Page 114 of The Viscount in her Bedroom
Twenty people gathered for dinner that evening. Louisa was grateful for the noise and the distraction. She kept her mind off Simon by ignoring him, studying all the other guests. She was angry with herself for worrying her sisters, who kept watching her with too much revealing sympathy. She saw David frown at Simon for no reason, and wondered about what Victoria might have told him. Simon’s mother watched her as if Louisa might attempt to compromise Simon in front of everyone, just to have her for himself.
What a hollow victory that would be.
And then there was Leo. He was normally such a carefree, lazy, amusing man. But he was wearing a rather nervous expression. He kept looking at his mother, then at Simon, then at Louisa, then looking away. He tapped his fingers, sipped his wine, but then his gaze would wander to the same three people again. What had Simon told him?
After an evening of conversation—thank God no one suggested any singing!—guests began to retire to their rooms one by one. Soon all that was left were family—Louisa’s and Simon’s. Even Paul Reyburn had stared at them all in bemusement and retired to bed.
An uneasy silence descended on the group, as if there was something hidden that no one wanted to mention. As usual, Louisa was watching Simon, knowing every moment was precious. He seemed distracted, too.
Leo rose to his feet and began to pace, drawing all eyes. He ran a hand through his hair, looked at them all, opened his mouth, then fell to pacing some more.
“Leo, you’re wearing out my carpet,” Lady Wade said gently. “Do tell us what’s bothering you.”
He put his hands on his hips, then looked directly at Louisa. “Ever since my mother arrived, Louisa, she’s made it a point to remind us what a bad opinion she has of you.”
There were gasps from several of the women. Louisa blanched, hating the way every gaze in the room settled on her. Why would Leo speak so forthrightly?
“Leo!” his mother cried, aghast. “I never—”
“Be quiet, Mother,” he said tightly.
From his chair, Simon spoke in a low voice. “I don’t know what you think your purpose is, Leo, but I suggest—”
“Just listen,” Leo said harshly. “God, this isn’t easy.”
Louisa stared between an angry Simon and an overwhelmed Leo. Meriel and Victoria wore wide-eyed, confused stares. Of course they didn’t know anything about the rumors, so Louisa offered them a hesitant shrug.
Only Lady Wade gave Leo an encouraging smile. “Go on, dear.”
“So I’ve been thinking that Louisa is stuck with this terrible reputation she didn’t deserve.”
“Reputation?” Meriel demanded.
But Louisa could only stare at Leo. “What are you saying?”
“I didn’t think there was anything I could do to make it better, so I’ve waited. But that didn’t work either.”
“Leo, it’s not your place—” Simon began.
“Just be quiet!” Leo’s hair now stood on end from his nervous fingers. “There’s one thing I can offer, and that’s the truth.”
The murmurs died away, leaving an expectant silence. Louisa stared hard at Leo. “Go ahead,” she said, feeling strangely calm.
“It’s my fault, all of it.” Leo sprawled into a chair, staring at the floor. “I was a drunken fool—you know that better than anyone, Louisa.”
She couldn’t miss the way Simon stiffened. Quickly, she said, “Leo, that was several years ago. All you did was try to persuade me to dance. And you were a little forward about it.”
“I even chased you down a hall,” he said glumly. “My friends knew we’d disappeared together.”
A chill slithered down her back. “We weren’t together,” she said slowly.
“They thought we were. They thought—” Leo grimaced and swallowed, then finally met her eyes. “They thought you had let me kiss you. And when they congratulated me, I let them think it.”
Her jaw dropped.
“I was a coward, and I enjoyed being the center of attention. It’s my fault that some men believe you fast; it’s my fault that my mother has a poor opinion of you; it’s my fault that Simon—”
“Shut up, Leo,” Simon said, coming to his feet. He had his cane held low before him, and he took only two steps before it caught on the table between him and his brother.
