Embarrassment mingled with shame. Embarrassment because—yes. Yes, she did like him.
Quite a bit, in fact.
Just the thought of him made her feel warm all over. And…mushy. Her insides had definitely taken to melting whenever she thought of him.
Most inconvenient as she’d been doing nothing but thinking about the man all day. She’d thought of him while taking breakfast in her room. She’d thought of him when he’d seen her to the school, all gruff charm as usual as though this was just another day.
As though he was not bound to slay her dragons this very evening.
He was all calm confidence as he bid her farewell as though he had not kissed her senseless the night before.
The other girls were strangely silent so she made a halfhearted attempt to jab a needle into her embroidery. She’d likely ruin the thing if she kept assaulting it like this, but what else was she to do with her restless hands as she waited for word that Rupert was all right?
She shifted uncomfortably, all too aware of Prudence’s unwavering gaze.
Prudence knew her too well, at times. And her words still stung. I suppose that means you like him now.
Her friend wasn’t trying to be cruel. She was just honest. She’d never hesitated on calling Delilah out on her moral flaws, and Delilah’s selfish desire for status, power, and yes, wealth—well, it was legendary.
She’d embraced her reputation as the spoiled debutante, and now she was stuck with it.
Because it was still true.
Wasn’t it?
“Delilah?” Addie’s voice was gentle. “Are you all right?”
Delilah lifted her head with a smile. “Fine.”
Addie still looked concerned. “They will be safe, you know.”
Delilah nodded. Tolston was with Rupert, and they had a handful of men, as well. They’d left two men here to guard her and the others, although everyone agreed that with Everley at the docks and distracted by his business, the security was most likely an unnecessary precaution.
As Tolston had said before they’d left. Only a desperate man or a fool would attack Delilah here, tonight when she was surrounded by friends and in a good neighborhood.
And besides... If all went well, she would be back with Rupert in his home by the time the moon was high overhead.
A desperate tightness in her chest stole her breath away. She could not wait to be back home with Rupert safe at her side.
Prudence reached a hand out to cover hers. “Are you so very worried about him then?”
Delilah thought to make a quip, to toss aside her friend’s concern. But in the end, she did not have the energy to feign nonchalance. “Yes.”
The other two girls studied her in silence and Delilah let them. What was the point of pretending?
“You care about him.” Prudence’s comment might have been sweet if she did not seem so stunned.
Delilah scowled. “Of course I care about him. I just told you that he kissed me, did I not?”
Prudence’s eyes went wide and she looked like an owl wearing those spectacles she only wore when embroidering or reading alone in her room. She might act all morally superior, but Prudence suffered her share of vanity.
“Yes, but I thought…” Prudence trailed off, her lips pursing in an expression befitting a peeved governess.
Addie leaned forward, stepping in as the peacemaker. “I think what Prudence meant was that she thought…that is, we believed…” She cleared her throat, casting a quiet look of desperation in Prudence’s direction.
“We thought you allowed him to kiss you because you’d learned of his status,” Prudence finished.
Delilah blinked as the words struck her chest. Of course her friends would think that. They would undoubtedly believe that she would only allow a man to kiss her so scandalously if she thought him to be proper husband material.
She had a sudden flash of Rupert’s eyes—so warm with affection, his arms around her so secure and stable, his voice so low and amused even when she was saying all the wrong things. The type of things that typically drove people away.
He would be wonderful husband material, but not because of his honorary title.
Because of him.
She bit her lip as unexpected tears filled her eyes causing her friends to lean toward her with alarm.
“Dee?” Prudence said, shock replacing her judgmental scowl. “Are you all right?”
No. She was not all right. Because the man who’d kissed her, the gentleman who was at this very moment riding off into the night to fight her battle, the man who’d held her and comforted her and who seemed to understand her as no other ever had…
He had proposed the other night.
Sort of.
In a manner of speaking.
And she’d rejected him.
She blinked rapidly to try and push the unshed tears away but only managed to make them trickle over so she was swiping at her eyes in dismay.
“Delilah,” Addie said slowly, gently. She shifted Reggie in her lap and used the same tone of voice she used when she was attempting to make her younger brother eat his peas. “Did you kiss Mr. Calloway before you knew he was the son of a marquess?”
Delilah hesitated and then nodded.
Prudence let out a gasp more befitting a melodrama at the theater.
Delilah frowned at her friend. “Really, Pru, it is not that shocking.”
Pru’s wide eyes begged to differ.
Delilah huffed. “He kissed me before last night as well,” she said. For some reason the truth was just pouring out of her tonight, and it was a relief. Focusing on Rupert and her feelings for him was better than wondering where he was now and what sort of danger he might meet upon his trip to the docks.
“When you believed him to be some sort of hired investigator?” Addie asked.
Delilah rolled her eyes. Was it really that difficult to understand? “Yes.”
“Because you…” Prudence looked around the room as if searching for an answer. “Because you felt so indebted to
