The Reluctant Countess by Eloisa James

Author:Eloisa James
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2022-11-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Giles walked back into his drawing room, feeling as if someone had slammed an anvil onto his head. He’d mucked it up. Entirely. Yasmin had charged him with his own despicable behavior, and he couldn’t defend himself, because she was right.

He had thought she was debauched. He had decided she was ineligible to be his countess. He had demeaned her in thought and behavior. It was irrelevant that he was trying to fend off an attraction to her so deep that he felt buffeted by it.

The fact was that he’d done it.

He’d made Yasmin feel small. He’d belittled the woman whom he desired above all other women: not despite her chatter, and her sensuality, and her sense of humor. He desired her for those things.

He sank into a chair and dropped his head into his hands. He had no idea how to make her understand. Nor did he think that she was wrong to say that she could find a better husband. He was like poison. He’d belittled her, and now he’d seduced her as well. Given her response to yesterday’s intimacy, she wasn’t used to affaires, no matter her reputation.

A staggering wave of despair went through him. He hadn’t felt like this when his mother died. In fact, he considered himself immune to deep emotions. He’d realized that years ago, when his father took his life, and he had had to mimic the sad faces of others at the graveside.

He heard the door open. “No tea,” he growled.

“Thank you very much for your opinion!” his sister chirped. “Yes, we will have tea,” she said, presumably to Duckworthy.

He didn’t look up.

Lydia sat down beside him in a flurry of skirts that made it clear she was still wearing her “young debutante” as opposed to “sensual matron” wardrobe. “What’s the matter? You look uncharacteristically disheveled.”

“She refused my proposal.” His voice came out leaden.

“Lady Yasmin?”

“You needn’t sound so astonished,” Giles said, straightening his back. “No matter what you think, Yasmin has most of the eligible men in London at her feet. If there’s a man who isn’t, it’s because she hasn’t bothered to look at him.”

Lydia leaned in, as if to hug him, then changed her mind and patted his knee. They didn’t hug in their family. “I know you desire her, but—”

“I feel more than mere desire,” Giles bit out.

“I see.” After a moment, Lydia said, her voice awkward, “Why on earth won’t she marry you, Giles? Did she find out about Mother?”

“Our parentage had nothing to do with it.”

Lydia’s brows drew together. “But she does know?”

“I told her myself. Don’t worry. She won’t share the truth.”

“I see.” Silence again. “Are you quite certain that didn’t enter into her decision, Giles?”

“Yes. She refuses to marry me because I belittled and disrespected her. She deserves better than me. She’s right.” He dropped his head into his hands again.

“Oh.” A hand rubbed his sleeve, trying to comfort. “I’m sorry, Giles. She’s making a mistake.”

He snorted. “No, she’s not.”

“She always danced with you, Giles.

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