Page 91 of The Outcast's Redemption
‘Croft has brought your dinner and I am here to keep you company while you dine.’
She stood aside while the butler placed the tray across Wolf’s lap and a footman put a second, smaller tray with wine and glasses on a table at Wolf’s elbow. When the servants withdrew she sat down upon a chair at a safe distance and folded her hands in her lap, watching Wolf pick at the succulent morsels the chef had served up to tempt his appetite. He looked pale, and a little tired, but he was calm enough. A suspicion began to grow that the Arrandales had planned this. They wanted her to be alone with Wolf. But to what end?
They want him to marry you and settle down at Arrandale.
Impossible! Had he not told her he was too restless to marry? That he could never be faithful to any one woman? Even if she was not promised to another man he did notwantto marry her. He would certainly not want to be coerced into marriage by his well-meaning family.
‘Will you join me in a glass of wine?’ Wolf asked her politely.
Grace nodded, glad to be doing something, but as she poured the wine into two glasses her hand trembled and she spilled a little on the tray.
‘Are you afraid of me, Grace?’
‘Do not be ridiculous.’
‘You are shaking.’
‘I should not be here,’ she said in a low voice. ‘I should not be alone with you.’
‘Then why are you here?’
Her shoulders lifted a fraction. ‘Your family...’
‘What?’ He gave a mirthless laugh. ‘Surely they know you are betrothed to Braddenfield?’
‘Yes.’ She handed him a glass. ‘I told Loftus what had happened. I thought he would not wish to marry me once he knew everything.’ She did not look at Wolf, knowing he was watching her intently. It was as much as she could do not to sigh. ‘He admires my integrity.’
Wolf had finished eating so she moved his tray to the side table. She said, trying to sound cheerful, ‘He is a truly noble man, I think.’
‘Aye, damn him.’
‘I do not know why you say that—’
‘Don’t you, Grace? Don’t you know that I hate him because he will have you and I won’t?
‘No,’ she whispered, her heart beating frantically. Wolf grabbed her wrist.
‘Oh, I know it is fixed. There is no getting out of it now. You are promised to him, but that does not stop me wanting you.’
He was stroking the inside of her wrist with his thumb, setting her whole body on fire. From her toes to the crown of her head, she was aware of him. There was a lightness in her head and in her womb, her breasts tingled, they felt full, swollen and aching for his touch. She wanted to sink to her knees beside the daybed, to close her eyes and delight in the sensual feelings he aroused in her.
I could not love thee, dear, so much...
It took a supreme effort of will to pull away.
‘I will not break my promise to Loftus,’ she said, her voice catching on a sob. ‘Neither will I allow you to behave dishonourably.’
His eyes held her prisoner. She felt the threads that bound them, strong as steel, tightening and pulling her towards him. One word and she would be lost. She would give herself to a man who would only love her for a short time, then he would move on. He would cease to love her and she would lose him, as she had lost so many other people she had loved. Grace crossed her arms, as if to hold herself back.
‘Please, Wolf, help me. We must not do something we would both regret.’
His eyes blazed, but she dare not acknowledge what she read there, lest the final shreds of her control should snap and send her tumbling into his arms. Then, just as she thought she could hold out no longer, he looked away.
Wolf rubbed one hand wearily across his eyes. He had come pretty close to declaring himself, but what good would that do, she would not break her vows. It would only make her suffer even more. He had to keep to his original plan. Better she should think him unworthy.
‘Go then.’ He added harshly, ‘You were never mistress material.’
‘Wolf—’
‘Go!’ he snarled. ‘Get out, damn you.’
Blinking away the tears, Grace turned to leave.
‘And tell Croft to bring me the brandy,’ he called, as she reached the door. ‘I intend to get damnably drunk.’
* * *
Grace fled. In the empty hall she stopped, irresolute. Voices were coming from the drawing room, but she had no wish to join the family. They would know soon enough that their scheme had failed. If marriage had been their goal. Perhaps they were all as dissolute as one another and had wanted to see her disgraced. She ran to her bedchamber and locked the door, wishing with all her heart that she had never become mixed up with the infamous Arrandales.
