“I am quite aware of my sister’s failings. But she is still my sister, and I will admit that I steered Eden away from you that very first day to give Persephone her chance. But it took me only a few minutes to realize she had no prayer of gaining your notice or affection. So, if giving my sister those few minutes makes me guilty of conspiring in her scheme, then yes, I am guilty.”
“And you think this absolves you of hurting Eden?”
“My pursuing a courtship with Eden has nothing to do with my sister’s wishes. It has everything to do with the fact that I like her. I sincerely like her, Lynton. I’ll tell you straight out that my feelings for her run far deeper than merely a temporary acquaintance. If she will have me, I intend to marry her.”
Connor shook his head and laughed, for if he did not look upon the remark with humor, he would punch this man. “She will not have you. Nor will I give you the chance to spout more lies in her ear. Aubrey, I want you and your family out of here first thing tomorrow morning. Do not approach Eden tonight either, or I will toss you out the moment I find you within arm’s length of her.”
“Is she saying this, or is it you?”
“It ismesaying it,” Eden said, coming upon them as the two men stared each other down. They had been so busy glowering at each other that neither heard her approach.
Connor’s heart lurched, for her eyes were still red from crying and she looked quite pale in the afternoon light. Still beautiful, but as fragile as the glass swan she had purchased for his daughter. “Eden…why are you out here?”
She came to his side. “I was watching from my window when I saw you leave the house, and realized there was something important I should have told you. Then I noticed Lord Aubrey follow you out and thought I had better see what was going on.”
“Nothing is going on,” Aubrey insisted. “I have no intention of raising my fists to an old man.”
“Old man,” Connor growled, knowing he was being baited and falling for it nonetheless. “I’ll show you—”
Eden placed a hand on his arm. “Honestly, Connor. You both need to behave yourselves.” She turned her back to Aubrey, completely ignoring the man while she concentrated her attention on Connor. “I will not accept you if you are damaged goods. Got it?”
He grinned as he caressed her cheek. “Yes, love. Got it.”
Aubrey gasped. “Love? Eden, is this true? Has he lied to you and told you that he loved you?”
She curled her hands into fists as she turned to face him. “Lied to me? You dare accuse him of lying to me when you are the knave who has done nothing but falsely flatter and deceive me from the moment we met? You pretended to court me. You pretended tolikeme. They were all lies meant to give Persephone a chance to snare her duke.”
He held his arms out in supplication. “Eden, let me explain—”
“No! Why bother to lie to me at all? It wasn’t necessary. You already had me occupied bird watching this entire day. That’s all you had to do. Keep me away from the duke so Persephone could sink her claws into him. Or did your cruelty extend so far as to plot with your sister to ruin me? Was this your wicked scheme?To seduce me and then abandon me as damaged goods, knowing the duke would never marry me once he found out?”
“Never! Eden, damn it. I would have to be the lowliest of bounders to consider something so vile.”
“Are you not?”
“For pity’s sake. I am in love with you!”
She placed her hands on her hips as she laughed in dismissal. “Ha! Am I supposed to believe you fell in love with me after a day of bird watching?”
“No,” Aubrey said, sounding obviously pained…or was he the consummate actor? “I fell in love with you within ten minutes of meeting you. Today was just meant to be enjoyed. My mind was already made up about you. I intended to propose to you at the end of this house party, but there is no point in putting it off now. Will you marry me?”
She gasped. “Oh, this is surely a divine jest. Two proposals in one day. Are either of them real?”
Having said that, she returned to the house.
Connor watched her walk away. Aubrey did the same. “You proposed to her? Why? To preserve a convenient governess? Do you even love her?”
Connor ignored the question.
Since he was not going to get any peace while Aubrey followed him around and tossed him questions, he marched back to the house. To his annoyance, Aubrey maintained his stride beside him. “Eden has every reason to be angry with me. But just because my sister asked me to distract her, doesn’t mean I agreed. Well, I did agree at first, as I admitted. But Eden is an angel. Anyone with a decent pair of eyes can see it.” He stopped and moaned. “She’ll never believe me, will she?”
Connor paused as they reached the courtyard. “No. How can she ever trust you now?”
“Help me make this right, Lynton.”
Connor laughed. “Me? You do realize I am your competition, don’t you? Why should I help you out?”
“Because you are a decent fellow. And you know my sister is a manipulative, headstrong nuisance of a girl who would not give me a moment’s peace until I agreed to distract Eden for five minutes. That’s all I intended. Everything else was real.”
