“I wanted to get their advice, and Lady Bedford said it was a marvellous idea.”
“Even though I’m courting the man they wanted me to marry in the first place?”
Gabriel was looking more and more unhappy. He shook his head and pulled away from her.
“You’re making a mistake, Dorothy. Focusing completely on Dashwood, with his reputation, will result in him throwing you away once he’s done. I’ve heard he’s already got Lady Marcia lined up for his next lover.”
He might as well have slapped her. Dorothy felt cold. She didn’t believe it, but it didn’t stop the discomfort in her stomach.
“I’m sure Lady Marcia’s been spreading that around,” she said quietly. “She’s pretty much in love with him.”
“That’s her business. I just know he’s not going to settle down with you just because you were meant to be his wife last Season.” Gabriel shook his head. “He’s a bad person, and he will break you apart before you realise that. And you still want to court just him?”
Dorothy had had enough. She squared her shoulders.
“That has nothing to do with you, Gabriel. And if you’re going to insult me, you can leave. I won’t have you talking to me like I have no mind of my own or that I can make decisions of my free will. That is not what a friend should be doing.”
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed. He looked even more upset, and Dorothy had to stop herself from assuring him over … what? Anything. She just didn’t want him upset, but if he kept pestering her and treating her like she couldn’t do things herself, he deserved to be told off.
He leaned towards her, and Dorothy resisted the urge to lean back, flexing her fingers as she prepared to push him away.
“I will leave,” he growled, his breath tickling her mouth. “But don’t think that what you have with Dashwood will come to fruition. That man will drop you as soon as he tires of you. Maybe he already has.”
“Get out,” Dorothy hissed through gritted teeth.
For a second, she thought he wasn’t going to move. Then Gabriel moved away abruptly and headed towards the house, storming past Lady Bedford. The countess looked bewildered at his departure, and she came off the terrace and hurried over to her daughter.
“What on earth was that about?” she demanded. “What did you say to Lord Burville?”
“I simply told him not to presume anything of my life.” Dorothy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Why did you agree to allow him to court me? I never said I wanted to court him.”
“Well, he was very interested in you, and I thought it wouldn’t hurt you to have another option.”
Dorothy frowned.
“Another option? What does that mean, Mother? I thought you and Father wanted me to marry Lord Dashwood! Now I’m courting him, and you’re trying to push me to another gentleman? I don’t understand the reasoning at all.”
Lady Bedford sighed.
“Darling, when you’re at a certain age, you can’t really afford to focus completely on one person. Especially with a questionable past.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m sure you’ve heard the rumours about his … acquaintances of the female variety.” Lady Bedford cleared her throat. “We’ve been hearing things recently, and … let’s just say your father and I are worried.”
Them as well? Dorothy had believed that it was simply Lady Marcia and Gabriel saying things against Lucas because they had their own agendas, but this was beginning to get worrisome. If her parents were beginning to hear the rumours, did that mean they were true? Or was it simply something to keep Lucas isolated for reasons she didn’t know?
Dorothy had no idea what to do anymore. Her body was still bathing in the afterglow of what Lucas did to her, and she didn’t want to lose it by having everyone push her towards someone else.
She glared at her mother.
“I don’t approve of you saying that I can have some freedom to choose who I want to marry and then take it away from me. That’s just not fair.”
“Life is never fair. And you have to have some options open, Dorothy.”
“But you promised …”
Lady Bedford held up a hand.