Page 13 of A Scandal Before Christmas
“Must we?” Her words were sweet enough, but her eyes flashed at him.
“Yes. We must.” Before he could elaborate, Lady Melanie sidled up to him.
“Lord Hawthorne, there you are. Would you partner me in a game of whist? I’m quite good at it. There is no fear we shall lose.”
Cutting the lady a brief glance, Theodore bit out, “My apologies, my lady. I’m otherwise occupied.”
Melanie pouted, which may have had the desired effect on another man. It only left Theodore feeling irritated, especially when her attention allowed Lauren to edge away. And blast it all, Sanderson was waiting nearby, ready to pounce on Lauren the moment Theodore’s back was turned. Lords Jenkins and Harland stood alongside him, their eyes trained on the woman he intended on marrying.
Theodore’s blood grew hotter as it traveled the path of his veins. His hands clenched into fists. He wanted to attack all the scoundrels and beat them to a pulp for even daring to look at Lauren. They were practically stripping her clothes from her body; they stared so intently. The scowl he sent them was so fierce the three men hastily averted their eyes, turned their bodies in the opposite direction of Lauren, and promptly stumbled into each other like bumbling fools.
“Oh, please, Lord Hawthorne! You simply must help me…” Melanie pleaded, mouth pursed into a pout.
“You cannot mean to make a lady beg your mercy, Hawthorne,” Lauren cut in, eyes sparkling with mischief. “That would be most cruel.”
Theodore choked back a response. He had every intention of making Lauren beg for his mercy. Preferably in the privacy of her room. Away from anyone who might think to rescue her.
Melanie latched onto his arm. Without making a scene, Theodore knew he could not dislodge the woman.
“Oh, Penelope has need of me,” Lauren said, her gaze landing somewhere beyond Theodore and Melanie. “I do wish you luck at whist.”
Before Theodore could stop her, she glided away.
Chapter 8
Lauren watched until she could take no more.
Jealousy twisted her insides as Melanie hung on Theodore’s every word, as well as his arm. At one point, she even draped herself on his shoulder, laughing.
“You must say one thing for her.” Penelope pressed a second glass of wine into Lauren’s hand with a chuckle. “She is persistent.”
“And beautiful.” Lauren sighed.
“If it is any consolation, Hawthorne has avoided her. He’s not provided escort to any lady as far as I am aware. It’s been a source of gossip. Especially considering you broke off your engagement and he was technically free to pursue another.”
“I would not care if he did pursue another.” Lauren shifted her feet. She fought the urge to glance at the couple again when Melanie’s trill of laughter drifted over the saloon. It was just a touch louder than the three-piece stringed quartet hired from the village. “Our association is over.”
Penelope tilted her blonde head, regarding Lauren with a perceptive eye. “Is it, my dear? It does not appear so. I think you are not quite at ease with another woman’s interest in your former fiancé.” Theodore’s form was subjected to a calculating assessment. “One cannot fault the ladies for it, however. He is a fine specimen of a man, and with his title and fortune, well, it’s easy to see why they adore him so.” Adjusting a few baubles on the Christmas tree, Penelope smiled. “I’m glad you are not still cross with me, cousin.”
“The reasons for my anger were selfish.” Lauren desperately ignored the leap in her pulse at the reminder of Theodore’s darkly dangerous good looks. How many times had she nearly drowned in his winter blue eyes the afternoon before? Far more than she wished to count. “After all, it is not my place to dictate your guest list. I would know, however, whether the earl was invited before or after I accepted your invitation.”
Penelope sipped her wine before answering, and Lauren could not help but think if that was her cousin’s way of gaining more time to form a response.
“They were sent at the same time. Honestly, I doubted Hawthorne would accept, although I suppose he hoped you would attend.”
“Perhaps he desired other company.” Noticing Melanie’s hand casually draped along the top of Theodore’s thigh, dangerously close to his lap, Lauren winced. Was it her imagination, or did his muscles jump beneath the fine wool of his trousers?
“You can’t believe that’s true. The man has hunted you from the moment you arrived. I’ve no idea what scandal led to the demise of your engagement, but do not doubt he is devoted to having you for his wife, Lauren.”
“He betrayed me,” Lauren whispered absently, watching Theodore murmur into Melanie’s ear. Curiously, the lady scowled, removing her hand from his leg with amazing speed.
“With another woman? I don’t believe that at all. From the moment you met, it was plain you were meant for one another,” Penelope scoffed.
“I—I really don’t want to talk about this, Penelope.” Lauren drew herself up straighter while cringing at the thought of Theodore lavishing attention on anyone else. “I fear I’m not proving very festive. Perhaps the journey here is finally catching up to me.”Or perhaps my efforts in eluding Theodore have exhausted me.
Penelope slipped an arm around Lauren. “Dear cousin, I’ve no wish to pry, but might I offer a bit of advice? From a married woman’s perspective, if you will have it.” At Lauren’s reluctant nod, the viscountess prodded, “If a man is striving to prove you have his attention, or apologizing when he hasn’t shown the inclination of doing so before, please consider its worth.”
“What are you saying, precisely?” Lauren breathed.
