Colin stood and caught her hand. "Angeline, will you run away before you kiss me?"

She found she could not resist one last kiss. When his lips met hers, the kiss was b.u.t.terfly gentle.

"I must go," she said. "Penny will worry."

He frowned. "She knows you are here?"

"Don't worry, she thinks we're as witless as the twins."

"Somehow I am not rea.s.sured."

"Good-bye, Colin."

"You make it sound so final," he said.

"Our families will always be close, and I hope that we will remain friends," she said.

"Don't leave."

"I must." She hurried to the door, because it hurt more than she'd expected.

Angeline closed the door behind her and dashed her fingers under her eyes. She loved him, but one-sided love wasn't enough for a lifetime. With a deep breath, she tiptoed into the room and set the candle on the night table. Penny stirred when Angeline got under the covers.

"Angie, you were gone a long time. Did he kiss you?"

Her sister was apparently fixated on kissing. "Go to sleep, Penny."

"You didn't answer me. He kissed you, didn't he?"

"We talked."

"Angie, you should not lie."

"About what?"

"You went to see Colin because you wanted to kiss him," Penny said. "You mustn't do that anymore, Angie. It would create a lot of hard feelings if our father found out."

"I won't kiss Colin again," she said. The words pinched her chest as she said them.

"Angie, what is it like to kiss a boy?"

"I think it depends on the gentleman, but wait for someone who has kind eyes and always treats you with respect and dignity," she said. "Now we must go to sleep. It's late and Mama will scold if she finds out I kept you awake until the middle of the night."

"I would never tell," Penny said.

"No, but your sleepy eyes would."

Angeline lay awake, thinking about Colin and all that had happened. Having spoken to the marquess previously, she was certain Colin would inherit Sommerall-and probably soon. She had put in more than one good word for him and managed to gently remind the marquess of his son's many virtues. Perhaps it didn't cancel all of his vices, but no one was perfect. Granted, he'd certainly sowed wild oats and kept mistresses, but that was surely behind him now. He would probably miss her sultry performances as a famous courtesan. She'd rather enjoyed her short-lived pretend career as a lightskirt.

Most important of all, she was glad that she'd spoken to the marquess. He would surely agree that it would be much better to have his son as a neighbor than Mr. and Mrs. Faraday. Who wanted to be neighbors with people who could never be pleased and couldn't make up their minds? Angeline understood the marquess had felt the need to test his son and make sure he truly wanted the property and meant to take care of it.

She loved Colin with all of her heart. A year from now, they would likely meet up again at the annual house party. He might be married by then. She might be as well, but there was no point in dwelling on the future.

Chapter Fifteen.

The next morning before breakfast Colin donned his coat and allowed Horace to fiddle with his cravat and shine his boots. He'd hoped to feel better after their meeting last night, but she'd ended their engagement. He couldn't let that happen. As he b.u.t.toned his coat, it struck him that he could have ended this farce and proposed to her the day after the storm, but in retrospect their trial engagement had not been such a great idea. They had both been so hesitant, with good reason. A marriage based on property and a come-out ball sounded pretty flimsy in hindsight. He supposed it said much about their mutual desperation.

But now he was feeling desperate again, because he was in danger of losing her, and he didn't want to lose her. Why did he always realize what he stood to lose only when matters were at their worst? He had to believe that he still had a chance. Once they were properly wed, he would request her services as a famous pretend courtesan. He would object, however, to her keeping other pretend men and knew that would tickle her fancy. Most of all he would make her laugh every day, because he knew there hadn't been much laughter after that fiend tried to destroy her and her family.

She didn't know it, and he had no intention of telling her, but he meant to avenge her. Brentmoor was something of a pretty boy, but he wouldn't be after Colin used his handy fists to rearrange Brentmoor's nose and blacken his bloodshot eyes. But first Colin had to gather all the supporters he could find, because he meant to give her the one thing that would make her happy. She was a duke's daughter and a beautiful, clever woman who loved her sister and her parents.

More than anything, he wanted to give her a gift, her heart's desire. She didn't want anything for herself. She just wanted it for her sister. He didn't know if he could manage it, but he would do everything in his power to make it happen.

When Colin took his usual chair next to Angeline at breakfast, he saw how tired she looked and felt badly. Mostly, he was worried because she'd ended the engagement, and he feared she wouldn't give him a second chance. He figured he'd probably better get on his knees this time and beg her, because she'd sounded serious last night. He didn't want to lose her.

Penny looked a little sleepy, too, and the d.u.c.h.ess eyed her daughters suspiciously. "I understand that Penny stayed in your room last night, Angeline. Why do you both look so fatigued?"

"I was restless last night," Angeline said. "I kept Penny awake."

"The next time you are restless and wide awake, come to our room," Bernadette said. "We'll tell ghost stories."

Colin decided to scare his sisters. "Muahahaha."

Naturally the twins squealed.

The marquess rolled his eyes. "Colin, do not encourage your sisters in ghoulish nonsense. Margaret has enough trouble with the usual nonsense."

Colin finished his breakfast and cup of tea. "The sun is out. I imagine Hercules would enjoy being outdoors, if that is acceptable, Margaret."

"I think we should take advantage of the sunshine," she said.

Colin turned to Angeline. "How is Hercules's training progressing?"

"He is doing well. The girls have already taught him how to shake hands as you've seen. As long as his training is consistent, he will do very well. He is smart."

The marquess snorted.

"Chadwick," Margaret said, "you know how much Hercules means to the girls."

"I would hope not more than their papa."

"Are you jealous of Hercules, Papa?" Bianca asked.

"Mortally," he said, folding his paper.

"Are you shooting today, Papa?" Angeline asked the duke.

Wycoff cleared his throat. "Not today, Daughter. Chadwick and I have a business matter to discuss."

The marquess set his cup on the dish. "Speaking of business, Colin, if you have finished your breakfast, please come to my study in fifteen minutes."

Colin wondered what surprise his father meant to spring on him now, but he would find out soon enough. His chest felt tight again, and he had a feeling this would not be good news.

Angeline looked at Colin. "Should we wait for you?"

"I beg your pardon," the marquess said. "The business matter will probably take some time. I suggest the ladies go on ahead with your planned outing."

Everyone rose and went to collect their warm wraps. Angeline stayed back with Colin. When everyone else had left, she turned to him. "I have a feeling this is good news for you."

Colin's heart beat a little faster. "Do you know something?"

She smiled. "I might know a little."

Perhaps his father meant to grant him Sommerall. After all, Faraday had shown insufficient interest, and as far as Colin knew, there were no other interested buyers.

"I shouldn't get my hopes up. They're likely to be dashed."

"I do not know for certain, but I'm sure it will all turn out well."

He searched her eyes and thought he was lucky to have someone believe in him that much.

She really was special and beautiful and unbelievably seductive. Now Sommerall meant more to him than it had when he'd first arrived, because if he could persuade her to marry him, it would be their home. He'd better grovel this time.

He should make up for it with a waltz at her sister's debut. That would please her immensely. Now all he needed to figure out was the best place and time to propose. He also needed to work on the words he meant to say, because he didn't want to make a mess of it.

If a soothsayer had predicted this, he would have scoffed, but it mattered not. He would claim Sommerall-and soon Angeline-for his own. All he had to do was get her to agree. h.e.l.l, he'd beg if necessary, because he refused to lose her.

Fifteen minutes later, Colin tapped his knuckle on his father's slightly open study door.

"Come in and close the door, please," the marquess said. He sealed a letter and set it in the tray. Then he rose and walked around the desk. "Please be seated."

To Colin's surprise, his father sat in the chair next to him rather than behind the desk. The fine hairs on the back of his neck p.r.i.c.kled. He suspected this was not what he'd antic.i.p.ated. "Is something wrong?" Colin asked.

The marquess sighed. "I understand from Angeline that Sommerall has significant sentimental value to you."

"What?" The words took a moment to soak into his brain.

"I figured you had no idea that she spoke to me on your behalf."

The room temperature grew chilly. "No." But she had hinted that she knew something.

The marquess folded his arms over his chest. "She made quite a case on your behalf and said there was more to you than just your rakeh.e.l.l reputation."

He got up and walked to the window. "What else?"

"I was amused and absolutely charmed."

Colin turned around and gaped at his father.

"If you let her slip away, you're a d.a.m.n fool," the marquess said, "although it escapes me why she'd have anything to do with the likes of you. Then again, Lady Angeline enjoys fixing and renovating things. I imagine she considers you a challenging project."

It took a moment to sink in and then Colin guffawed.

"Be seated, son. We need to talk."

He claimed the chair next to his father. "Something is in the wind."

The marquess sighed. "I have received a definite offer from Faraday."

He couldn't breathe for a moment. Then he shook his head. "But you gave me six weeks to find a bride."

"I know you have made no efforts in that regard. You'll not find a bride before the time is up."

h.e.l.l. He should have proposed, but she'd called off their trial engagement.

"You cannot sell to the Faradays. It's a family legacy," Colin said.

"Yes, and your mother is buried there."

Colin leaned forward. "Tell me what the offer is and I will beg, barter, or steal to match it."

"The thing is I led him to believe it was available. I take responsibility. I mistakenly a.s.sumed he wasn't serious about the property."

"Tell him it's no longer available."

"I would, but he was under the impression that it was still available, and he turned down the seller of the other property."

"He can find another," Colin said.

"Son, his wife will be delivered of their firstborn within the month. They have spent considerable time searching for a property that suits their needs. I might mention that they're supporting her elderly grandmother as well. If I were to take it off the market, what would they do? Mrs. Faraday is in no condition to travel to several properties, and they want to live in the general area because they have family nearby. The only other property available is not within their means. I know Sommerall has special significance to you, but it would be dishonorable for me to refuse them now."

Colin's nostrils flared. "I should have known something would go wrong."

"I am disappointed in myself," the marquess said.

Colin shook his head. "None of us thought they were serious. You can't blame yourself for an unfortunate turn of events."

The marquess rose, walked around his desk, and opened a drawer. "I have something for you."

Colin stood when his father approached. "Angeline mentioned that you were searching for it."

The marquess opened the box and revealed the miniature of his mother in a pearl-encrusted frame.