Page 42 of The Duke of Fire
“Well, that needs oiling,” Benedict commented, even as he worked through his big slice of cake.
“Yes. Definitely. Sebastian, you must see to your estate. It seems you have let yourself get… distracted lately,” Cassian said.
Sebastian threw a scone right on Cassian’s head. His attention had already been caught by the emerging figure dappled in sunlight. Amelia strode toward them, a smile on her face. It was as if she had not been affected by the distance between them over the past few days.
I should be relieved. The last thing he wanted was a clingy woman who wanted more from him than one night. She paused when she saw him, and her face transformed, then, from happiness to confusion.
Sebastian rose abruptly. To his annoyance, his friends did the same, giving Amelia the respect she deserved. She curtseyed for them in return.
“Your Grace. Gentlemen,” she greeted them. Then, she glanced at the dowager duchess, saying, “Thank you for the invitation.”
“My pleasure, Miss Warton,” the dowager duchess said coolly, as if she did not just wreak havoc on a simple tea party.
“Come, Miss Warton,” Benedict smiled at Sebastian, tapping the chair between him and Cassian. “Sit here. It will save us the trouble of dueling for your attention.”
Amelia chuckled, bowing her head a little to hide a blush. The soft pink rising to her cheeks made something primal flare inside Sebastian. She took the seat. Betweenthem. Sebastian inwardly seethed, even as he settled down to the seat he had taken to the right of his grandmother. He wondered if the crafty old woman had ordered the two traitors to act like that toward Amelia.
Torture.
He knew that it was going to be pure torture.
Sebastian watched his friends speak to Amelia, with his hand gripping his teacup. The contents were long gone, but he needed something to hold on to. It felt like a theft to him whenever Amelia gave Cassian and Benedict an acknowledging nod or a happy smile.
Heshould have been the one making her laugh.
He listened—or pretended to—as Amelia spoke animatedly to Cassian about a painting she had once seen in Bath. Sebastian had never heard her talk about art. And now Cassian had that honor?
He had held her. He had kissed her like he had meant to steal the breath from her lungs. And now, watching her lean slightly toward Benedict as he made some joke about poets and pirates, Sebastian felt as if something in his chest was burning away inch by inch.
She should not be smiling at them like that.
His friends could be exasperating at times, but he had never felt like punching the smiles off their smug faces until now. Something sharp sparked in his chest whenever she shared a glance with either of his friends.
It should not matter.
Sebastian had no claim over Amelia. Still, he could not rid himself of the feeling that she was giving them something that should only be his.
“Pardon me, everyone. I must head to my chambers now. I suddenly feel faint; perhaps there is too much sun for my age. It is best I leave you young people here in the fresh air,” the dowager duchess declared, rising.
Sebastian squinted at her, wondering just how strong his grandmother really was. Why did he even believe that she had suddenly died? She would more likely make a big fuss about dying before she actually did.
“Ah, I also remembered I must do something somewhere,” Cassian announced, rising with the aid of his cane.
Benedict followed suit, giving a little bow for effect. “Well, since our dear hostess is leaving, I might as well depart. I only remembered that I have some… ledgers I have to organize.”
“Do not worry. We are not leaving because we do not want your company. We simply did not plan to be here for longer than a few minutes,” Cassian said, leaning toward Amelia with twinkling eyes. Sebastian’s hand tightened its grip around his cup. “You made quite an impression on us. We would like to see more of you.”
Sebastian had a strong urge to tell his friend just how much he would be seeing Amelia—never if he could help it.
“Enough of that,” Sebastian growled, finally revealing some of his restrained anger now that his grandmother was no longer within earshot.
His friends left, glancing back from time to time with their matching smirks.
Silence fell upon the tea party for two. Sebastian glanced at Amelia, whose shoulders had gone rigid and eyes had taken afaraway glaze. Was that what he did to her?
“Your friends are…” Amelia began, looking down at her plate. “Spirited.”
“Traitors and fools, both of them,” Sebastian grumbled.
