She closed her eyes. Why did she ask that? Who cared? Was she being possessive toward the marquess? “I mean—”
“Perhaps he could be mine one day.”
“Yes.” Aria’s gums itched as she gritted her teeth. “Why are you helping me look ‘romantic and beautiful’ then?
“If it is you who will make him happy, even…smile that sweet crinkly smile of his again, then that is what I want for him. How could I want anything less without being a selfish wench?”
Aria didn’t know what to say. Should she tell her that she’d seen his nose-crinkling smile, and it was glorious? What did one reply to such sacrificial love? “Sarah, I’m not staying. I can’t. I have a family to take care of.”
Will’s younger sister stared at her for a moment, not looking pleased. “So, you will either leave him or take him with you?”
“What?” Aria blinked, trying to gather her wits that seemed to flee whenever the marquess was involved. “I didn’t mean—I don’t intend—look here, Sarah, I’m not chasing him and leading him on. I’m going to the coffee house for some coffee—”
“Please, Aria, you must not go!”
“I won’t sit here longing for coffee when there’s a perfectly good coffee house—where did you say it was?”
Sarah bit her lip. “You will need a horse.”
“Oh,” Aria said with a sigh. She knew nothing about riding horses. Would she risk her life for a cup of coffee? “Maybe I can ask Will to—”
“No,” Sarah said. “I do not want to involve him in this scandal. I will ask one of the drivers to take you in his carriage.”
“Will this really be a scandal?” Aria asked, fitting on her coat.
“Indeed, it will,” Sarah let her know, following her out of the room. “But if anyone likes a good scandal, it is Lord Dartmouth.”
Chapter Thirteen
Gray held hishandleless cup to his lips and inhaled deeply. The rich, bold aroma of coffee filled his lungs, and he sighed with delight. The coffee house was crowded on this Sunday and the men seemed more rowdy than usual. Most likely they had been here all day drinking the stimulating beverage.
Without women standing over them, wagging their fingers and scolding them, the men laughed more, smoked more, fought more.
Gray took a sip of his drink. A bottle flew by him. He barely looked up at the two men fighting to his left. If one of them came near him to fight, he would end it quickly. Never again would he crouch and whimper while anyone kicked him senseless.
Usually no one bothered with him. Once they tried to speak to him and received little reply, they gave up and whispered as they walked away about him being the peculiar marquess. He didn’t care what they thought. He was here for the coffee, not companionship.
Images filled his thoughts, clearing the smoke, changing the sounds that filled his ears to the music of laughter. Miss Darling. When she stepped right out of bed in her chemise, he almost stopped breathing. She made him smile. She made him want to laugh.
He’d waited an hour after sunrise for her, but she slept. Finally, he had left the castle and headed for the forest on his horse. Ghost liked the forest. Or was it he who felt at peace there? He hunted thieves but found none. A good thing, despite his disappointment. He’d gone back to the castle, only to find Miss Darling still asleep. They did both retire very late, but as noon approached, he told Sarah Gable to alert him the moment she woke up.
She looked ravishing sitting up in her bed, looking a little disheveled with her messy hair falling around her like a cloak.
He swallowed the hot coffee and felt it seeping into his bones—or was it Miss Darling taking over his senses?
The door to the coffee house swung open and Miss Darling stepped inside in a swirl of cool air.
Every sound stopped. Every man stared at her, stunned by her presence where no women before her had gone.
Gray rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing right. He stood up instinctively when two of the patrons stalked around her. What was she doing here? He decided to ask her.
“Miss Darling,” he said when he reached her—before the other two patrons did. “What are you doing here? Women aren’t permitted here.”
“I want a cup of coffee,” she told him—told them all. “What’s so wrong with that?”
“Women are banned from the coffee house,” someone yelled. “Now, get out!”
“I’m not leaving,” she let them know, and sat at the nearest table.