Page 34 of The Duke of Fire
“That you came for me. You barely even know me,” she said.
“I know what kind of woman you are,” he replied. “And I know what kind of man I become around you. It is… inconvenient.”
“Is this some kind of game to you?” she asked.
She mentally beat herself for that question. She was a smart woman, something that she had been proud of all her life—something that Finch and Octavia seemed to have repressed. Of course, it was a game for Sebastian.
“Not yet. But it will be. If you are brave enough to play.”
Her jaw fell at the declaration. He did not give her a chance to say anything else, letting go of her hand and leaving her standing on the dance floor as soon as the song ended. Then, he left the ball.
Chapter 12
Sebastian had finally fled the noise of the ballroom. It was both a relief and a disappointment. Amelia was proving to be quite an entertaining companion, and she had not even been in his bed.Yet.
His grandmother’s drawing room was quiet, a stark contrast to the ballroom with its loud music and eager chatter. Here, the clock ticking highlighted the stillness.
He stood by the fireplace, as if the flames had all the answers he needed. The dowager sat in a nearby chair, seemingly as fascinated by the hearth as he. The faint clink of a teacup against porcelain echoed as the dowager set her cup down with a quiet sigh.
“You know,” she said without looking up, “there was a time when you used to follow me around like a little shadow. Now I am lucky if I get more than a grunted reply in passing.”
“I came to your ball,” he said, turning to her, as if his attendance was something his grandmother had to be grateful for.“You summoned me,” he said simply. “And now I am here. What morewould you like, Grandmother?”
“I am glad, but we both know you did not come here for me; you are here for Miss Warton,” she accused.
“Why would I do that for her?” he asked, although he damned well did it for Amelia.
“I know what I am saying. And I was talking to Miss Warton about precisely that,” the dowager murmured. She finally looked at him—sharply, but not unkindly. “I would like to spend time with my grandson without feeling as though I am begging for the privilege. You avoid me like the plague. What did I do to deserve that?”
“You are far too dramatic, Grandmother,” he replied. “It clouds your judgment and, apparently, your memory, too. Do you know how many years I spent locked up in my room, so that I was not heard or seen? No one, not my parents, not you, not even the servants, cared to tend to me. Now that I can survive on my own, why do you insist on seeing me?”
The dowager stiffened. “Sebastian…”
“I remember,” he said, his voice cool. “I remember begging for your attention. Fortheirattention. Father with his ledgers. Mother with her soirées. And you—off in Bath or London, fluttering about the edges of our lives with condolences and invitations sent by proxy.”
“I did what I could—”
“No,” he cut in, straightening from the mantel. “You did what was easy. What waspolite. Now, suddenly, you want a grandson again? Don’t bother, Grandmother. I have made peace with my solitude.”
“You have certainly grown, Sebastian. I am also much older. Wiser, I hope. Even if you spend only a little time with me, I would deeply appreciate it. However, you never come when summoned but appear without warning. Then, you disappear after stirring up trouble.”
She sighed and looked away.
“You did invite me this time, do not forget.”
“To be here with me, not to hunt. I wish you would not keep me at a distance anymore, Sebastian. All we have left is one another.”
“We are older, yes, but some things have not changed. It seems that everything still has some conditions in place.”
“I am so sorry, Sebastian,” the dowager said. This time, there was a softness that he was not used to. “I should have been there for you. I should have stepped in when I saw what they were doing to you.”
Sebastian finally turned to his grandmother again.
“You did not do that. But now, do what you are best at—play matchmaker. Make sure Miss Warton is invited to every significant ball and social event on the calendar. Keep her entertained and celebrated. That is the only use I have for your influence.”
“She will certainly be noticed after you have danced with her,” the dowager told him. “Even without my help, Sebastian.”
“You will still do all you can to help her. I do not want any guesses. I want you to make certain that she is happy,” he insisted, his voice firm.
