Her eyes held a warning, but she nodded. ‘I will.’
Regina was well aware of Lord Camford’s dark mood. His demeanour appeared restless, and when it was his turn to play, he struck the ball with too much force. It ricocheted off the metal wicket and rolled to the far end of the grass.
It couldn’t be jealousy, could it? She hadn’t actually agreed to marry the laird, but even if she had, Camford had known of the long-standing promise between her father and Tavin MacKinloch.
There was no denying that the laird’s offer of marriage suited her. She would have the chance to leave London as his wife, live in a safe place, and their union would have no intimacy. The thought of the wedding night terrified her, but Lachlan had not even tried to kiss her hand. They had known one another for many years, and she was aware of his need for her dowry. It was an excellent offer, one she was strongly considering.
But something made her pause. There had been a strong change in Lord Camford’s behaviour, ever since she’d told him of the proposal. Though it should not have come as a surprise, he seemed on edge. The air between them seemed charged, like lightning during a storm.
Once, he turned to look at her, and his green eyes revealed an intensity that stole her thoughts. Though he had never spoken of anything between them, she sensed that he had considered it. Her skin warmed, tightening at the unexpected vision of his mouth upon hers.
She sensed that a kiss from Lord Camford would be demanding and heated. The blood seemed to rush to her face as she wondered how she would respond. It was forbidden to even imagine it. She turned to meet his gaze and saw the hard line to his jaw and the bold stare in his eyes.
But it was her own response that frightened her. For it felt like a sudden awakening.
He had been her friend, a calm presence beside her who had made her feel safe. Never had she considered what it would be like to be courted by him. His wicked teasing had been a deterrent—or was that really true? She was starting to wonder.
He excused himself to walk across the lawn towards his wayward croquet ball. His long strides revealed his unspoken annoyance, and she suspected it had nothing to do with the game. He took careful aim, and she watched as he struck the ball back on to the course. As he returned to her side, she tried not to be too blatant in her observation of him. But the truth was, she couldn’t quite help herself. She was aware of the way he moved, the purposeful strides when he followed the path of his ball.
I just...wanted to see you, he’d said.
The words had held an ache that now touched her heart. No one had ever spoken to her in such a way, as if he needed her. And she could not deny that the words had affected her deeply.
She moved closer to him, not even knowing why. His frustration had shifted into a shadowed emotion, and she wondered if she’d misread him. Perhaps he was only remembering his brother’s death. His expression had turned solemn, and she asked softly, ‘Are you all right, Lord Camford?’
‘What do you think?’ He leaned against his mallet like a cane, and there was a darkness in his tone.
She couldn’t understand whether it was the game that had turned his mood or the bad memories, but she refused to respond with anything except understanding. ‘I’m sorry,’ she responded. ‘You came here for a distraction, and I think I’ve only made your day worse.’
‘No. You haven’t.’ His eyes softened, and she felt a pang of warning. In his face, she saw the bitter sadness, the raw intimacy of a man who was hurting. She faltered, feeling as if she ought to take his hands in hers and offer her sympathy.
But her imagination took it a step further, and she imagined holding him. She felt the urge to console him, to wrap her arms around his neck.
Such thoughts were foolish. More likely, the past fears would overwhelm her with such terrible memories, she would shrink away. And that wasn’t what either of them needed.
‘Camford, I—’
‘It’s all right, Regina. I’m fine.’ He took a breath and eyed the others. No one had even noticed them, it seemed. And perhaps that was because they were losing so badly, there was no reason to pay them any heed.
‘Perhaps we should return to our game,’ she hedged. ‘Even if we are losing, we might still manage to catch up.’
He nodded in agreement. But as she was about to strike her ball, he interrupted. ‘Are you going to accept Locharr’s proposal?’
A chill broke over her skin as she hit the ball with her mallet. She didn’t want to give an answer just yet.
But then, Camford caught her by surprise when his gloved hand touched the small of her back. The unexpected contact made her jolt, but what startled her more was her response. Heat flooded through her, and she was fully conscious of his touch. Regina didn’t know why he had conjured such a reaction, and she felt the sudden need to push him away.
She blurted out, ‘Yes. I think I will accept the laird’s proposal.’ It would help her to lock away the past for ever. Her father would have his wish, and she could live in peace, away from the rest of the world. She had no feelings towards the laird, and that was for the best.
Camford drew his hand away from her back, and his eyes had turned cool. ‘You said that you didn’t want to marry anyone. Why did you change your mind?’
Because he will never touch me, she thought.
But she couldn’t ever say that. Lord Camford would never understand. ‘I have my own reasons.’
She never intended
