Page 4 of The Lord's Compass
She shook her head at his cheek and turned toward the stables. “One of the stableboys can take care of them,” she said, and he followed.
“As you wish,” he said. “Now tell me, why did you leave the party?”
“I am not much one for parties,” she said, keeping her gaze ahead so that he wouldn’t read the lie in her eyes. But the truth was far worse – for the truth was, she hadn’t been able to stop herself from watching him flirt with Percy’s cousin, Lady Rebecca.
It had tugged at her heart, especially after what she had thought was a moment between her and Eric during the wedding ceremony. As her closest friend, Lady Persephone Holloway, had married Eric’s brother, Noah, Faith had stood beside her as her bridesmaid while Eric had been his best man. She hadn’t been able to take her eyes off of Eric as the clergyman read the words tying the married couple together.
And she had hated herself for it.
Of course, to him a longing gaze was nothing.
She was a fool.
But she had known that for some time.
“I remember one party you seemed to particularly enjoy,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.
Her spine stiffened. “You think quite highly of yourself, Lord Ferrington,” she said tersely.
“Faith, there is no need to be so formal.”
“There are many reasons to be formal, my lord.”
“Faith—”
“Lady Faith.”
He sighed, the first sign of his cheeriness slipping.
“Lady Faith, then.”
He stopped as they neared the stables, turning to stand in front of her. His full lips were pressed into a line as his hazel eyes stared into hers. “What happened, Faith? What changed?”
She stared at him. She had told herself she would never speak of this, but perhaps this is what she needed – what they both needed to close this door.
“I saw you with her.”
He flinched backward at the intensity of her tone, although his mask of confession remained. “With whom?”
“The other woman. That night.”
“Faith, I do not know who you mean, there was no—” He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening as, apparently, his memory restored itself. “Another woman… you saw that?”
“I did,” she said, stepping forward, snatching her quiver from his grasp, which had slackened in his surprise at her revelation. “Which is why there will never be such thing as you and me again.”
CHAPTER2
“What has you so glum?”
Eric looked up at Whitehall and couldn’t help a humorless chuckle at the irony of Whitehall asking such a question.
“Nothing.”
“Come now – Eric Rowley is nothing but jovial. There can only be one explanation.”
Eric lifted an eyebrow and waited.
“A woman.”
