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see . . ." She tapped a stiff finger against her chin. "How long
since you broke your promise? Tricked a naïve young girl into dreams of a
future? Made her see the true meaning of cad? Hmmm, how long ago was that, pray
tell?"
    "I
had obligations," he said harshly, his eyes turning swiftly to anger.
"You were . . . young."
    "Young?"
she snapped, ignoring the thin layer of ice wrapping around her heart.
"You were a coward. Could you not have written once? Or were you too
afraid to tell me the truth? Perhaps it was my father you were afraid of?"
    A muscle
jumped in his jaw. "One, I am not a coward. Two, I wrote. And three, fear
is not a quality I have ever admired." He paused. "Situations
occurred that altered my plans."
    Emily
stared, dumbfounded. Oh, why had not Agatha told her that he was staying at
Hemmingly? She would have rather remained with Uncle Cathaven up north than
have had to endure this torture. Of course, dear Agatha had no inkling of her
attachment to Jared, so why should the older lady even care to offer the information
that her long-departed nephew was making an unexpected trip to Hemmingly?
    "You're
bleeding," he said, grabbing her hand.
    She
jerked away from his touch. His closeness was like a magnet, pulling her to
him, but she needed to keep her distance, needed to think. Needed to keep away.
    "I
have no designs on you, my lady." His mocking smile only angered her
further. "Only look at your finger. I daresay, it is bleeding."
    She dropped
her gaze to her hand. A bead of blood fell from her pinky finger to the floor.
At that precise moment something in her chest tightened painfully. Seeing this
man again crumbled the armor she had erected so carefully around herself for
the past three years. It galled her that one look, one word, from Lord
Stonebridge tumbled her back into a blithering fool of emotions.
    "Don't
ever touch me again." Her words were a bare whisper, but he immediately
dropped his hand to his side. Head held high, she gave him one last glare and
spun on her heels to leave. But a viselike grip wrapped around her arm, holding
her in place.
    "Emily,
stop this nonsense. We are adults now, not a pair of cow-eyed youths. We need
to put the past behind us."
    She
whirled around to glare at him. Cow-eyed youths? Was that what he thought of
their relationship? "I asked you not to touch me, my lord," she
countered icily.
    "You've
changed, little one." His short bark of laughter held no amusement as he
released his hold on her.
    Of
course she had changed. She was no longer an innocent girl who believed in love
at first sight, and he was no longer her knight in shining armor. The thought
brought a lump to her throat, making her all the more determined to choose her
own future. She fought her swirling emotions trying to calm herself. "As I
see it, Agatha and Jane have no reason to believe we have had any past history
except being mere acquaintances. I, for one, would like to keep it that
way."
    His dark
eyes sharpened like the points on the end of a quill. "I, too, have no
wish to dredge up the past, Emily."
    Her gaze
met his in a battle of wills, and she fought the need to ask him why he had
done this to her. Why had he made such a fool of her? Why had he made her fall
in love with him and then vanish with another woman, without a word? He had
never written to her. Never.
    "So
we are agreed, then?" she asked.
    He
nodded silently, his expression tight.
    "Very
good," she continued, her heart thudding. "When we meet upon further
occasion, which we will since you are Agatha's nephew and I am to be staying
here indefinitely . . ."
    "Indefinitely?"
He raised an inquisitive brow as if he could only hope her stay was of short
duration.
    She
boldly met his gaze. "Yes, indefinitely, and as such, I will remind you
that I have not given you leave to use my Christian name. I am Lady Emily to
you, and I always will be."
    The
corner of his lip twisted upward. "Direct hit, my dear. I daresay, we
might have won the war