Page 151 of False God

She takes another step back, grabbing the jacket I tossed away and pulling it on. It’s a men’s size, so it hangs to her mid-thigh.

Lili zips the jacket up as high as it’ll go, then crosses her arms. Her hair is wet, and her mascara is smudged beneath her eyes. She’s as beautiful as ever, standing barefoot in a barn jacket.

Her gaze holds mine defiantly, and I can see the hurt swimming in the blue.

My chest aches so strongly that I’m tempted to rub at it.

“I just needed a minute to …” I’m not sure how to explain that my father conditioned me into believing all women were trying to trap me into marriage without sounding like a paranoid prick.

“Forget it, Charlie.”

“I’m not?—”

“Your Grace?” Conrad’s voice cuts me off. “Mr. Marlborough?”

I head into the aisle because his second call was closer, and there’s no way he’s going to see Lili half naked.

Conrad is standing in the overhang, shaking rain off his umbrella. Relief washes over his expression when he sees me striding toward him. “I was worried you’d gotten caught out in the storm.”

“We did. But we made it back fine.” I frown. “You shouldn’t be out in this weather.”

“Neither should you,” he retorts.

“We were just waiting for the rain to ease off.”

Water is still dripping off the edge of the roof, but the lashing sheets are no longer falling.

“Very well. I’ll see you back at the house.”

“I’ll walk back with you, Conrad.”

I turn toward Lili’s voice. She’s changed back into her wet clothes and pulled her damp hair back into a neat bun. She doesn’t even glance at me as she walks past, and my stomach sinks to the concrete floor.

Conrad gives me a questioning glance.

I nod. She wants space, and maybe some distance will help me figure out how to fix this. “I’m going to give the horses their evening grain, and then I’ll be behind you.”

“Very good, Mr. Marlborough.”

“I’m Lili.” She introduces herself as soon as she reaches Conrad. “We met earlier.”

Conrad smiles. “I remember, Miss Kensington.”

“Just call me Lili.”

“He won’t?—”

Conrad cuts me off. “Might I escort you back to the Hall, Lili?”

I glower at my traitorous butler. The only person I’ve heard Conrad call by their first name is his wife. He’s unfailingly formal most of the time. He likes Lili, and he wants me to know it.

“That would be lovely, Conrad.”

Conrad offers her his elbow, lifting the umbrella so it’s mostly covering Lili before they step outside.

“My apologies Newcastle has given you such a gloomy greeting. The estate is quite beautiful on sunny days.”

“It’s quite beautiful on rainy days too,” Lili replies. “Do you get many storms like this?”

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