Page 2 of Invitation
Tobias clenched his jaw and said nothing.
Cleveland winced, then laughed.“Oh, bad luck that.”
“At least you heard it from us,” the fourth man said with a chuckle.“Imagine if you’d proposed and she had to refuse you.”
“Yes, imagine,” another of them said—Tobias stopped paying attention to who.He could only see red.He was angry, humiliated, hurt…
“Excuse me,” he murmured before taking himself off, turning back the way he’d come.
He walked twice as fast as when he’d been eager to find the woman he’d expected would be his wife.When he turned toward the Grosvenor Gate, he was painfully aware of the sudden attention directed at him, and the talk that was just loud enough so that he could hear his name and that of Lady Priscilla.News of her engagement was spreading like a plague.
No one turned their back on him, for this wasn’t the cut direct such as he’d witnessed earlier.It was, however, another cruelty Society inflicted as it took one person’s heartache or scandal and devoured it like a cheesecake.
He left the park as quickly as possible and immediately caught a hack to St.James Street, specifically Brooks’s Club, where he could drown himself in a large glass of brandy.As he entered the subscription room, he wondered if any of the gentlemen there had already heard the news.Not that it mattered.In this gentlemen’s haven, no one would trouble him about losing out to Bentley.
Oh hell, nowhewas thinking of it like a contest.
Wasn’t it, though?Bentley had won, and Tobias had definitively lost.Lady Priscilla would not be his wife.He couldn’t even fight for her, not without causing a scandal.
But what if Lady Priscilla really did prefer him?What if she wanted him to rescue her from a marriage she didn’t desire?He could whisk her away to Gretna Green…
He walked past the tables where men were playing cards and went into a smaller antechamber where his favorite table was located.He nearly choked when he saw his father seated there.
The earl met Tobias’s gaze.His expression reflected nothing but the placid indifference he typically wore.
Tobias wasn’t sure what to expect.On one hand, he hoped his father already knew about Lady Priscilla, for then Tobias wouldn’t have to tell him.On the other, he didn’t want his father to know he’d lost.He would know, however.There would be no hiding it from him.
“Sit,” the earl said.
Taking the chair to his father’s left, Tobias lowered himself between the dark wood arms.He did not relax.“I’m surprised to see you here at this time of day.”
“As you should be.I don’t dawdle about when there is important work to be done.”The earl referred to his position in the House of Lords where he chaired a few important committees.“Hadleigh informed me his daughter is to marry Bentley.Imaginemysurprise at hearing that news.”
Tobias gritted his teeth and clutched the arms of the chair.“I only just heard it myself.At the park.”
The earl’s smoke-colored eyes, nearly the same hue as his mostly gray hair, narrowed.“I suppose you must move on to the next chit on your list.”
Forcing his hands to relax, Tobias flexed his fingers.“I don’t have a list.”
“How disappointing.Fortunately, I do.”He withdrew a small piece of paper from his coat and slid it along the tablecloth toward Tobias.“They are in order of my preference.I have already spoken to Lord Billingsworth, and he is amenable to your suit.Lady Agnes is not the daughter of a duke, but she is at least the daughter of an earl.”
She was also simpering and couldn’t be bothered to speak of anything beyond the three Fs: fashion, flowers, and food.Actually, that wasn’t true.She was also eager to discuss the latest on-dit.Tobias couldn’t think of a worse match.
He looked at the paper as if it might burn him if he touched it.“No.”
“No?”The earl exhaled.“There are other names on the list if you can’t muster the appropriate enthusiasm for Lady Agnes.Though you must admit, she fills out a gown quite nicely.”
Tobias cringed.“Father, please refrain from making such comments about anyone you’d like me to take to wife.”
Not a moment too soon, the footman delivered a glass of Tobias’s preferred brandy.Tobias took a long sip and briefly closed his eyes as the delectable heat soothed his irritation.
“I’m sure you’ll find someone who will suit.I expect a proposal within the week.”The earl leaned toward him, the gray of his eyes crystallizing to ice.“Donotdisappoint me again.”
As the earl started to rise, Tobias whispered, “I loved her.”
“What’s that?”his father asked a bit crossly.
“I said I loved her.I don’t think I can summon the interest—or emotion—to propose to anyone else within the next week, let alone this Season.”
