What the bloody hell was Langley doing here?
Lonsdale.
That bloody clodpole. He had approached Langley after all. What sort of friend did that?
The sort that is not aware you are pining after his sister. The bitter thought coated dirt in Wolfstan’s mouth.
“Is this not a splendid surprise,” Caroline announced. “Langley has come to pay a visit.”
“Caro,” Rebecca chastised. “You are supposed to be resting in bed.”
“And you are supposed to be keeping me company. Luckily, Langley came to fill your role. Are you not pleased?”
Wolfstan narrowed his eyes on Caroline.
“Lady Rebecca,” Langley spoke up with a broad smile. “You grow lovelier by the day.”
Wolfstan wanted to cast up his accounts.
“My lord,” Rebecca greeted. “This truly is an unexpected surprise.”
“Cousin,” Wolfstan interrupted before Rebecca started to stutter. “What brings you to Westbridge Park?” To his knowledge, Langley had never visited without Wolfstan before.
Rebecca sent him a look that blazed with curiosity. Dammit, he did not mean to be rude. His intention had been to be sickeningly sweet. Tell that, however, to his tongue. What passed his lips hadn’t quite caught up with his head.
Langley, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the bite in Wolfstan’s tone, for his smile only widened as he grinned down at Rebecca.Wolfstan’sRebecca.
“I heard you were here, as a matter of fact,” Langley answered Wolfstan. His cousin met his gaze. “Last we spoke you were not attending the festivities. I am pleased to find you decided otherwise.”
He had told Langley about his plans? He must have been bloody foxed.
“I changed my mind.”
“Splendid,” Caroline said with a clap of her hands. “Now that we are all here, shall we take tea in the drawing room?”
That was the last thing Wolfstan wanted to do. Tea with Rebecca and Langley. He could not think of a worse way to spend his time, but he dutifully nodded. Again, his intentions were abundantly clear. In his head. What rolled off his tongue, however, was, “A word, Rebecca, if you please.”
Three sets of quizzical eyes turned to him. He said nothing, could reveal nothing else, merely waited for her answer. If she refused . . . Wolfstan did not dwell on the thought. Already he wanted to pitch her over his shoulder and stride out the door, the way he was feeling right then. He did not want to spend the next hour watching Rebecca blush at every word on Langley’s lips.
She searched his face. He kept his features as blank as possible but emotion vibrated inside of him. He refused to let even an ounce show. Not with an audience. Not until he had probed Rebecca for a reaction. The uncertainty of whether she would be receptive towards his feelings scared the bloody hell out of him. But he could not let fear rule his actions. To the devil with fear.
Finally, she nodded.
Christ, that had been brutal.
“We shall join you shortly,” she told Caroline and Langley, who nodded and left for the drawing room. Her eyes lifted to his. “What do you wish to discuss?”
Lord Almighty, so he was doing this. In the hallway. Better than not doing anything at all, he supposed. Wolfstan tugged at his cravat. How to bloody begin? His eyes strayed to her lips. How could they not? Her teeth bit down on her lower lip ever so slightly. They were soft and plump, almost delicate in their curve. He was struck with the sudden desire to drag his thumb over the soft plumpness.
His gaze dipped lower, caught by the rise and fall of her chest, and Wolfstan wondered what those two soft globes would feel like in his palms.
Hell’s bells.
His gaze lifted to her face. Delved. Searched. “You are aware Langley is considering taking a wife.”
She peered up at him with a small frown. “I heard the rumors to that effect.”
“Will you marry him, if he asks?” he asked bluntly and held his breath. The moment of supreme truth had arrived.
