Page 58 of Surrender to the Earl
“She came down with a terrible fever several days ago.”
Blythe’s arm tensed within Audrey’s. “You had mentioned her illness, but I hadn’t realized it was serious.”
“Don’t worry, she was the only one to take ill, and she is recovering well, just still too weak to perform her usual activities.”
“Then who’s your unofficial secretary?” Blythe asked.
Audrey hesitated. “Lord Knightsbridge graciously offered his assistance.”
She felt Blythe lean forward, heard the sound of the door opening, and then the cool breeze and the sun on her face.
“If you need your shawl …” Audrey began.
“No, I’ll be fine.” Blythe’s voice seemed a bit strained. “This man seems too good to be true.”
“I sometimes think that myself,” Audrey admitted.
“I talked to people in London about him.” Before Audrey could respond, she hastily said, “Oh, look, you have so many azaleas and rhododendrons.”
“But not in bloom at this time of the year. Why did we really come out here, Blythe? Was it simply to be free of Lord Knightsbridge?”
“Don’t you want to know what people are saying?”
Audrey hesitated. “No. Gossip is never a good?—”
“Gossip is unfounded rumors. Facts are … facts. Here, sit down. There’s a bench right behind you.”
Audrey felt it with the backs of her knees and sat, letting go of Blythe’s arm. “Why do you care who I marry, as long as I’m no longer embarrassing you? Or will my being a countess embarrass you even more?”
She wasn’t going to be a countess, of course, but she wanted to hear the truth from Blythe’s own lips.
“You’ve been used by a man before,” Blythe said coolly. “I didn’t think you wanted that again.”
“He’s not using me—in fact, I—” She stopped, biting her lip at what she’d almost revealed.
“You what?”
“We have not set a date, Blythe. I am being patient and learning all I can, and at the same time, I’m enjoying the first freedom of my life. Why are you trying to disrupt that?”
“Disrupt—I’m not!” She sounded honestly bewildered. “But just like Lord Knightsbridge told you about the servants’ treatment of me—becauseyouwanted to know—I have to tellyou this. He’s been gone almost his entire adult life, Audrey, and no one really knows him.”
The wind whipped a curl free, and Audrey caught it behind her ear. “But I’m learning to know him. Doesn’t that count? Maybe I’m the only one who wants to.” She thought of his kisses, and his honesty about wanting her as a lover. My heavens, he could have his pick of any woman. She didn’t have to see his face to know that he desired her?—
But she was conveniently available to him, and he’d already admitted he wanted to help her. She didn’t want to send him away.
“How can you forget about his partner who killed himself?” Blythe demanded. “Did you ask him?”
“No,” Audrey admitted, “not yet. It is so very painful, I imagine.”
“Maybe it isn’t.”
“Blythe,” she said her sister’s name sharply. “Thank you for your concern, but I am handling everything as I see fit.”
“Including marrying a man you don’t love—again.”
Audrey stiffened. “If an earl asked you to marry him, you’d jump at the offer. I know you too well.”
Blythe said nothing.
