Page 40 of Charming the Accidental Suitor
And, most likely, at least three contingency plans.
He turned to the others with as much calm as he could muster. He would not shout or glare. He was cool and unwavering. “What is she up to? She must have a plan for another suitor.”
His friends exchanged looks again, but it was Kal who spoke up. “It seems she has a…” He cleared his throat. “A list.”
“Alist?”
The others flinched. His voice was admittedly still too loud. But really. A list? As in multiple contenders for the role of her husband?
Rodrick spoke up with a hesitant question. “Franny said you’d…rejected her?”
“Yes, Ann is rather put out with you for that,” Kal added most helpfully.
Carver’s brows were furrowed with confusion. “Meg said as much as well, but I didn’t believe it.”
When he didn’t respond, Marlin asked outright. “Is it true that she proposed and you rejected her?”
“Well…yes.” Blast, he hated to admit that aloud. Hated even more the rightful looks of disappointment aimed his way. There was no time to explain the jumble of emotions he’d been drowning in at that moment. But his friends continued to stare and he found himself blurting out, “But then I proposed to her.”
However, they all already knew this part and they were clearly not impressed by his belated and inept attempt to right his wrong.
“It seems Felicity believes that refusing your proposal is a kindness,” Marlin said. “According to Jane, Felicity would rather‘buy a biddable husband than subject you to a life sentence at her side’...” Marlin flinched. “Those wereherwords, obviously.”
“A life sentence,” Albright echoed. He glanced at the others and they all nodded.
“But that’s not…” He swallowed hard. “That’s not the case at all.”
And there he went, understating the facts again. “I didn’t propose because I had to, I proposed because…”
Because I love her.
He let the words go unspoken. She deserved to hear them first. But he suspected his friends understood all too well by the pitying looks they were giving him.
“But she does not know that,” Carver said.
“No. Clearly not,” Kal said.
And then all four of them started talking at once, scheming and fretting and bandying about ever more ridiculous ideas of how he might propose again.
Albright appreciated their assistance, but they hadn’t made any headway at all when a ruckus at the front door interrupted them. Kal arched a brow and turned to Carver. “Are you expecting more company?”
“At this hour?” Rodrick added.
“No, of course not.” Carver headed toward the door but was cut short by the butler. He handed over a missive to the Duke.
Albright looked on warily as his friend unsealed the message. But even before Carver spoke, Albright’s stomach sank with dread.
Carver looked to Albright. “It’s from your cousin…”
He knew…he just knew…
“Everson has escaped.”
Felicity was in trouble.
13
Felicity shifted to find a more comfortable sitting position as she once again laid out her options. “Mr. Franz is the best contender at this point, don’t you think?”
