Chapter Three

Sarah’s heart skipped a beat when the Dravens’ butler announced the arrival of the Earl of Collingsford and the Earl of Noblesse. It had been two weeks since their father’s passing, and she wasn’t certain if they would be reentering society just yet. They stood at the landing for a moment, both wearing black armbands to indicate they were still in mourning.

Andrew still looked pale and drawn, but Eric was more robust. His coloring was the same warm brown it had been before, though he had lost some of his tan that had lingered from his time in battle. It had been an unbecoming sight among the fashion of the Ton, but Sarah had quite liked the darker shade of his skin.

Not that she could complain about his current shade either. He was devastatingly handsome in his formal evening attire, and it was a struggle to rip her gaze from him to focus on Andrew as they made their way through the crowd to greet them. There was no touching on any part, and she was relieved for decorum’s sake, but felt oddly bereft that he hadn’t taken her hand and brushed his lips against it as he had that first night.

She deliberately forced herself to turn away from him and accept a dance with the younger son of Baron Loxleigh. He was a bit clumsy, and it was only his second season as well. He was a sweet young man, and she was glad he didn’t require her best dancing efforts, because her thoughts were still squarely on Eric when they should have been on Andrew, if not on her current partner. It was unbearably rude not to give him her full attention, and it was unspeakably wrong to be wishing for Eric to hold her instead of Mr. Loxleigh.

The music continued, and she switched partners as she was supposed to, dancing twice with Andrew, but carefully sidestepping Eric. She was about to accept a dance with the next name on her dance card when Eric abruptly cut off the approaching man and maneuvered her away from him into a waltz. She glared up at him. “That was quite rude.”

His jaw was tense, and he glared down at her. “You’ve been deliberately avoiding me, Sarah.”

She gasped softly. “You are too impertinent.”

“Very well…Miss Sarah,” he said with a small chuckle that seemed to ease some of his tension. “Do you deny it?”

“You aren’t on my dance card.”

He laughed again. “Because you have made it impossible for me to add my name. Why do you avoid me, Miss Sarah?”

She forced her expression to remain stern. “You flatter yourself, Lord Colev…Collingsford. I have made no attempt to avoid you. I haven’t even thought twice about you.”

His hand tightened almost imperceptibly on her waist for a moment. “You are telling a falsehood. I’ve seen your gaze skittering my way more than once this evening.”

She didn’t deny it, because she couldn’t. “This is most inappropriate. I am about to become Andrew’s wife.”

“No contracts have been signed,” he said with a small snarl in his tone. “You are not his yet, and you might never be. I loathe seeing his hands on you as you dance, knowing he plans to make a claim for you. Marry me.”

She was so startled by the suggestion that she didn’t realize he had maneuvered her out of the ballroom and onto the patio for a long moment. “I couldn’t possibly. My father and Andrew have an arrangement.”

“Damn their arrangement. Does Andrew make you feel like this when he kisses you?”

She opened her mouth to tell him she’d never kissed Andrew or anyone else, but his mouth was on hers before she could manage the words. She stiffened for a moment, knowing she should push him away. Her hands curled into the lapels of his tailcoat, and instead of pushing him from her, she pulled him closer.

His lips molded to hers, and their tongues collided when his surged into her mouth. She withdrew, pulling her tongue from his at the brash motion. Surely this wasn’t kissing. It had to be something far more complex and forbidden than a simple kiss between two partners. She’d seen her parents sharing a chaste kiss upon occasion, and that tepid embrace was nothing like the one to which Eric introduced her.

Finally, after what felt like hours, though couldn’t have been more than a few seconds, he pulled away from her. She was still clinging to him, and she forced herself to take a step back. “You should not have done that.”

“I have no remorse. Do you feel like that when Andrew kisses you?”

Sarah swallowed. “I have never kissed Andrew.”

“Yet you plan to marry him?” He posed the question with a hint of mocking.

“One doesn’t kiss their fiancé until the contracts have been signed. You know that.”

“I know I don’t give a damn about the Ton’s rules, and I would break every one of them for you. Come with me tonight. We’ll creep away to Gretna Green, and you can be my bride by morning.”

She shook her head. “Don’t you see, I cannot do that? It would be terribly wrong and a dishonorable thing to do. Do you not care about your honor?”

He frowned. “Of course I do. Do you think I like wanting to steal my brother’s fiancée? Until you, honor meant everything to me, but this insatiable need for you blots out even the concern that I might tarnish my honor and ruin my relationship with Andrew.”

She shook her head. “For that very reason, we must steer clear of each other. Andrew is to be my husband—”

“Will you still want him if I cut him off and leave him penniless?”

She shot him a disapproving look, certain he didn’t mean it even as he uttered the words. “I wouldn’t care if the man I loved was a complete pauper. I would marry him under any circumstances.”

“And is Andrew the man you love?” he asked with a hint of challenge, but also naked vulnerability in his gaze.

She hesitated, licking her lips. “The answer to that question will do neither one of us any good. I must go, and I implore you to act on your better nature. Do not seek to tempt me, because I fear I am not strong enough to withstand your temptation.”

With those words, she forced herself to turn and walk away from him. She could still feel the slight pressure on her lips where he had kissed her, and the taste of him lingered in her mouth. It was all she would have of Eric. It was all she could ever have, but she would have to content herself and be satisfied with their single stolen moment.

***

Eric watched her go with regret. Her final words weighed heavily on him, and he knew she was begging him to be strong for both of them. Unfortunately, it was the kind of strength he couldn’t summon. The thought of being denied her, of having to stand by and watch as his brother claimed Sarah instead, was unfathomable. She had appealed to his better nature, but it was his baser side that would win this conflict.

He wasn’t entirely certain what course of action he was set on as he sought out her father, but vaguely had a thought of perhaps offering for her hand before Andrew’s contract was accepted. It was dishonorable, and though he was loath to behave in such a fashion, the idea of living without Sarah was even worse than living without his honor.

As Eric crossed the room, he stumbled for a moment when he caught sight of Sarah dancing with another man. At least it wasn’t Andrew, but it wasn’t any better to see his half-brother, Lord Draven, holding her in a completely proper embrace either. Not that Lord Draven knew about the connection between them, and they were only acquainted in passing. At least Draven maintained a respectable distance from Sarah, which allowed him to keep walking after his single faltering step as he made his way toward Viscount Crenshaw.

He nodded his head to the gentlemen as he joined their group, listening quietly for a few minutes, and only occasionally contributing something to the conversation. Instead, he observed and quickly discovered they were discussing house parties.

“Damnable pastime,” shared Baronet Hensley. “I nearly forbade Wilhelmina from having one again this year. After last year’s debacle, I want no part of the bother.”

“What happened last year?” asked Eric.

The baronet’s bushy eyebrows drew together as he gave a fierce frown. “Plague and pestilence, that’s what.”

“I did not recall the Hoyton sisters being in attendance,” said a young man who was unfamiliar to Eric. He chuckled at his droll comment before finally realizing those around him didn’t find humor in mocking whoever the young ladies in question might be. He cleared his throat, and his expression turned serious. “I beg your pardon, gentlemen. That was a thoughtless comment, but their mother seems rather settled on the idea of me being saddled with one of them.”

Eric didn’t contribute to the conversation as the older men around him counseled the younger man on how to avoid an overly eager mother determined to match one of her wallflower daughters.

“Say what you will, Hensley, but we quite enjoy our house parties. Amelia thrives on them, and I welcome the odd bit of distraction along with a good hunt.”

“You have yet to have half your staff and guests take ill from bloody food poisoning,” groused Hensley.

“Are you hosting another house party soon, Lord Crenshaw?” Eric asked the question casually, though he waited on tenterhooks for the rest other man’s reply.

“We have one coming up this weekend, as a matter of fact. Of course your brother is invited, and you must come as well, Collingsford.”

He jerked slightly in surprise, still not having grown accustomed to his new title. Hearing Collingsford spoken in such a casual, familiar way still required adjustment. It had been his father’s title for so long that it felt uncomfortable, like trying to squeeze into a pair of trousers that were a size too small. Shoving aside his discomfort, he inclined his head. “I would be pleased to attend. Thank you, Crenshaw.”

Shortly thereafter, he made his way from the group and sought out Andrew. It was a relief to find his brother dancing with another young lady and not Sarah. He waited off to the side until the set had ended before intercepting Andrew as he made his way to the refreshment table. “Do you plan to attend Lord Crenshaw’s house party this weekend?”

Andrew shook his head. “I had not thought to. With still being in mourning, it doesn’t feel appropriate.”

Eric had to stifle a surge of impatience. He wanted his brother to attend so he could also accept the invitation in good conscience. Or perhaps in slightly murky conscience, since his goal was to utilize the opportunity to spend more time with Miss Sarah.

“Should you not attend for Miss Sarah’s sake?” As he posed the question, Eric realized it would actually be a bad idea for his brother to go. It might give him too much time to discuss the marriage contract and settle the finer nuances with Viscount Crenshaw.

“As I said, it does not feel appropriate for me. You should go in my stead and represent our family. You can keep Miss Sarah entertained for me.”

Eric almost squirmed at the twinge of discomfort that shot through him at his brother’s innocuous words. It was a stark reminder of his dishonorable intentions, at least when it came to his brother’s interests. He had no intention of ruining the lady, but he was certain Andrew would withdraw his tacit approval of spending time with Miss Sarah if he could read his thoughts. “I shall endeavor to ensure Miss Sarah doesn’t miss you too keenly.”

Andrew chuckled. “I doubt you shall have to work hard for that goal, brother. We get on well, but there is no great passion between us.”

“Then why do you want to offer for her hand?”

Andrew lifted a shoulder. “As I said, we get along well. She does not irritate me with banality or endless discussions of the latest fashion plates. Father approved of the match, and I am certain we can have a solid, peaceful marriage.”

A surge of aggression shot through him, and it took all of Eric’s control not to unleash his temper on his brother. Andrew was speaking pragmatically and taking a sensible approach to marriage, one that wouldn’t have bothered Eric if it had been any other woman besides Miss Sarah.

Sarah deserved better than an amicable union lacking in passion or love. He could certainly offer her all those things and more, and it was reassuring to realize his brother harbored no intense passion for the woman Eric craved. There would be discord if his campaign to woo her away was successful, but at least he wouldn’t be devastating his brother or leaving him with a broken heart.