Page 20 of The Rake I Wished For
Not that he’d offer.
Would he?
“I’ve made arrangements for us to leave for the country in two days’ time,” he said.
She blinked, her hands dropping from the embroidery so he was stuck holding it. He tossed it onto the bench where she’d been sitting.
“Pardon?”
His gaze met hers and once again she couldn’t read his thoughts and that was…that was upsetting for some reason. There was laughter there, like usual, but she had the unnerving suspicion that it was a taunting sort of laughter. It was rueful and bitter, and lacking in that warm affection she’d grown used to, and…
She didn’t like it one bit.
“What do you mean we’re leaving early?”
He arched a brow. “After the way you behaved last night, I don’t want to take any chances with your reputation. You’ll be safer in the country, with your family.”
The words were a blow. He’d only ever treated her as an equal. As a friend.
Even when her brother was being unbearably overprotective and commanding, Harlow was in her corner. Her champion and her ally.
Her mouth opened and shut. “But…”
“I already sent word ahead to your brother and Rose,” he continued.
“You…told them?”
His gaze softened slightly at her undisguised horror. “No,” he said. “I didn’t tell them about your reckless behavior. I told them you were bored to tears and miserable in this heat.”
She nodded, trying not to let him see how her insides crumpled the more he talked to her so politely. Like she really was just some girl he was tasked with watching over, and not…
And not what?
Her eyes stung with unshed tears, her mind stuck on the way he’d spoken to her after nearly kissing her.
She was just a naive girl he’d been tasked with looking after. It shouldn’t hurt to realize it.
Jocelyn became acutely aware of the silence that fell. When her gaze met Harlow’s he arched a brow, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
“What?” Her tone sounded dull even to her own ears. She couldn’t seem to summon up her typical laughter and teasing any more than he could.
He drew in a deep breath and let it out loudly. “I’d expected more of a fight, that’s all.”
She nodded. She likely should be fighting him on this. Her mind hitched and faltered as she tried to remember her oh-so-brilliant plan for her time here in London.
The plan that had nothing to do with a silly kiss.
“I’d hoped to meet the Marquess of Northbridge when he came to town,” she said.
Harlow was quiet. Too quiet.
When she glanced up, she blinked in surprise at the myriad of emotions she saw flickering in his eyes and across his features. They were there and then gone too quickly for her to decipher them.
“Northbridge?” He finally echoed. “Why?”
She swallowed hard, but it did nothing to ease the dry tightness in her throat. “I thought to…” She couldn’t finish.
“I see.”
