Page 85 of In Want of a Wife
“Excuse me,” she said, righting herself. Lily brushed a hand over her skirts, then smoothed back her hair, all the while keeping her eyes trained on the French doors behind him.
“Lily?”
“Mr. Davies, I have no need for your company any longer.”
He bent down to force himself into her view and gently wrapped his hand around her wrist. They must talk. If they could talk, they could figure out some solution again.
“Please let go of my arm so that I may be on my way.”
He released his grip, his eyes still drilling into her. “Mr. Davies now, is it?”
At last, she looked up at him, fury blazing in her eyes, a stark contrast to the cold, quiet calm from before.
“I want to know one thing. Was it you I corresponded with or Henry?”
He rubbed his forehead, searching for anything to say beside the truth. She would hate the truth, but she deserved it.
“I placed the advertisement in the newspaper after having a fight with my brother. I thought he needed a wife. When the replies began, he charged me with correcting the situation?—”
“So, he told you the plan was ridiculous?”
“Yes. But he never told me he was married. I only learned of that today, this afternoon with you.”
“Then why did you reply to my letter?”
He dropped his hand and reached for her, but she recoiled as if his touch would burn. “I must have read your letter over and again for hours that night, trying to reply with an apology, but Icouldn’t bring myself to let you go. I was curious, and however foolish, you sounded as if you would be an excellent match for my brother.”
“Your brother or you?”
If Rafe was anyone else, perhaps he could love Lily the way she deserved to be loved. But he could never allow himself to love her. He could never be her husband when he knew that he would only bring her pain. He let those closest to him down far too often.
“So you wrote to me without his knowledge, then traveled to Cumbria to escort me to Cliffstone without his approval?”
“He never would have approved. He’s so damn stubborn. I thought if only he could meet you, then he would understand, he would see what I saw…”
“What you saw in me?” She wrapped her hands around her middle, shrinking back. “We have traveled a significant distance together and have weathered a lot of obstacles. Have you not recognized I am much more than that initial letter?”
“I don’t understand.”
“No, but I do.”
Rafe threw his arms out to his side, his chest almost too tight to breathe. “The closer we were to Cliffstone, the more I wished to tell you. I was afraid of losing you.”
“You proved yourself to be no better than any other man in my life.” She wiped the back of her hand against her eyes. “And you lost me anyway.”
“I—”
“Rafe, I left my family and my dear friends to travel across the country to marry a stranger because I was under the impression he wished to marry me. So imagine my surprise when I showed up at his home, with his brother, unchaperoned, only to discover he was never aware he was supposed to marry me.”
“I never thought… I mean, Matilda Brennan! I never would have guessed he would have married, never mind marry one of the most popular London actresses around.”
Lily scoffed and rolled her eyes. The room suddenly chilled.
“While that may come as a shock, Rafe, perhaps consider thatnothing will change for you because of this mishap. But I am ruined. And I am left with nothing because you couldn’t be honest with me or your brother.”
“I only meant to help you both.”
“You thought only of yourself.” She stepped around him, determined to leave. “Good ni?—”
