Page 94 of Irresistible
“Good Lord, he was eight when he told you that?” Da laughed softly. “That boy’s soul was so very old.”
“Except when it came to women.” Dougal snickered. “He was like a tongue-tied schoolboy.”
“Yes, you were the one givinghimadvice on that front.”
Dougal smiled, but then a wave of sadness hit him. Alistair had finally found the right woman, and now he was gone. Stepping out from behind the wall completely, Dougal realized he’d also found the right woman.
Aside from his father, no one had understood him like Jess did. Was that because she was just that astute? Or had he somehow let down his guard with her in a way he hadn’t before? Whatever the reason, she was a singular person, and he’d be a fool not to fight for her. Not because she was a good partner or would make an excellent viscountess. Because he loved her.
“Do you truly not have a plan for this evening?” Da asked, interrupting the glorious flow of emotion washing over Dougal.
“I did, but I was going to skip it. However, you’ve made me realize it would be a mistake to do so. There’s a ball, and a woman I’d like you to meet will be there.”
Da’s face lit with first surprise then happiness. “I was not expecting that.”
“I wasn’t either. But it seems that there were many emotions just waiting for me to no longer hide them, including my love for her.” He looked to his father. “Have you ever been in love?”
Da chuckled. “Oh, yes. I even loved your mother. I don’t know that she truly returned the emotion, however. I think it may have been infatuation on her part.”
“Did you always love her? I’d thought you did not, that your marriage was mutually beneficial, and you were friends.” Dougal and Alistair had discussed this on several occasions.
“It was absolutely beneficial, and wewerefriends—after we fought for a few years. That was settled before you were born. By then, of course, we were living relatively separate lives. And quite happily.” He paused, his expression resolute. “I wouldn’t want that for you. Does this woman love you in return?”
“I don’t know.” Dougal grimaced as he recalled the debacle of his proposal the night before. “I asked her to marry me last night—poorly. The worst of it is that she asked me if I’d intended to propose. Truthfully, I hadn’t. I asked spontaneously, and I completely botched it. I wouldn’t blame her if she fell out of love with me right then.”
“It doesn’t happen that quickly,” Da said with a smile.
“That’s a relief. However, I’m not even sure she loved me to begin with.”
“There is only one way to find out, my boy.” Da finished his whisky. “I’m going upstairs to rest, and then we’re going to charm this poor woman until she can’t possibly refuse you. I can’t imagine why she would anyway.”
Reaching for his walking stick, Da got to his feet. Dougal started to rise, but Da waved him back down. “Sit and strategize. You were always good at that. I can imagine the Foreign Office appreciated that about you.” He clapped Dougal on the shoulder on his way out.
“I love you, Da,” Dougal called without turning his head.
“I love you, Dougal.”
Smiling to himself, Dougal felt incredibly grateful for the man who’d raised him. If he hadn’t been impatient and come all the way to London, Dougal might still yet be wading through the morass of his stunted emotions. Not stunted—buried. Hidden. Ignored.
No longer. He was in love with Jessamine Goodfellow, and he wanted the entire world to know.
If Jess could have begged off the Ringshalls’ ball, she would have done, for she was so very tired after barely sleeping the night before. However, she knew her mother would never stand for it. Even if Jess had been suffering some terrible illness, her mother would have dragged her to see Lord Gregory.
On the way to the ball, her father was cheerful and talkative. It wasn’t that he was never those things, but Jess couldn’t remember the last time he’d displayed any sort of enthusiasm for such events. But then, she couldn’t recall the last time he’d accompanied them to a ball or a rout. He seemed unaware of the tension in the coach—from Jess’s desire to be anywhere else and from her mother’s anxiety that tonight go well.
Then there was the underlying weight of melancholy stealing any sort of enjoyment Jess might have had. She struggled not to think of Dougal and his terrible proposal. No, she was trying not to focus on the fact that he didn’t love her while she was hopelessly in love with him.
Hopeless because she’d given up hope that there was anything to be done about it. He was likely on his way to Scotland by now. As he should be.
They arrived at the Ringshalls’ and Jess adopted her meekest behavior. She just wanted to get through this evening without agitation.
Once they were inside, her mother immediately located Lord Gregory. He stood near the doors to the terrace, surrounded by a group of women. He was very attractive, despite looking pale. His blond hair was trimmed shorter than the fashion, and his costume was almost entirely black.
The poor man. Jess felt an urge to rescue him, but then reminded herself that she was supposed to make herself unappealing. Perhaps that would annoy him—she couldn’t assume he didn’t want the attention he was garnering. Although, judging from the stoic expression he wore, she would wager he would welcome a reprieve.
“Look at them,” her mother said in a brittle, cynical tone. “Carrion, the lot of them. Come along, Jessamine.”
Jess bit her cheek lest she say something ironic that would only annoy her mother. What were they if not carrion as they went to join the feast?
