“Of course. I don’t see a problem with that.”
“Your aunt might object to it …”
“I’ll talk to Aunt Annabelle and Uncle Mark. I’m sure they’ll understand. That’s not an unreasonable request, as it’s your holiday too.” Frederica touched her head against Dorothy’s. “We’ll make this a visit to remember, and we don’t have to think about the other guests if you don’t want it.”
Dorothy didn’t want it. She wanted to put some distance between her and Dashwood before she did something else stupid. Like kissing him again. She couldn’t afford to do that.
Even if she couldn’t get the kissing from the night before out of her head. There were days when she didn’t overthink things and put them aside. Sadly, that was not going to happen.
“Don’t worry about it, Dorothy.” Frederica squeezed her friend’s shoulders. “This holiday for us will be memorable.”
Hopefully, not for the wrong reasons.
#
“Do you think you could make it any more uncomfortable for everyone?” Pierce asked.
Lucas looked up. Pierce was walking towards him, shaking his head. Lucas sighed and lowered the book he had been reading.
“I didn’t do anything untoward.”
“You kept staring at Lady Dorothy to the point where it was getting obvious to our end of the table. Lord Derbyshire was looking worried about the intensity.” Pierce sat across from him. “Honestly, you couldn’t make it any more obvious that you’re fixated on her.”
“I’m not fixated on her.”
“Then why were you growling when Lord Burville talked to her and touched her hand?”
Lucas frowned.
“I was growling? Nobody said anything.”
“I think the only ones to hear you were myself and Lady Marcia. Of course, Marcia thought the growl was for her, and she didn’t slow in her stride.”
“I was aware of her talking to me throughout dinner.” Lucas shook her head. “I can’t believe she was talking that much. I don’t remember much of it.”
Pierce snorted.
“So much for being a gentleman. I thought we agreed that you would keep your distance as it was the right thing to do?”
Lucas knew what he had said earlier, but his agreement had disappeared when he saw Dorothy again. He just wanted to be around her and get to know her more without the teasing and the tension. He didn’t like seeing her sitting next to Burville and the attention he was giving her. It was clear that he was taken with Lucas’ former fiancee, and Lucas was aware that he shouldn’t have any say or claim over Dorothy.
But he couldn’t stop himself. And Lucas hated himself for it.
“By the way, what are you reading?” Pierce gestured at the book in Lucas’ hands. “You’ve never snuck away to read a book before.”
“Maybe I wanted to do something different.”
“Sure. So you crept out to wait in a room you knew that Lady Dorothy would be frequenting.”
Pierce was giving him a knowing look, so Lucas sighed and closed the book.
“What’s wrong with me, Pierce? I’ve never been like this before, and why did it have to be her?”
“Sometimes, our life doesn’t come to us in such a straightforward manner.” Pierce chuckled. “And it would be your luck that the one woman to capture your attention like this would be the woman you refused to marry.”
“It’s not amusing, Pierce.”
“I think it is. You should have just behaved less like a brat and married her. Then this wouldn’t be happening.”