Page 43 of From the Ashes
She threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, Seth, thank you. I needed that." She stood on her toes and kissed him. I heard his intake of breath, and wondered if she'd made the cut on his lip sting or if he'd been taken aback. "My darling Seth. It was silly of us to fight, and over such a small matter as… Well, she's gone now, and we should set our disagreement aside too. I miss you terribly." Her voice turned throaty. "Why not visit me tonight?"
He extracted himself from her grip and stepped back. "I must decline the offer. My mother is trying to find me a wife and it would be a blow to my prospects if I was caught sneaking out of an eligible widow's house in the early hours."
She blinked at him, her face a picture of dawning horror. It was the moment she realized Seth had no interest in reacquainting himself with her delights. "That sort of thing has never bothered you before," she said, voice harsh. "And you told me that marriage didn't interest you."
"It bothers me now. As to marriage, I am undecided. I'll assess each candidate on her merits, and make a decision in due course."
She pulled her fur cloak closed over her chest and looked away. "I see."
"I'm sure your other lovers will fill the void." He laughed at his crude innuendo. "I saw Andrew yesterday at Brooks's, by the by."
Lady Harcourt went rigid. "Stop it, Seth. Cruelty doesn't suit you."
The library door opened and Gillingham emerged. The sickly pall of his face was starkly white beneath his rust colored hair. With his walking stick under his arm, he snatched up his own hat, gloves and cloak and strode past Seth and Lady Harcourt to the front door.
"What did you say to affect him so?" she asked Lincoln.
"Ask him," he said, strolling out of the library.
"I dare not. I might get my head bitten off." She hurried after Gillingham without so much as a goodbye.
Seth closed the front door and blew out a breath. "Meeting?"
Lincoln nodded. "Fetch Gus."
I stood to reveal myself. Seth drew in a breath, but Lincoln's brow merely lifted.
"Bloody hell, Charlie!" Seth threw his hands in the air. "Can't a man have a private conversation around here without someone listening in?"
"If you wanted a private conversation, you should have gone somewhere private," I said, passing him. "So are you really going to give your mother's candidates serious consideration?"
"Are you mad?"
I laughed and followed Lincoln into the library. He collected half-empty teacups and placed them on the tray. I knelt by the fireplace and added more coal from the scuttle. The warmth and glow mesmerized me, and I stared at the coals until I heard footsteps approach. He sat on the armchair near me.
"Have you considered my gift?" he asked quietly.
I stared down at my hands on my lap. I nodded.
"And?"
The entry of Seth and Gus stopped me from answering, which was just as well since I didn't know how I wanted to answer. I had considered his gift, but I hadn't yet come to a conclusion. There was a rather important question that needed answering first—what strings came attached to it?
"Did you ask Gillingham about his wife?" Seth asked, sprawling in the large armchair on the other side of the fire.
Lincoln nodded. To me, he said, "I take it you don't need to be informed of what took place in the meeting?"
"I heard most of it," I said, sitting on the rug and tucking my feet beneath my spread skirts. "I expected Marchbank to be on your side, but he was just as angry with you for sending those people away."
"Marchbank may not be innocent."
Seth sat forward. "Why do you say that?"
"It's something Gillingham just told me."
"Interestin'," Gus said. "A guilty man throwin' suspicion onto someone else, maybe?"
"Perhaps," Lincoln said with a nod. "It requires further investigation before any conclusions are drawn."
