Page 65 of The Book of Lost Stories
‘Do notneedto?’ He stared at her as if she had run mad.
‘No, for I intend to continue writing my novels. But I will not be an embarrassment to the family, since I am retiring to live in the country somewhere.’
‘You mean … you really mean, that you do notwishto marry?’ It was clearly a concept he found hard to comprehend.
‘No, for I have never seen any good come of it. I can support myself and intend to do so. In any case, I am very sorry, but I am afraid I do not love you, Nat.’
He decided that only a show of lovemaking would overcome her resistance and seized her in his arms. ‘But I love you!’ he exclaimed passionately and, crushing her to him, attempted to kiss her.
‘Nat, let me go!’ she demanded, trying to push him away, but his superior strength made her efforts unavailing. ‘What if someone should come in?’
‘No one will come in. I have told one of the footmen to see to that,’ he said, pushing up her chin with a ruthless hand and pressing his lips to hers. Then he jerked back with a cry, blood welling from his lip.
‘You bit me!’ he said with furious astonishment. ‘You—’
The doors swung open, briefly letting in the sounds from the ballroom, and closed again.
‘Dear me,’ said Lord Rayven, taking in the scene with one swift, comprehensive glance, ‘you appear to have had a slight accident, Mr Hartwood.’
‘I – it is nothing,’ Nat said with an effort. ‘I am afraid we are having a private conversation, Rayven, if you would mind leaving us.’
‘No!’ cried Alys, freeing herself from his loosened grip and quickly putting as much space as possible between them. ‘Ourconversationis at an end, Nat, and I would like you to go!’
Nat was dabbing at his lip with his handkerchief, over which he regarded her angrily. Then, without another word, he got up and left the room. Lord Rayven stood aside to let him pass, then quickly moved forward to catch Alys as her legs gave way.
‘You are faint,’ he said, clasping her in his arms.
‘A … momentary dizziness … it is nothing. I am better.’ But her heart was beating faster than it ever had in Nat’s importunate embrace.
‘Has he hurt you? He did not—’
‘He proposed, then tried to kiss me when I refused him, nothing more. I am glad you came in, but I am sure I could have got rid of him quite easily,’ she added, sounding much more like herself.
He smiled. ‘I expect you could. Unless, of course, rage caused him to strangle you first, an emotion with which I could sympathize.’
For a moment, still held in his arms, they stared into each other’s eyes. ‘Or frustrated passion,’ he added slowly, ‘for you look so damned pretty tonight that there might be some excuse for him.’
Alys went pink and struggled free. ‘I believe I owe you an apology, Lord Rayven,’ she said smoothing down her slightly crumpled silk dress.
‘In what way, Miss Weston?’ He had gone back, she noted, to the Byronic pose, arms folded across his broad chest and that lock of black hair falling across his forehead.
‘For misjudging you. You did not betray my secret. George Rivers told Nat, and Nat told Bella.’
‘Who told everyone? Yes, your cousin Bella seems to have been busy spreading the tale all day. She must be quite exhausted, poor thing.’
‘I do not know what she hoped to gain by doing so.’
‘Oh, I expect she was simply motivated by jealousy. You have quite put her nose out of joint by your sudden appearance on the scene.’
‘Well, I am sorry for it, but I did not intend to do so, and I have told my grandfather that I do not want his money and I am not going to marry Nat or anyone else. In fact, I am starting to think Nat is a whited sepulchre,’ she said darkly. ‘He looks angelic enough, and is always kind and charming, but his true nature, judging from his actions today, is far otherwise.’
‘Indeed, you cannot always judge a book by its cover,’ Rayven agreed gravely.
Their eyes met again, his crinkled up at the corner in laughter, and she smiled suddenly.
‘Very true.’
‘How does my elderly friend Pug go on?’
