With a sigh, Marcus dropped his head forward, his breath hissing out between his teeth.
“I ought to have known that you would find out the truth somehow.”
“Except I do not know all of it as yet,” Almeria whispered, her fingers trailing lightly across his cheek so that he would lift his head to look at her. “You must speak with me. You must tell me the truth - I beg of you. I do not think that I can live without hearing it from your lips.”
There was nothing Marcus could do but tell her all. He knew that she would not leave his side until he had told her. Even if he should lie, he had no doubt that she would know, she would see it in his eyes. With a sigh, he pressed her hand.
“Very well, I shall tell you.” Leading her by the hand across the room, he placed her in a chair before sitting next to her, glancing across at Lord Trevelyan and seeing that he still stood by the window, looking out. With a deep breath, Marcus looked straight into her eyes and began. “Yes, this is to do with Lord Penforth. You are right when you say that I did not think him a suitable gentleman for you, although, at the time, I had no particular reason as yet.” Choosing to ignore the truth about the bouquets at present, Marcus decided not to discuss his own feelings yet but continued. “I saw Lord Penforth and desired to speak with him. I wanted to make it quite clear that I required him to be worthy of you. You can imagine, to my horror, that as I followed him one evening, I found him making his way to a darker part of London.”
“But why were you following him?”
She quite reasonably wanted to know, and Marcus cleared his throat gruffly, quickly searching for an explanation.
“It was my desperation to speak with him that forced my hand.” It was not the very best of reasons, but it was a reason, nonetheless – and a true one, in fact – and thankfully, Almeria merely nodded. Briefly, Marcus spoke about what had taken place, told her of Lord Penforth’s threats and of the other gentlemen coming to stand behind him. A short while later, he spoke of his anger, his frustration, and his deep regret that he had ever been forced into stepping away from Almeria.
“It was not something which I wanted to do, Almeria. It was something I had no choice but to obey, to protect you.”
She reached out one hand to him and Marcus grasped it quickly, praying that she understood.
“I can see that.” Her soft smile made his heart throw itself around in his chest. “You did not do so willingly.”
Marcus closed his eyes, squeezing them shut for a moment.
“You cannot know how much it has pained me to withdraw from you. I have seen your confusion and felt myself burn with anger over it, but I have done it all to protect you.”
“I know.” Sitting on the very edge of her chair, Almeria reached out to run her fingers down his cheek. “I can see it in your face, in your eyes. I knew in my heart that you had not pushed away from me simply because you wanted to do so.”
A sigh had her dropping her hand, but Marcus’ skin was heated as if she had left an imprint upon him, such was the fierceness of the heat which now burned through his frame.
“I must ask you to forgive me.”
Looking away, Marcus dropped his gaze for fear his heart would betray him, should he continue to look into her eyes.
“Forgive you?” Almeria repeated, sounding greatly astonished. “Why ever should I have to forgive you?”
“Because I did not fight hard enough to find a way to tell you.”
Marcus shrugged a shoulder, not sure where to look, but finding that if he looked into her eyes, his heart beat so furiously, he could barely hear anything save for the blood roaring in his ears.
“What if Lord Penforth had asked to wed me?” Her eyes rounded suddenly. “What would you have done then?”
Marcus scowled.
“I would never have let you marry him, regardless of the consequences. Each day and night were fraught with difficulty, Almeria. I could barely take a breath without thinking of you. Should Lord Penforth have attached himself to you, then I would have done everything in my power to make certain that you knew the truth about his character.”
Lady Almeria sighed softly.
“You have always been an excellent gentleman, Marcus. You prove it to me again.”
Marcus’ heart grew heavy. He did not feel like an excellent gentleman at this moment. He felt as though he were a gentleman who had come close to breaking the most important friendship in his life, simply because he had given up fighting.
“I should have found a way.” His eyes looked straight into hers. “I should have found a way to tell you as much as I was able. It has been a difficult circumstance where I have been doing my best to protect you, while being fearful for what the future might hold. I assure you, Almeria, if I had believed that Lord Penforth was about to propose to you, I would have done something – I would have done anything to prevent you from being wed to him, even if it had meant ruining my own reputation.”
“That was always his intention.” Lord Trevelyan glanced over his shoulder. “I do not mean to interrupt, but only to promise you, Lady Almeria, that Lord Coppinger said so to me on multiple occasions. He stated that, should Lord Penforth so much as begin to court you, he would do whatever was required to make certain that you knew the truth.”
This was said with a somewhat pointed look in Marcus’s direction, but Marcus ignored it. He did not need to say anything to Almeria about the bouquets, not as yet. There would be time for that later on, but for the moment the only thing required of him was to be truthful about Lord Penforth.
“You feel his threat even now, even though I told you I was not particularly inclined towards him?” Lady Almeria’s voice was soft, her eyes still flicking around his face. “Even if I should separate myself from him, which I certainly plan to do, you believe he will carry out his threat?”
