Page 13 of Marquess of Stone

Marian Brandon was a puzzle — one he had every intention of solving.

She was certainly stubborn, fiery, and infuriatingly determined to keep him at arm’s length. But somewhere beneath that, there was an innocence that she couldn’t quite conceal — a desire to live, to experience, to break free from the constraints that society had placed upon her.

Nicholas moved across the room, pouring himself another brandy as his thoughts swirled. He stared into the embers in the hearth as her face drifted within his mind. Their agreement could turn out to be rather interesting to say the least.

CHAPTER 5

“You seem quieter than usual this morning, Marian,” Lydia said, her tone friendly but curious. “Is something bothering you?”

“Not a thing,” Marian replied quickly, even if the faint color on her cheeks revealed a different story all around. Her fingers lightly tapping against the edge of her teacup, she kept her gaze fixed on the plate before her. Lydia lowered her head to study her sister with a mixture of concern and enjoyment.

“Are you certain? You haven’t even touched the lemon tartlets, yet I remember clearly you saying they were your favorite.”

Marian forced a smile, taking a small bite of her toast to comfort her sister. “I am absolutely fine, Lydia. I am just… preoccupied.”

“Ah,” Lydia responded knowingly. “Could it possibly relate to that wicked book you are treating as if it were made of gold?”

Marian’s hold on her teacup tightened, yet she managed to emit a quiet laugh. “It is a remarkable book, Lydia. You should consider reading it at some point.”

Lydia raised an eyebrow, her lips turning into a playful smile. “Perhaps, I will if you ever allow it to leave your sight. However, do ensure that no one else observeswhat exactlyyou are reading.”

Marian shook her head, even though her heart raced at the reference to the book. She had spent most of the night reading it, the words both thrilling and thought-provoking. But now, in the light of day, the memory of how exactly she had acquired it — and the man who had given it to her — made her pulse quicken for entirely different reasons.

Nicholas.

The thought of him sent a flurry of irritation, embarrassment and excitement swirling through her. What had possessed her to visit his room? And why had he been so maddeningly composed, so effortlessly charming, while she had felt like a blabbering fool?

Marian took another sip of her tea, wishing it would soothe her frayed nerves. At least, for the time being, he was nowhere in sight. The breakfast room was quite pleasantly absent of his presence, granting her a few moments of tranquility to gather herself.

“Good morning, everyone.”

Marian’s hand paused in the middle of reaching for the baked treats as Nicholas walked into the room, and her breath seized. He was dressed as usual, and his dark coat and tidy cravat gave him an effortless air of elegance. However, it was the manner in which he carried himself — confident, self-assured, and with a slight twinkle of amusement in his dark blue eyes — that made her stomach twist.

Lydia cast her gaze toward Marian, her brow raising slightly.

“Ah, the Marquess has graced us with his presence,” Lady Prudence Brandon commented, her tone polite but brusque. Marian quickly averted her eyes to her plate, pushing herself not to respond.

“My apologies for being late; I had become absorbed in some light reading and lost track of time.”

Nicholas nodded, his expression as composed as always. The statement appeared harmless enough, but Marian felt his gaze flicker toward her, lingering just long enough to redden her cheeks.

Lydia, bless her, intervened to shift the focus. “We were just going over the plans for the picnic later today. Will you be joining us, Lord Stone?”

“I would never dream of missing it,” Nicholas replied effortlessly, taking a seat near the far end of the table. “It appears to be a most delightful way to pass the afternoon.”

Marian dared a glance in his direction, only to find him watching her intently with that maddening half-smile. “And how is Lady Marian this morning?” Nicholas inquired, his voice perfectly civil but with a trace of mischief that only she seemed to detect.

Marian replied in a courteous but icy tone, “Very fine, thank you, My Lord.”

“That’s nice to hear,” Nicholas said nonchalantly. “I recently read a fascinating book about women’s education and thought it would make a fascinating topic for conversation.”

Lady Prudence, while spreading marmalade on her toast, abruptly halted. Her sharp stare moved from Nicholas to Marian, a trace of disbelief emerging in her expression.

“Education for women,” Lady Prudence repeated, her tone laced with disapproval.

“Yes,” Nicholas responded, entirely unbothered. “It is a subject I think deserves more attention. After all, a well-informed mind is an impressive thing, regardless of gender.”

Marian bit the inside of her cheek to suppress a smile. Nicholas was intentionally provoking her mother though his words carried an undeniable truth.

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