It was not right to leave that question unanswered forever. Mary had to see Ellis again before he left London and there was only one way an unmarried lady could call on a bachelor.
There was no doubt about it. She’d have to break a few more rules today.
Chapter 7
Ellis strode home in a funk. His best friend had cursed his life. The meddling, idiotic fool! Without ever consulting him or discussing the matter, Douglas had made him practically evil in Mary’s eyes. The only thing Ellis had going for him was his future elevation, something that made him exceedingly angry right now. He hardly wanted to be married for that reason alone. He’d prefer it if his future wife actually liked him.
He burst into his modest home and slammed the door shut behind him so hard, the paintings on the walls rattled.
Brown, his elderly butler, immediately shuffled into the hall to see what was amiss. “Sir?”
“It’s just me.”
The old fellow relaxed. “I thought perhaps we’d had a caller and I’d not heard the knock fast enough again.”
“No, no callers.” And possibly none ever again of the kind he’d like.
He took a deep, cleansing breath at the unappealing prospect of what sort of visitors he might expect to receive in the future. There would also be invitations, blatant advances, new acquaintances with agendas. Never more would society think of him as just Ellis. He’d forever be known as a future duke and hunted.
“If there is nothing else, sir?”
“No, t
here’s nothing more I need.”
He was so ready to marry and quite depressed by today’s disappointment that he sank down onto the first flight of steps.
Love had slipped through his fingers. Admittedly Ellis had not been sure he had Mary’s affections, but he’d felt hope as he stared at her blushing face when they’d come face-to-face that morning. He had feared he’d imagined the attraction between them, but it had burned hot the moment she’d stepped into the drawing room. So hot he’d had to taste her sweet lips again. To touch her and be touched. He had been prepared to offer marriage to make up for last night and ended up offering her his whole heart too when he’d proposed.
He wanted her trust and her love.
He didn’t want her to be impressed by anything but the man he really was.
He tossed away his hat and gloves, careless of where they landed despite the fact that they were the very best he had. Today had gone well until Douglas had barged in.
He leaned forward, and set his chin on his hand and stared ahead without actually seeing anything. Damn Douglas for his addled machinations to spare him being considered husband material. He’d done his job so well that Mary had believed the worst of him for years. Would knowing the truth have brought them together? The woman hardly ever changed her mind once it was set. He might never win Mary, but at least she’d had all the facts in her possession now.
And maybe, just perhaps if she did not love him at all, she might send the woman who could care for him into his path one day.
Rap, rap, rap.
He didn’t bother to lift his head as his butler returned, shuffling slowly toward the door. It couldn’t be anyone he wanted to see anyway. He’d just sit here and wait to be overrun by eager callers. Nothing had changed. He was exactly the same man as he’d been before his uncle’s solicitor had informed him of his new future.
“No, wait!” Brown called out in outrage.
Ellis lifted his head at the outburst and found himself staring straight into Mary’s beautiful eyes. He sighed at the sight of her red hair falling out of its moorings. “Mary,” he whispered, sure he was dreaming this lovely interruption to his depression.
“Are you all right?” she asked, peeling her gloves off as she hurried over.
“Am I all right?” He shook his head. “Not really.”
“Then perhaps this might help.” She placed her hands on either side of his head and kissed him full on the lips. “There.”
The kiss was too brief to soothe, but it was a start. “There what?”
Her frown was immediate. “I just kissed you.”
“And quite nicely, but what does it mean, Mary?”