Chapter 15

Andrew’s fury was bubbling inside as he left Brooke with her parents and stalked back across the drawing room to where Lady Olivia was waiting for him. He’d like to shake the silly chit until her yellow teeth rattled. Who did she think she was? And what did she want with him?

“The Prodigal Earl hath returned,” Lady Olivia said, looking at him with that miserable pouty face she always sported.

“Yes, I have returned per your request,” he said with a clipped voice. What was she about? Why had she accused him publicly of trying to renege on a promise he never even made? What was her game? Then he remembered she had gotten upset when he responded to her bold proposal and told her he wasn’t interested in marrying her. Her face had changed at his refusal, and then she declared something about trying to win his hand. This was how she was going about it? Wonderful. Now during the whole party she was going to plague him and try to put the other girls off, just as she had done with Brooke.

Andrew knew it was wrong, but he wished she’d come down with a complaint tomorrow and return to London or Bath for the remainder of the party. Otherwise, he’d have to spend every last shilling he possessed bribing servants to keep him updated on her whereabouts so he could avoid her like the plague.

“Don’t be silly,” she giggled. “You said you enjoyed my company and would be delighted to accompany me to dinner. If I were amendable, of course.”

Her words were spoken light and airily, but her eyes told a different story. Andrew could tell she truly expected that he would agree to her charges right here and make it sound like a public declaration of his feelings toward her.

Andrew’s jaw worked. This was a mess of the worst sort. There was only one way out: go along with what she wanted just now in order to keep gossip down; then pawn her off on some other poor sot at the first opportunity. “You’re correct, Lady Olivia, I did want to accompany you to dinner tonight,” he said loud enough for the eavesdroppers close by to hear. “Perhaps we shall discuss the rules of chess again and talk more about strategy.”

He bit back a smile when he watched her smile slip and disappointment twist her lips into a snarl. He hated being such a heel, but really she was not the least bit fascinating; and if he had to suffer through dinner with her, she was going to do some suffering, too. He was going to make sure of it.

She recovered quickly though. “That would be delightful, my lord. Since you earlier expressed your understanding and penchant for rules, I am convinced you would be the best person to consult with about rules and strategy.”

Andrew nodded and resigned himself to a dinner companion that might drive him to commit suicide later.

Just then the butler appeared and announced that dinner was served.

Relieved that he wouldn’t have to make idle chitchat with just Lady Olivia much longer, Andrew offered her his arm and started walking briskly toward where the butler was leading the party down to dinner.

“Could you slow down? My slippers do not allow me to walk as fast as you,” Lady Olivia said sharply.

“Of course,” Andrew muttered.

When Andrew and Lady Olivia entered the dining room, his eyes immediately searched for Brooke. Unfortunately she was seated on the far end of the table by Mr. Cook, her sister Liberty and Mr. Grimes. Brooke’s face looked as hard as steel. He tried to give her an apologetic smile, but it did nothing to soften her face

Dinner would have been excellent if not for such poor company. The whole meal Lady Olivia cooed, simpered, batted her lashes, and several other pathetic attempts at flirting. It was enough to make even the hungriest man lose his appetite.

After dinner, the men stayed in the dining room while the ladies went to the drawing room. The separation only lasted an hour, but Andrew felt every one of those sixty minutes.

Andrew walked down the hall with the gentlemen on their way to join the ladies in the drawing room. If not for the fact that he was going to see Brooke when he arrived there, he would have gone up to his room. Just the knowledge that she was in there, maybe even waiting for him, made him walk a little faster down the hall.

He was disappointed when he walked in the door and his eyes did a quick sweep of the room, revealing that Brooke was absent. He wandered around to make sure he hadn't just overlooked her, but that only confirmed that she wasn’t there.

It would seem impolite if he were to leave right away, so he made his rounds and politely inquired to Carolina about Brooke’s whereabouts.

“She complained of a headache a half hour ago,” Carolina told him stiffly, watching his face as he absorbed her words.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he murmured, and he was. He had wanted to talk to her and now it didn’t look like he’d get the chance. “If by chance you should see her tonight, please tell her I hope she feels better tomorrow.”

“I’ll be sure to let her know, my lord,” Carolina replied coolly before turning back to the ladies she had been speaking to before he interrupted her.

Andrew could tell her demeanor toward him had changed tonight, and he knew why. She probably assumed he was toying with her daughter’s affections. Any mother who was in her position would treat him the same. The truth was she had no reason to think otherwise.

After making small talk with a few others, he decided he would also go to bed. But first he needed to seek Alex out to confirm he was able to go on a tour of the grounds with him and Brooke tomorrow. Thinking of the tour made him inwardly smile. He had made up his mind earlier tonight that he was going to steal another kiss from her on the tour. With Alex acting as the chaperone, stealing a dozen kisses would pose no problem.

Alex had left the gentlemen before they had gone to the drawing room to meet up with the ladies. Andrew looked around and noticed that Alex wasn’t in the room, either. No matter. If Alex wasn’t here, he’d be in the library, most likely with his nose stuck in a book.

Andrew slipped from the room just before Lady Olivia could sink her talons into him again. Walking down the hall, he threw glances over his shoulder to make sure she had not followed him. He wouldn’t put it past her at this point to attempt getting caught alone with him. The thought made him shudder.

Andrew put his hand on the handle to the library door and was about to open it when he heard a female giggle erupt from inside. Stunned, he took a step back. He had no idea why Alex would choose to entertain a female companion in the library of all places. Personally, he could think of many better places to enjoy their company, but Alex was Alex.

Maybe it would be best to wait until breakfast to ask Alex, Andrew thought. He turned to walk away when he suddenly heard a familiar voice and his body froze.

Getting over his shock, he walked back to the door of the library with the intention of hearing the voice better. It had sounded light and musical, strangely like Brooke’s. He shook his head, why would Brooke be in the library with Alex? And what on earth in that room would she possibly find humorous?

He put his ear to the door so he could hear the voice again to either confirm or disprove his thoughts. When he heard the voice again he knew instantly it was Brooke. He couldn’t make out what she was saying, but he knew it was her and she had giggled about something—no, two somethings. He had clearly heard her laugh twice. Now her voice had taken on a different tone and so had Alex’s. Alex almost sounded on edge now.

Andrew fought the urge to swing open the door, barge in and demand to know what was going on, but his feet were rooted to the floor. Did he really want to know what was going on in there? He knew some people married their cousins. Was that what was this was? Were these two planning to make a match of it? No, that was impossible. They hardly knew each other. Plus, their interests were so opposite of each other they both would struggle in a marriage to each other.

Andrew heard a noise that sounded like a person walking toward the door and he quickly stepped aside.

The door flew open and through the shadows Andrew watched Brooke dash out of the library and run toward the staircase.

When she was out of sight, Andrew indulged his temper and barged in the library. “What was that about?” Andrew demanded curtly. He could feel the tension that had taken over his whole body. What was going on with these two?

“I should ask you what you’re about,” Alex shot back angrily.

“What I’m about? I’m not the one secretly meeting with a young lady in a library,” Andrew accused.

“Calm yourself, Andrew. I wasn’t doing anything utmost, unlike you.”

“Unlike me? What exactly are you insinuating?” Andrew’s voice filled with disbelief.

“You seem to be trifling with my cousin and I won’t countenance it.” Alex looked as if waiting for him to deny his charge.

Andrew just stared at him. “What do you mean trifling with her?”

“You were courting and kissing her in London, and now you’ve thrown her over for Lady Olivia.”

“She told you that?” Andrew asked, feeling his anger toward Alex dissolve. His anger in general hadn’t dissolved; it was now directed squarely at Lady Olivia for her role in the mess.

“If you're referring to her telling me you kissed her? Then yes, she told me about the museum. If you are referring to you throwing her over for Lady Olivia? Then yes, she told me about that, too.” His eyes still held their sharp edge. “Andrew, you might be my closest friend, but that doesn’t mean you have free reign to run over Brooke’s feelings with no consequences.”

Andrew didn’t want to know exactly what Alex meant by that comment, so he ignored it. “I didn’t throw Brooke over for Lady Olivia,” he said defensively. “This afternoon Lady Olivia made clear her intentions to woo me. She even had the balls to propose to me. Which, much to her dismay, I refused. Tonight in the drawing room she made up some outrageous story that I had asked to escort her to dinner and how I was backing out of it by escorting Brooke. I didn’t know what else to do; several people overheard this exchange including Lady Algen and Mr. Thomas who, as you know, are notorious gossips. I chose what I thought was the less damaging action: I took Brooke back to her parents and escorted Lady Olivia to dinner.”

“And you didn’t think this would affect Brooke?” Alex asked earnestly.

“It wasn’t until I saw Brooke’s face in the dining room that I realized how much I'd hurt her, but it was too late. I didn’t get a chance to talk to her during dinner. I had hoped to talk to her in the drawing room, but she'd already left by the time I got there. I decided it was best to talk to her tomorrow when I take her on a tour of the grounds.” Andrew sat down in a chair across from Alex. “That reminds me why I came to the library in the first place. I need you to accompany us tomorrow on a tour of the grounds. She won’t go without a chaperone and she has no maid.”

Alex’s eyes looked around the room for a few minutes before they settled back on Andrew’s. “Andrew, are your intentions toward Brooke honorable?” he asked quietly.

Andrew stiffened at Alex’s question. He wasn't sure how to answer. If he were to say the truth, which was a big fat no, Alex would not only refuse to help him tomorrow, but would probably have him thrown out of the party as well. On the other hand, if he said his intentions were honorable, Alex would expect an engagement to be announced soon; especially if Brooke was caught in a compromising situation, which was his plan. What a tangle.

Andrew stared at Alex’s imploring eyes and quietly asked, “What do you think?” It was the simple way to answer, it wasn’t a lie or the truth, he was just avoiding the question and relying on his gentleman’s honor to carry him through.

“I believe you have a serious interest in her, and I believe that you will make the right decisions where she is concerned.” Alex’s tone was still hard, but his face had softened considerably.

Andrew heard Alex’s words and knew what his friend was implying: if any harm, scandal or otherwise, were to fall upon Brooke, Alex expected him to do the right thing. He swallowed. He couldn’t back out now; he’d gone too far and too much was at stake. He’d just have to cross this bridge when he got to it.

And then burn it.