Page 40 of Enamored with a Brooding Earl
Weakness flooded her. “Calverton.”
“Temperance,” he said again, his voice softer now, his eyes searching hers as he reached for her hands. “Temperance, please. Tell me what has happened.”
She shook her head, wordlessly.
“This is not what you want. I know it.Youknow it,” he told her, as she dropped her head, unable to look into his eyes. “What has happened, Temperance? Why did you accept him?”
His hands pressed hers and tears fell to her cheeks all over again. “I have no choice, Calverton,” she whispered, her voice broken with emotion. “Please, do not try to dissuade me. I must accept.”
“Why must you?” he begged, coming closer to her. “You acceptedme,I know that you wanted to begin our courtship. What did he say to you to force you to accept him? I do not understand.”
The urge to tell him everything grew so strong, Temperance had to close her eyes to shut out the sight of his handsome, earnest face. “Please, Calverton.”
“I will not leave you until you tell me.”
Her eyes flew open, shock racing through her.
“I will not give up. You have become too precious to me, too dear for me to permit you to marry the very gentleman who caused you so much pain. Especially when I know that it is against your will.”
Temperance looked back at him, not knowing what she ought to do. Lord Calverton gazed back at her, then dropped one of her hands and for a moment, she thought he was to step away. Then his hand lifted to her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly across her skin as he chased the tears away.
“Tell me the truth, Temperance, please. I beg of you, please be truthful. There is nothing that he can do that will – ”
“But there is!”
The words flew out of her mouth before she could prevent them and Temperance clapped one hand to her mouth, only to then try and turn away from him, twisting out of his grip.
“Temperance!” Lord Calverton caught her around the waist as she began to sob, his hands going to frame her face, his eyes searching desperately for the truth. “What was it he said? What has he threatened?”
Temperance closed her eyes again, her breath shuddering out of her. “If I tell you, then what he has threatened will come to pass.”
“He will not know you have told me,” Lord Calverton promised, as Temperance opened her eyes, only for a sudden fear to clutch at her heart. Again, she spun away from him, her handpressing against her heart, dread pouring into her veins. Her eyes scanned the cliffs, her breathing ragged as she searched for any sign of Lord Barlington.
“Temperance, come back!” Lord Calverton proved to her that he was not about to be dismissed, rushing after her so that, no matter how many steps she took, he was always there, following after her. “What is it that you are so afraid of?”
“He could be watching!” Temperance cried, her heart pounding. “He could see us and then – ”
Lord Calverton caught her hand and then, after a moment, began to pull her towards the edge of the cliffs. “Come here,” he encouraged, urgently. “We will stand here in the shadows so we cannot be seen by anyone. And then, youmusttell me the truth, Temperance. I cannot leave you in this state.”
Temperance went with him, her heart quailing still, her eyes still searching the top of the cliffs. Did she dare be honest with him? Did she dare tell him everything that Lord Barlington had threatened?
“Now.” Lord Calverton, his breathing a little quicker now, turned to face her and captured her hands in his again. “Now, we are safe. We cannot be seen and I assure you, Temperance, I will say nothing to Lord Barlington of what you have told me. Whatever it is, I will find another way to free you from this engagementwithouttelling him that I know of his threats.”
Temperance shuddered violently.
“You can trust me,” Lord Calverton said softly, coming to stand a little closer to her as the wind continued to whistle around them. “Both your fatherandyour aunt are deeply concerned for you, my dear Temperance, as am I. They know that you are unhappy. They want to know what is wrong and neither of them want to see you marry Lord Barlington.”
Temperance closed her eyes in an attempt to steady herself. She took in a deep breath, then let it out again. “If I do not marry Lord Barlington, then everyone I love is in danger of being completely and utterly ruined.” Opening her eyes, she looked back at him. “Yourself included.”
“Ruined?”
She nodded, the words coming a little more easily now. “He told me about your brother and his untimely passing, as well as the rumours which have pursued you and your family since then. Hetold me how you would be entirely ruined should he begin to whisper about you to theton.”
Lord Calverton’s jaw tightened.
“And then he has threatened your mother, my dear friend Lady Thurston and even my own sisters! I dare not do anything other than obey him for I care about you too much to let that happen.” Tears began to prick the corners of her eyes as Lord Calverton’s expression softened. “It is to protect you, to protecteveryonethat I must do this.”
Lord Calverton shook his head. “No, Lady Temperance. It is not your responsibility to protect me.”
