Why must he act the dastard? Slowly, Sarah turned about. “I am hardly that.”
“Yet you run away.” He rubbed a hand upon his chest in the region of his heart as lines of strain etched themselves over his face.
What was wrong with him? Did he suffer from poor health? That would explain his haste to marry and have children. Then she shoved the questions to the back of her mind. Until he understood that he wasn’t the only person in the world who mattered, she couldn’t let the numerous mysteries surrounding him suck her in. She fairly shook from the hot aggravation that coursed through her. “A coward would have given up when faced with what I’ve already overcome.” No, she didn’t care that a warning threatened in her voice; he was out of line. Titled or not, she refused to let him treat her in such a manner.
Andrew leveled those cool stormy eyes on her, pressed his lips together, but some of his color had paled and his breath came in quick pants.
Concern for his health rushed once more to the forefront. She eyed him with alarm. “Are you quite well, my lord?”
“Yes.” The one-word answer seemed forced from his throat. “Why won’t you stay and talk with me?”
“You are not giving me that option. Remember, you were the one who walked away first. Have you changed your mind?”
“Perhaps.” Blue lightning roiled in his eyes.
“Good.” She glared back at him. Exhilaration surged through her veins. Why the devil did arguing with this man feel so… wonderful? “Fine then. Let’s talk. What did you mean about the others? Women? Lovers? Friends?” Somehow, she had the feeling that he didn’t have many friends, let alone contemporaries who’d stuck by him.
“Family,” he managed to gasp out.
Now that surprised her, but the opportunity to learn about his life was tantalizing. “Why do you think that is?”
“I’m rather… difficult just now.” Some of the color returned to his face and he relaxed his death-grip on his jacket.
“An understatement to be sure.” There had to be a reason, and drat her, she wished to know more. “Why are you so arduous?”
The chords of his throat worked with a hard swallow. “I’m left with the responsibility of the earl alone.” Uncertainty flickered in his eyes—another crack in the thick armor he wore about himself.
“I’ll wager that’s not the whole of it, but this is a start.” Despite the doubts she harbored, Sarah went toward him a few steps. She pushed her spectacles back into place. “Why did you come to Hadleigh Hall, my lord? Surely not to marry the first woman you saw so you wouldn’t be alone.”
“No.” His lips twitched, but he didn’t give into a full smile. A sliver of cold disappointment went through her, for she’d hoped for a return of the charming man she’d only met briefly once before. “Perhaps I’m a beast who isn’t fit to mix with proper society any longer.” He focused his gaze on a point over her left shoulder. For the first time since she’d met him, he shrank into himself as if trying to hide from scrutiny.
Or judgment and censure.
“Now we are making progress.” When he allowed himself to show his vulnerability, they were on equal footing.
“We are?” Andrew snapped his attention to her face. Annoyance mixed with faint hope, and that fired more of her curiosity. “How so?”
“Trust.” Sarah shrugged. “When you put your ego and your anger aside, you became approachable. When you did that, I saw the man you are beneath, the man who is trying so desperately to reach out, yet you keep him hidden.” She held his gaze. Perhaps she could come to understand him after all. “I saw the man I would be glad to converse with.” When she smiled, he once more gawked as if he’d never seen her before.
Long moments went by in silence. Finally, he relaxed enough to offer a tight grin. “I’ll warn you that marrying me won’t be an easy feat.”
“I’m not one to shy away from a challenge.” She didn’t look away. Neither did he. Her heart beat in double time. “If you can manage to talk with me like a gentleman instead of a wounded bear, I will allow you to walk me home, my lord.”
“Allow me?” Red color crept over his collar. “I am the earl here and I—”
Sarah tsked her tongue. “None of that. I wasn’t joking. If you come the crab, I shall return home right now and leave your sorry arse on the road.”
He blew out a breath. “I apologize for my behavior this afternoon.”
“Thank you.” This was one small step in building a relationship, but it was a start. She was willing to work with him if he allowed the same courtesy to her. “Andrew,” he said abruptly.
“What?” She peered at him over the tops of the spectacles that had slid down her nose.
“My name is Andrew, or if you prefer, Drew.” There wasn’t a smile accompanying the request, but his expression had softened slightly. That little concession brought out a hint of the handsome man he could be when he wasn’t trying so hard to hide himself.
“I prefer Andrew. It suits you better.” When he nodded, she pushed up the spectacles. “You may call me Sarah, though you used my name earlier in the conversation. I suppose I can’t remain Miss Copeland.”
“It would become rather awkward.” He offered her his arm. “The least I can do is escort you home.”