Page 124 of Lords, Ladies and Love

“Come here,” she beckoned.

He had little chance of denying her, so he took a breath and stepped into the room, coming to join her in the center of it.

“Look up,” she ordered.

He did as she bid, craning his neck so as to stare at the ceiling. “Yes, it is quite marvelous,” he said without enthusiasm.

“No, look.” She shifted close until there was no more than an inch between their bodies. She pointed upward toward one of the angels painted on the ceiling. “Look at what the angel is holding.”

He squinted at what was meant to be a stone plaque. “An E and an H…”

Lucy nodded excitedly. “Yes. The same letters are on the ceiling in the hallway. Do you not see? They are a love letter.”

Theo peered at her. “A love letter?”

“Between Edward and Harriet. Your great-great-grandfather and grandmother.”

He blinked at her several times. Of course she would know such a thing. It did not even occur to him that it was his ancestors’ initials.

She sighed and clasped her hands together. “How romantic.”

Even he could not deny that. He did not know a lot about his great-great-grandfather’s marriage, but apparently, it had been a happy one. His parents had been happy too. Apparently, he was the only one in the family who had been unsuccessful in choosing a good bride.

“What is wrong?”

He snapped his attention back to her. “Nothing.”

A half-smile curved her lips. “You cannot lie to me, you know.”

“It is nothing that you need to know.”

Lucy placed her hands on her hips. “Theo… I mean, Eastbrook…”

“You can call me Theo, you know.”

“When will you learn that I do not like being kept in ignorance?”

A reluctant smile curved his lips. “Indeed, you seem to like to know everything.”

“So, will you not tell me why this beautiful room and the evidence of your ancestors’ love makes your eyes darken and your lips compress into this thin, disapproving line?”

He groaned aloud. He believed he had kept his thoughts invisible.

She giggled. “And why does me recognizing that make you groan?”

“Perhaps a man wishes to keep some thoughts to himself.”

“A man should not keep such thoughts to himself if they do such a thing to his face.” She tilted her head. “Especially a handsome man like yourself.”

It was not the first time he had been called handsome. Even at his age, it would not be the last. He would probably be called handsome until he was eighty, given that he came with land and a title. However, he rather liked hearing it from Lucy.

Theo shoved a hand through his hair. She watched him, waiting. There was no escape. He could either run away like a coward or tell her all. He did not know how much she had figured out as a child. He had done his best to protect her from the reality of his marriage and the family that she was entering into.

“Julia loved balls. Too much. She spent too much money, and danced with too many men…” He glanced at her to see if she had understood his meaning.

It was never proven that his wife had had affairs, and it was hardly uncommon in society, yet he had expected more from his marriage. Foolishly. Julia was never satisfied—not with him and not with her life. She wanted more, constantly.

“Oh.” Lucy eyed the floor.

---