Page 62 of Persuasions of an Earl's Daughter

“Something,” he drawled. “How enthralling. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a horse to—”

“I realized you were lying.”

“Well, yes, that was the point, Lil.”

“And I realized I’m not giving up without a proper fight.”

August inhaled at length. Did he have to fall for the strongest woman he’d ever met? Naturally, she could see through his lies. Obviously, she wouldn’t give up. This was a woman who had survived kidnappers and floods and decided she could take on horse thieves. Chasing her away with a few arrogant lies was never going to work.

“I have no intention of fighting you.” He flicked a look over his shoulder at Brown and the horse. August couldn’t get past Lilly without shoving her aside and he doubted she’d let him go with ease.

“You didn’t look at me, you know, when you said all those words.”

“Perhaps I tired of looking at you.”

A faint flicker of pain in her eyes made him wish he really was facing the gallows. Anything to escape this situation—a situation he should never have put them in. It was only ever going to lead to hurt.

“No.” She shook her head vigorously and drove a finger in his direction. “No,” she repeated. “You have looked me in the eye and told me wonderful things and I knew them to be true. But when you told me you had used me, you could not look at me.” She smirked. “That is not the natural behavior of a practiced liar.”

“But as you say, I am apracticedliar.”

“And I have seen you lie and pretend, August, and you did it with ease. Until now.” Her smile grew smug. “I’m not leaving until you tell me why you are trying to drive me away.”

Lifting his gaze up and down her determined stance, he wished he could tell her how proud he was of her, wished he could confess everything. Nothing had felt better than the moment he had told Lilly the truth about himself. He wanted to feel that way again.

Another look at Brown and his conceited expression made the heavy pound of his heart increase. He could tell her. Explain everything and still send her on her way. Except he had this feeling Lilly would refuse to accept she could never be the wife of a fake lord and he’d already proven too weak around her. If she begged for him to never let her go, he couldn’t guarantee he’d deny her.

“Lil, damn it.” He hissed the words out.

“Tell me,” she said, the set of her chin softening. “Tell me why you are trying to drive me away.”

“Lil—”

“Ack, this is getting ridiculous,” Brown declared. “Out of my way!”

August pivoted at the same time Brown rushed forward upon Icarus’s back. August twisted aside and snatched Lilly’s arm to move her out of Brown’s path but too late. Brown thrust a boot out and the impact tore Lilly from his hold, shoving her straight to the floor. She bounced against the hard stone with a thud that made him sick to his stomach. When he dropped to his knees beside her, her eyes were closed.

“Lilly?” he shook her by the shoulders, but she remained out cold.

No. He couldn’t lose her now. Not now. Not after the awful things he’d said. Not when he hadn’t been able to tell her how much he loved her.

Brown needed to pay.

He rose to his feet, his breaths hot. When he stepped outside, he spotted a boy sweeping hay in the courtyard. “A lady has been hurt in the stables. See to her,” he ordered.

The boy nodded, wide-eyed and flung down his broom. August raced around the front of the building and swiftly detached his horse from the cart.

“I’m coming for you, Brown,” he muttered, the throb of his pulse hard in his ears. “I’m coming for you.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Ivy, no,” Lilly grumbled when her sister shoved at her shoulder. “Sleepy...”

“Miss?”

That didn’t sound like her sister. And the room didn’t smell like fresh cut flowers. Come to think of it, her bed was uncommonly hard.

With a scowl, she dragged her eyes open, and blinked as a wave of pain and nausea crashed over her.

---