affection for her. If only she could return it.
“I can’t make promises, my lord.” She carefully extracted her hand from his hold.
A slow grin inched across his face. It was the smile of a man celebrating victory. “And yet you haven’t tossed me out.”
She chuckled. “An oversight, I assure you. Good day, my lord.”
Five
Anthony paced the front drive, his boots creating an angry staccato against the cobblestones. It was taking Thorne a blasted long time to say his good-byes to the lady. When the door finally swung open, Anthony advanced on him.
“Gabby is mine. I won.”
Thorne simply smirked and stepped around him. “I thought you weren’t going to allow a sausage to determine your fate.”
“But you convinced me otherwise.”
Tugging on his gloves, the baron continued toward his vehicle. “Now, now. You couldn’t really think I’d allow a bet to decide my future wife. That’s ridiculous.”
“But you are ridiculous. Come back here,” Anthony called to his retreating back. “We will settle this now.”
Thorne stopped beside his carriage and slowly turned to face him. “Very well, Ellis. If the lady is yours, as you claim, why did she spend the afternoon with me?”
Anthony gripped his walking stick so hard, it was a wonder it didn’t splinter. Damned if he knew the reason Gabby had agreed to a ride in the park, but she belonged with him. Thorne had agreed to leave her alone.
His teeth gnashed together. “She. Is. Mine.”
Thorne sauntered toward him with that bloody smirk Anthony wanted to knock from his face. “But I plan to make her mine .”
Anthony growled and swung his fist. Thorne ducked. Infuriated by his miss, Anthony charged, but the baron was too quick on his feet. Momentum drove Anthony to slam into the carriage. Pain shot through his ribs like a spear.
Thorne laughed.
“Damn you!” He came at him again. His opponent jumped back, but this time he wasn’t fast enough. Anthony’s fist connected with his chin. The baron’s head snapped back.
“Damn you , Ellis!” Thorne rubbed his face, a severe frown aimed at Anthony. “What has gotten into you? Two suitors resorting to fisticuffs on her front drive is likely to make her swoon.”
Anthony scoffed. Gabby wasn’t some fragile dove. Her father’s death had tested her strength and not broken her. Thorne knew nothing about her.
But he was right about one thing. Fighting was below him. He lowered his fists. Gabby and Anthony loved each other, and they were better suited. She wouldn’t choose Thorne over him, no matter how angry she might be with Anthony for being gone.
“Set your sights on someone else. Lady Gabrielle is marrying me.”
Thorne shook his head as he climbed into the curricle. “You really are dicked in the nob.”
“You have been warned. When she becomes my wife, you will be left looking like a fool.”
The baron grabbed the reins and signaled to his tiger. “That sounds like a challenge, Ellis.”
“I already won the challenge, remember? Now, be gone, you bloody mongrel.”
“I’m not the one foaming at the mouth, my friend.” Thorne flashed a jaunty grin and snapped the reins. The curricle lurched forward with a loud creak, gained momentum as it sped through the gates, and turned onto the boulevard.
Anthony dusted off his hands. Well, that was settled. But if Gabby’s brother thought he was going to wait until that evening to speak with her, Luke was mistaken. They had been apart long enough, and she wasn’t likely to forgive him if he gave up so easily.
He reentered the foyer without knocking and thankfully found it abandoned. Pausing inside the threshold, he considered his next move. His gaze locked on the stairwell. Her chambers were situated on the second floor. But he couldn’t, could he?
Before he could attempt anything too reckless, a maid swept into the foyer with charcoals and a sketchbook hugged to her chest. The same young woman who had taken care of the bouquet he’d
“I can’t make promises, my lord.” She carefully extracted her hand from his hold.
A slow grin inched across his face. It was the smile of a man celebrating victory. “And yet you haven’t tossed me out.”
She chuckled. “An oversight, I assure you. Good day, my lord.”
Five
Anthony paced the front drive, his boots creating an angry staccato against the cobblestones. It was taking Thorne a blasted long time to say his good-byes to the lady. When the door finally swung open, Anthony advanced on him.
“Gabby is mine. I won.”
Thorne simply smirked and stepped around him. “I thought you weren’t going to allow a sausage to determine your fate.”
“But you convinced me otherwise.”
Tugging on his gloves, the baron continued toward his vehicle. “Now, now. You couldn’t really think I’d allow a bet to decide my future wife. That’s ridiculous.”
“But you are ridiculous. Come back here,” Anthony called to his retreating back. “We will settle this now.”
Thorne stopped beside his carriage and slowly turned to face him. “Very well, Ellis. If the lady is yours, as you claim, why did she spend the afternoon with me?”
Anthony gripped his walking stick so hard, it was a wonder it didn’t splinter. Damned if he knew the reason Gabby had agreed to a ride in the park, but she belonged with him. Thorne had agreed to leave her alone.
His teeth gnashed together. “She. Is. Mine.”
Thorne sauntered toward him with that bloody smirk Anthony wanted to knock from his face. “But I plan to make her mine .”
Anthony growled and swung his fist. Thorne ducked. Infuriated by his miss, Anthony charged, but the baron was too quick on his feet. Momentum drove Anthony to slam into the carriage. Pain shot through his ribs like a spear.
Thorne laughed.
“Damn you!” He came at him again. His opponent jumped back, but this time he wasn’t fast enough. Anthony’s fist connected with his chin. The baron’s head snapped back.
“Damn you , Ellis!” Thorne rubbed his face, a severe frown aimed at Anthony. “What has gotten into you? Two suitors resorting to fisticuffs on her front drive is likely to make her swoon.”
Anthony scoffed. Gabby wasn’t some fragile dove. Her father’s death had tested her strength and not broken her. Thorne knew nothing about her.
But he was right about one thing. Fighting was below him. He lowered his fists. Gabby and Anthony loved each other, and they were better suited. She wouldn’t choose Thorne over him, no matter how angry she might be with Anthony for being gone.
“Set your sights on someone else. Lady Gabrielle is marrying me.”
Thorne shook his head as he climbed into the curricle. “You really are dicked in the nob.”
“You have been warned. When she becomes my wife, you will be left looking like a fool.”
The baron grabbed the reins and signaled to his tiger. “That sounds like a challenge, Ellis.”
“I already won the challenge, remember? Now, be gone, you bloody mongrel.”
“I’m not the one foaming at the mouth, my friend.” Thorne flashed a jaunty grin and snapped the reins. The curricle lurched forward with a loud creak, gained momentum as it sped through the gates, and turned onto the boulevard.
Anthony dusted off his hands. Well, that was settled. But if Gabby’s brother thought he was going to wait until that evening to speak with her, Luke was mistaken. They had been apart long enough, and she wasn’t likely to forgive him if he gave up so easily.
He reentered the foyer without knocking and thankfully found it abandoned. Pausing inside the threshold, he considered his next move. His gaze locked on the stairwell. Her chambers were situated on the second floor. But he couldn’t, could he?
Before he could attempt anything too reckless, a maid swept into the foyer with charcoals and a sketchbook hugged to her chest. The same young woman who had taken care of the bouquet he’d
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