With the earnestness in his eyes and the unfiltered remorse in his expression, she paused, then gestured for him to continue. “Go ahead.”
“I’ve been cruel to you. Allow me to start over.” In three strides, he stood before her and bowed low. Eyes squeezed tight, he whispered, “Welcome home, Lady Jasmine. I’ve missed you deeply. You cannot know howsorryI am for everything I’ve done.”
He remained bowed, as if he were beneath her. He lowered further and waited for her permission to rise. Jasmine’s voice caught. “Please, Matthew, don’t—”
“What areyoudoing here?” Caroline asked from the doorway. In a lemon-colored dress, she stood with one hand on her hip and held awhite parasol in the other. “Don’t you have work to do?”
Matthew stood and pivoted to Caroline with a grin. “Indeed I do. The tasks never end, but I have no duty as important as promenading with my sisters and a dear friend.”
Cassandra walked into the room and looked Matthew over with a grimace. “You aren’t dressed for a walk.”
“Why, sister, I have everything I need.” He gestured to himself with a wide grin. “I have a coat, a spare hat upstairs, and a lovely lady to have on my arm.” He winked at Jasmine. “I’ll be the most fashionable man in London.”
Matthew donned his coat and smoothed back his hair. Stray strands stuck up and curled under his ears. It was longer than she had ever seen it, as if he hadn’t had the time for a proper haircut. How would it feel between her fingers? Her hand hovered in the air, then she snapped it back.
What iswrongwith me?!
A knock on the door down the hall disrupted her thoughts. Mr. Davis opened the door, and another echoing exchange took place down the hall.
Matthew raised his brow at Caroline. The corners of his lips curled up in a devilish grin. “Are we expecting company on this outing, Caroline?”
“Matthew, don’t,” Caroline said through gritted teeth, then she turned to Cassandra. “Tell him he can’t come.”
“I have no control over either of you.” Cassandra sighed and shook her head. “If anyone can find a way to get Matthew to do something he doesn’t want, please let me know.”
“You all act like I’m some kind of monster,” he sang. “I’mexcitedto meet the gentleman who didn’t ask for my permission to promenade with my baby sister.”
Matthew braided his fingers together and stretched them back untilhis knuckles cracked.
Caroline growled, “I swear to you, Matthew, if you—”
In the doorway, Mr. Davis cleared his throat and announced, “Mr. Langford.”
A broad-shouldered young gentleman entered, dressed impeccably in a royal blue tailcoat, cream trousers, and gleaming black hessian boots. His dark hair was two shades too brown to be black, as were his eyes. He entered with a cordial smile that dropped at the sight of Matthew. Eyes wide as a doe’s, he dropped into a bow. “Good afternoon, Lord Lincolnshire.”
“This is certainly a surprise.” Matthew gestured between Mr. Langford and Caroline. “Did Caroline arrange this personally, or…?”
To his credit, Mr. Langford stood with tensed shoulders and gave a polite, “Lord Lincolnshire, Lady Worthing assured me—”
“So it was Honora.” Matthew released a drawn-out sigh. “Very well. Seeing as you’re here, I could scarcely turn you away, now can I? We’ll all go.”
As the man paled, Matthew’s smile remained friendly, but his eyes glinted with mischief. The same expression he had when he dropped a frog down the back of Jasmine’s dress when she was twelve.
“And seeing as we’re an odd number, it looks like Cassandra will be chaperoning both of us.” Jasmine’s heart fluttered when Matthew turned to her, offering his arm with a hopeful smile. “We’ve gotten off on the wrong foot. Give me a second chance?”
Everyone waited for her move, but she hesitated, unwilling to rush this one small decision. With his arm poised, he smiled at her as if she were the only person in the world. She was torn between slapping his hand away and launching herself at him. He was foolish,arrogant—and he had rushed there from a factory to apologize.
That was at least astart.
Oh, the hell with it.
“Why not?” She took his arm, as she had countless times before. The dirt on his clothing stained her white gloves, but warmth radiated from him. Raising a brow, she ordered, “You’re going to spend the entire walk apologizing.”
He laughed and nodded.
“I’llkneelif you wish it, my lady.”
***