James ignored Will’s words and slammed the door shut before he could even complete his sentence. James locked the door from the outside, and his and Kitty’s footsteps could be heard as they made their way to the stairwell.
Will pressed his fists against the door and inhaled a slow breath. He shut his eyes briefly before turning around. Emma stood facing the window with her arms crossed, perfectly still. Will unclenched his fists and slowly approached the large bookcase that was so familiar to him. There had been a few occasions when Will had held James against the bookshelves as they settled their differences and unleashed their frustrations towards one another.
James had quite a temper when he was sufficiently provoked, and William would grab him by the collar, holding him against the bookshelves in order to calm him down.
“This is all your fault,” Emma said bitterly.
I don’t think so.
“And why is that?” William scoffed.
“If you had not been so sensitive, we wouldn’t be locked in the study in the first place,” Emma answered, turning towards him.
“I was not being sensitive. You were downright rude, and humiliated me in front of my friends and family,” William defended.
“You humiliated yourself while being foxed, my lord. I had nothing to do with that. You did it all on your own,” Emma pointed out.
“I did not have as much to drink as you think,” William muttered under his breath.
“My eyes did not deceive me. I have come to learn to see such things from experience,” Emma answered quietly and turned away.
William glanced at her with a furrowed brow and for a brief moment, he tried to read deeper into her words.
Had she been in the company of intoxicated men before?
Had those experiences been terrible and upsetting to her?
Had she lost a family member due to it?
Will was on the verge of asking her those very questions, but he realized they were too personal, especially given their lack of knowledge of one another.
And then it became clear that due to his intoxication at the wedding, Emma had purposely distanced herself from him. So it made sense that despite the reluctance he felt inside, he deemed it necessary to apologize, regardless if it was needed or not.
“I am sincerely sorry, my lady,” the words formed softly on his lips.
Emma scoffed and turned to him. “What on earth are you apologizing for?”
“Anything and everything,” he answered.
“You cannot be sorry for everything because then your apology does not stand for anything,” Emma muttered.
“Very well, I shall be more specific.” William sighed. “I apologize for being intoxicated, as it displeased you from the start. It was not my intention to make you feel anxious.”
Emma cocked her head and an expression of disbelief formed on her beautiful face.
“What are you saying?” Emma exclaimed. “That is not...”
A frustrated sigh escaped her throat and she shook her head, the red tendrils around her face brushing her cheeks. “My lord, you are a fool if you are under the impression that is why I...”
William glanced at her expectantly, wanting her to continue.
“You are a foolish coward who knows nothing about the world, and nothing about me,” Emma exclaimed.
“Oh, I am the fool? Is that what you think?”
“Indeed. You will never comprehend what it is like living as a woman in this world.”
“Once again,” William threw his hands up in the air in agitation, “we return to this damned subject.”
“Hold your tongue. You shall not speak such profanities in my presence,” Emma shouted.
“This is my home, and I shall do as I see fit!” William’s voice echoed through the study.
Emma stomped towards him, pointing a delicate yet deadly finger at him and growled, “One day you will fall to your death from that pedestal you have placed yourself on.”
“And you? Just because you are a friend of Kitty’s, does not entitle you to think you are better than others,” William said.
“I am still more respected than you. A drunkard who plays second fiddle to his brother!”
“Rather that, than a woman with a precarious mouth and preposterous opinions, whom no man would ever wish to marry!” William answered.
He glanced down at Emma and marveled at how beautiful she was when she was angry. Her chest heaved heavily as her angered breath moved in and out. And her sharp stare woke feelings inside Will that he had not felt in a very long time.
Chapter Five
The sting of Lord William’s words caused Emma to momentarily freeze, but she knew he merely wanted a rise out of her. She refused to allow him such power.
She continued to stare into Lord William’s blue eyes, his huge stature towering over her. Then she stepped away and shook her head, uncertain whether she should be entertaining the thoughts that suddenly rose in her mind. Lord William was a very handsome man, and there was something that desperately attracted Emma towards him.
He made her stomach tighten, her heartbeat quicken, and warmth pool between her thighs. It was more powerful than anything she had experienced before.
“Your words are cruel, my lord, and I certainly don’t appreciate the fact that you think it’s appropriate to speak to me in such a manner,” Emma said as she attempted to swallow the lump in her throat.
Emma’s heart pounded in her chest as she glared at him, and despite the feelings of anger and disdain, there was another mixture of feelings that bubbled to the surface. An uncontrollable urge that had been building up inside her from the moment she’d first seen him.
“I have encountered many women in my lifetime, my lady, but none as stubborn and strong-willed as you,” Lord William said with a grimace.
“It is certainly not the first time, nor the last time I will hear such words,” Emma answered.
“Why is it that you infuriate me so... may I call you Emma?” Lord William asked with a furrowed brow.
Emma lifted her chin. She didn’t see why not, since they were in
