chair.
Jake chuckled as well. “I meant they are attracted to your large purse.”
“It’s not only my purse the ladies enjoy.”
Jake threw his discarded shirt at his head, but Daniel caught it.
They dressed in companionable silence then decided to walk back to Hillary House for further exercise. Jake adjusted his hat as they stepped into the bright sunlight. “You do realize,” his brother said, “I’m not required to pay for my pleasure. In fact, I tumbled a proper lady last night.”
Jake lifted an eyebrow. “A proper lady allowed you in her bed?”
Daniel shrugged. “I suppose I may have overstated the quality of the lady involved, but she is a lady in the strictest sense so I had to slip into her house undetected.”
The clomping of their boots echoed in the ensuing silence. Daniel couldn’t mean he had bedded Amelia, could he? She had been his intended bed partner last night. A tight twisting began in Jake’s gut, moved into his chest, up his neck, and into his jaw until he felt fashioned of stone. It didn’t stop with his body but invaded his mind to twist his thoughts. If Daniel had gotten to her…
Jake halted in the middle of the walkway. “Who the bloody hell was it?”
Daniel stopped as well. The corner of his lip inched up. “It wouldn’t be proper for me to say.”
Jake’s fingers curled into fists. Perhaps they had ended their session at the saloon too soon.
“Let’s just say she wasn’t the one I truly wanted.” Daniel winked. “Yet.” He dashed ahead, laughing.
Jake’s tension melted away. With a shake of his head, he followed at a stroll, recognizing that his brother teased him. Nevertheless, he would remind Daniel once they reached the town house that he lost the bet last night. Amelia was no longer an option, and though she didn’t want Jake, Daniel couldn’t have her either. That seemed a fair arrangement.
Lying in bed last night, Jake hadn’t been able to shake the memory of holding Amelia in his arms while they danced. She felt right with him, but he seemed to be the only one to recognize how they suited.
Just as he had gathered the wherewithal to ask her about his unanswered letters, she had dashed away. He couldn’t help but to feel discouraged by her lack of curiosity over his desire to speak with her even as he admired her loyalty to her friend.
Never once had Amelia acknowledged his declarations of love or offer for her hand, which spoke of her feelings about him. She cared nothing for him. Selecting a wife from among the debutantes would serve him better. Unfortunately, they all possessed one fatal flaw.
None of them was Amelia.
On the day he had spied her shopping on Bond Street in preparation for her debut five years earlier, he had been struck mute in the middle of a sentence. David Audley had teased him without mercy, but he hadn’t cared.
Jake’s desire for her had only grown stronger as the season progressed. A generous heart resided beneath her ethereal beauty, and he had known with certainty she was the one for him.
And while he had attempted to work out the best way to court Amelia, for he had wanted everything to be perfect, his best friend played him false and wooed her in secret.
Shaking off his familiar anger, he entered Hillary House. The butler stepped forward to take his hat and gloves. “Captain Hillary awaits you in the blue drawing room.”
“Thank you, Hogan.” Jake headed for the drawing room to join his brother for a drink.
Daniel had already helped himself to a brandy and lounged in a chair with his foot propped over his knee. “What took you so long?”
Jake’s brows rose. “Perhaps I was not eager for more of your company.” Despite his words, he had missed his brother while he was at sea. The only true source of conflict between them was Daniel’s cool treatment of their mother—that, and his brother’s insistence on behaving like a first-rate scoundrel. He should show more respect for himself.
Crossing to the
Jake chuckled as well. “I meant they are attracted to your large purse.”
“It’s not only my purse the ladies enjoy.”
Jake threw his discarded shirt at his head, but Daniel caught it.
They dressed in companionable silence then decided to walk back to Hillary House for further exercise. Jake adjusted his hat as they stepped into the bright sunlight. “You do realize,” his brother said, “I’m not required to pay for my pleasure. In fact, I tumbled a proper lady last night.”
Jake lifted an eyebrow. “A proper lady allowed you in her bed?”
Daniel shrugged. “I suppose I may have overstated the quality of the lady involved, but she is a lady in the strictest sense so I had to slip into her house undetected.”
The clomping of their boots echoed in the ensuing silence. Daniel couldn’t mean he had bedded Amelia, could he? She had been his intended bed partner last night. A tight twisting began in Jake’s gut, moved into his chest, up his neck, and into his jaw until he felt fashioned of stone. It didn’t stop with his body but invaded his mind to twist his thoughts. If Daniel had gotten to her…
Jake halted in the middle of the walkway. “Who the bloody hell was it?”
Daniel stopped as well. The corner of his lip inched up. “It wouldn’t be proper for me to say.”
Jake’s fingers curled into fists. Perhaps they had ended their session at the saloon too soon.
“Let’s just say she wasn’t the one I truly wanted.” Daniel winked. “Yet.” He dashed ahead, laughing.
Jake’s tension melted away. With a shake of his head, he followed at a stroll, recognizing that his brother teased him. Nevertheless, he would remind Daniel once they reached the town house that he lost the bet last night. Amelia was no longer an option, and though she didn’t want Jake, Daniel couldn’t have her either. That seemed a fair arrangement.
Lying in bed last night, Jake hadn’t been able to shake the memory of holding Amelia in his arms while they danced. She felt right with him, but he seemed to be the only one to recognize how they suited.
Just as he had gathered the wherewithal to ask her about his unanswered letters, she had dashed away. He couldn’t help but to feel discouraged by her lack of curiosity over his desire to speak with her even as he admired her loyalty to her friend.
Never once had Amelia acknowledged his declarations of love or offer for her hand, which spoke of her feelings about him. She cared nothing for him. Selecting a wife from among the debutantes would serve him better. Unfortunately, they all possessed one fatal flaw.
None of them was Amelia.
On the day he had spied her shopping on Bond Street in preparation for her debut five years earlier, he had been struck mute in the middle of a sentence. David Audley had teased him without mercy, but he hadn’t cared.
Jake’s desire for her had only grown stronger as the season progressed. A generous heart resided beneath her ethereal beauty, and he had known with certainty she was the one for him.
And while he had attempted to work out the best way to court Amelia, for he had wanted everything to be perfect, his best friend played him false and wooed her in secret.
Shaking off his familiar anger, he entered Hillary House. The butler stepped forward to take his hat and gloves. “Captain Hillary awaits you in the blue drawing room.”
“Thank you, Hogan.” Jake headed for the drawing room to join his brother for a drink.
Daniel had already helped himself to a brandy and lounged in a chair with his foot propped over his knee. “What took you so long?”
Jake’s brows rose. “Perhaps I was not eager for more of your company.” Despite his words, he had missed his brother while he was at sea. The only true source of conflict between them was Daniel’s cool treatment of their mother—that, and his brother’s insistence on behaving like a first-rate scoundrel. He should show more respect for himself.
Crossing to the
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