Page 121 of The Trouble with Tigers
Caden glanced from the earl to Zeke, his expression considering. “What, exactly, does James have to do with this? Ithought it was her brother, Hastings, who nullified the marriage contract.”
“Maybe you noticed the three left the premises, en masse,” Randall said in a low voice, his eyes on his boot tips.
“And?” Caden asked.
Zeke spoke in a gravelly voice he barely recognized. “James has something Hastings wants. Hastings, as Kitty’s guardian, has something James wants.”
Caden frowned. “You’re saying…but that would mean her brother, her own flesh and blood…” His words died in his throat.
“Means to trade her for the return of his title,” Zeke finished.
Caden’s eyes went cold. He fixed his stare on Zeke. “You don’t plan to let him get away with it?”
At Caden’s question, something loosened inside of him. He had a choice here, he realized. He wasn’t a powerless youth, forced to sit on the sidelines and watch as some outside force wreaked havoc on his world. He could fix this. Take control of the situation.
“She did ask that none of us interfere in her decision,” he said.
“So you plan to leave her to the wolves.” Caden threw up his hands in disgust.
Zeke’s smile was grim. “No, as a matter of fact, I don’t.”
***
He rode from Chissington Hall alone, after garnering Caden’s promise to leave for London, as planned. Now, more than ever, Zeke needed answers. Anything he could use as leverage should he be forced to strong-arm Kitty’s dear brother.
With the wind burning his cheeks, he raced his mount toward Maidstone. His gut told him Hastings would take her there, to their ancestral home. He prayed to God he was right, and that her fool brother wouldn’t marry her off first.
Hastings was an experienced gambler. He ought to know to hold onto his ace—in this case his sister—'til he saw the prize—his title—on the table.
On the other hand, Hastings had a habit of losing when the stakes were high.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Kitty sat on the edge of the bed of the small room Collin had generously procured for her at the inn where they’d stopped for the night. She stared at nothing.
She should have left Zeke a letter. Something private, a proper goodbye. She’d tried, but every time she’d picked up her pen, all she could think to write was that she loved him, and didn’t want to marry Garrick, or anyone else in the world except him. She wanted to build a future withhim, to forge a real marriage withhim—none of which he’d offered.
He planned to marry her, impregnate her, then leave the country. In the end, she’d given up altogether.
She could only guess at his reaction to finding her gone. Maybe he was relieved. Maybe he hated her.
A small sob escaped her, and fat, hot tears coursed down her cheeks. She let them fall. She’d held them back all day.
Meanwhile Collin and Garrick talked, even joked, as if everything were fine. As if they hadn’t sneaked away fromChissington Hall like thieves in the night after everything the earl and Zeke had done for her.
As if Kitty’s future wasn’t forfeit.
Last night had been so…so…everything. She could still feel Zeke’s warm, aroused body pressed to hers. Could close her eyes and imagine he was here, holding her in his arms, whispering sweet nothings in her ear—which only made knowing she would soon belong to Garrick that much more repugnant.
Her stomach emitted a low growl. Little wonder since she hadn’t eaten all day. But the thought of food made her want to vomit. Had she ever been this hopeless in her entire life?
“Collin, Collin, why are you doing this to me?” she choked, dropping her head in her hands.
But she wasn’t being fair. Collin didn’t wish to ruin her life. He was simply doing what he must to recoup his title.
He’d been through so much. Enslaved. Likely beaten and starved. Kitty had to remember that. He needed her to do this to get back the life fate had so cruelly stolen from him.
A soft rap sounded at her door. Collin come to fetch her for dinner, no doubt. With a weary sigh, she scrubbed at the salty tracks on her face and dragged her feet toward the door.
