Page 24 of Earl for the Summer
On the point of confessing all to her right there in the sultry air of the Palm House, a noise rippled through the others in their group. A collective gasp.
“Oh heavens, it’s happening,” Miss Bridewell said cryptically.
“What’s happening?” Cassian took a few steps to see past those who’d gathered on one of the paths of the glass structure. They were quite far ahead. He’d been happily strolling slowly with Miss Bridewell.
At the far edge of the Palm House, he saw a tall, bronze-haired nobleman, who was impeccably dressed and seemed fixed on the lady before him. When she turned, he caught a glimpse of the lady’s profile—Lady Selina.
Then Miss Bridewell touched Cassian, and his thoughts scattered. She’d reached out a hand and clasped his—their bare fingers brushing against each other for a tantalizing moment.
“I’m so sorry, Lord Windham.”
Cassian, he wanted to shout. Just once, he wanted to hear her speak his true name.
When she made to pull away, he instinctively wrapped his hand around hers.
“What are you apologizing for?”
Before she could answer, a shout of “hurrah” rose up among the guests Knowles had invited. Then they all broke into applause.
Miss Bridewell winced and squeezed his hand. “For your disappointment,” she said softly. “I know it will be great, and I would not have invited you if I’d known…” She seemed so forlorn that he had the urge to soothe her, to wrap her in his arms.
“Oh, Daphne!” Lady Selina emerged from the crush.
Miss Bridewell immediately dropped his hand, and Lady Selina seemed to notice him for the first time all morning.
The debutante’s joy dimmed only for a moment. “I do hope you’ll understand, Lord Windham,” she said, barely able to contain her beaming smile.
“Understand?” Cassian murmured.
But Lady Selina had already turned away from him to huddle close to Miss Bridewell. She thrust out her left hand, and Daphne took it to examine the sparkling ruby and diamond band on Lady Selina’s finger.
Bloody rotting hell. Her beaming smile, the eye-catching ring, the other gentlemen slapping the bronze-haired man on the back. He’d failed Julian.
“Is it not perfection?” Lady Selina whispered.
“It’s absolutely beautiful,” Miss Bridewell agreed, her lovely blue eyes lifting to Cassian and brimming with regret.
All he wanted was a moment alone with her.
His gut twisted with guilt at the thought of failing his twin, yet his chest was full of another feeling entirely. The whole point of this ruse had come unraveled. The engagement was sealed, and Lady Selina looked incandescently pleased. Perhaps she had once fancied Julian, but now another man had won her hand, and apparently her heart.
Cassian had always believed in fate, unlike his brother. Julian was born to inherit; Cassian had been meant for the sea. And now it seemed that Julian was destined to marry someone other than Lady Selina Lytton.
He dreaded telling his brother that he’d lost him the chance to marry his heart’s desire. Yet Julian had always known the lady’s favor would be a contested prize. That had been the root of this whole charade.
And perhaps it made him a selfish bastard, but Cassian breathed a sigh of relief at the sense of being freed. No more lies. No more pretending.
He was damned well going to tell Daphne Bridewell the truth.
And before he said goodbye to her forever, he was going to hear her speak his name.
She’d drifted off with Lady Selina, and all the other ladies in their party had circled around too.
Cassian bided his time, continuing on the Palm House’s path and examining the specimens until the cluster of ladies dispersed and it was decided that the group would move on to take a stroll around the pond toward the arboretum.
Cassian stepped forward just as Miss Bridewell started in his direction.
“Shall we walk together toward the Temperate House?” he suggested.
