he struggled with his thoughts. “Miss Sheridan, when you came to my room in Cambridge Town that evening, something happened. Something I cannot seem to dismiss.” He crooked a finger beneath her chin and his lips sought hers.