Page 29 of Marigold and the Marquess
Lord Beldon’s chuckle, large and springing from deep within his belly, reclaimed her attention. “We’ve always had a bit of competition going, Muir and I. Ever since our school days.”
Was she wrong?
Had Beldon noticed Leo eyeing her and decided to make his play for her?
She would find the right moment to disabuse the dolt of the notion Leo might be holding atendrefor her. Were her other two suitors also in competition with Leo? Is this why she suddenly found herself surrounded by eager, young men?
Where was Leo?
She meant to give him a piece of her mind, for his behavior simply would not do…not that she understood what he was doing to make these men think he cared for her.
He hadn’t come back inside yet.
Drat.
She wished so much to follow him out onto the terrace, but too many people were watching her.
The dinner bell rang and conversation came to a momentary end. Lord Beldon offered his arm to escort her in. “Well, look at that. Miss Farthingale, I am seated beside you.”
“How nice.” She forced a smile, hoping it came across as genuine.
Where was Leo seated?
He strolled in late, the last to take his seat which happened to be directly across the table from her. But it was a large table and there was an ornate epergne between them that partially blocked her view of him. Of all the bad luck. Her view of the ladies seated on either side of him was completely clear. Her cousin Daisy, wife of Gabriel Dayne, first Earl of Blackthorne, was to his right. A beautiful young lady she did not recognize was to his left and tossing Leo flirtatious glances.
The young lady’s flirtation carried on throughout the meal.
Marigold lost her appetite.
Digging up skulls in those Devonshire caves was a much easier proposition than entering the marriage mart.
She hardly paid attention to Lord Beldon as he bloviated about the horse he had stolen out from under Leo at auction, nor could she eat a bite of her quail or the buttered potatoes that now lay in a glop on her plate.
When the meal was over, the ladies rose to retire to the drawing room for coffee and sherry. The lady seated beside Leo swept her hand along his shoulder as she rose, an intimate gesture that could not be mistaken for anything other than solicitation of an assignation or confirmation of one they had already arranged.
This was too much for Marigold to bear.
She took the opportunity to sneak off to the Edgeware library and have a good cry. It was completely childish of her, but that little scene had utterly destroyed her. Yes, it was foolish to cry over a man she had known merely a week, especially since he had spent most of that time avoiding her.
She decided he had been extremely cruel and selfish to kiss her.
If all he meant to do was assuage his curiosity, then he should have restrained himself and left her alone. His actions were unpardonable. One kiss. Done. Shake off the little nuisance and find himself a real woman.
If this is all he thought of her, then he was a wretched scoundrel and she refused to shed another tear over him after she cried her heart out tonight. Feeling her tears coming on, she hastened down the elegant hallway and ran into the library. A lamp had been left burning atop the desk. A soft, golden light now filled the room. “Good,” she muttered, since she did not wish to trip over something in the dark and break her ankle.
She did not need anything more to add to her misery.
After taking out her handkerchief, she waited for her anguished tears to fall. However, she managed no more than a sniffle before she heard voices outside the door. At least three or four male voices by her count. “Oh!”
She started to panic, realizing she could not be found in here alone. She would be ruined if seen, for everyone would believe she had come in here to meet a man. The fact that there was no man with her was irrelevant.
As the door slowly opened, she dove behind one of the massive window curtains and prayed fervently these gentlemen would not stay in here long. But this explained why a lamp had been left lit. Their meeting was planned.
She held her breath.
Her heart sank as they closed the door and settled in for a chat.
Her face turned to flame when the first thing she heard was a string of curses emanating from Leo’s lips. “Do not ask me again to be patient. I am going to find that traitor and kill him. You cannot stop me.”
