Sleeping Engagement

XXI. Opera Night

It was his valet, Eli, who rushed to Cole in panic, informing him of his mother's arrival.

He cursed under his breath and crumpled the paper in his hand. Throwing it in the fire, he rushed out of the study to follow his valet, Hugh striding right beside him. Eli skidded to a stop outside the open doorway of the study and so did Hugh.

Cole pushed his way between the two servants. He quickly assessed the situation and his eyes landed on Margaret, her face void of emotions, as if she was not there. As if she had retreated into a different place. And her right cheek was scarlet.

A surge of wrath ran to the tips of Cole's fingers.

The first and last time he ever saw that look, it was because of him. It haunted him to this day. Now, to see her in the same way because of his mother equaled the rage he felt toward himself.

"Remove yourself from here, you despicable witch! How dare you come here and—"

"Stop." One word, but it was loud and clear, laced with severe fury, enough to make his mother pause with a start and sharply turn. The surprise turned into a look of betrayal. Before the woman could summon tears to her advantage, Cole spoke again. "Lady Margaret is here upon my invitation," he bit out, glaring at his mother as he strode into the room. Ida Devitt opened her mouth, and it remained open as Cole walked past her and straight to Margaret.

He saw Margaret's gaze falter as she blinked at him. But she was not showing enough. He wanted her to scowl—to be angry. Yet she just stood there. Something inside him, right in his chest, wrenched. He gritted his teeth as he lightly palmed her reddened cheek. She turned her face away, jaw twitching. He let her, lowering his hand.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

"I came here to tell you something important," she said instead, eyes not meetings his.

"Margaret," he said, tone serious.

"I'm fine," she nearly hissed. In a blink, she summoned a smile. "I will just—This is not the perfect time, is it?"

He frowned down at her. She was trying her best to seem unperturbed. The words at the back of his mind were suddenly useless and lacking at the moment, so he simply tucked the stray dark hair behind her ear, took her hand in his, and led her to the doorway without sparing his mother a glance.

"Cole!" his mother called after him.

He slammed the door behind them and led Margaret to the hallway.

"I can return at a better time—" she started to say but he stopped her, turning to Hugh who had followed them.

"Escort Lady Margaret back to her carriage." He turned to Margaret and paused. And he just looked at her, wishing he could say more. Could do more. With a sigh, he said, "I will find you later."

Her lips hardened into a smile. Nodding stiffly, she started to walk away.

"Meg," he called. She stopped with an innocent small smile on her lips, brows arched in question, almost hopeful. "I'm sorry."

Her smile faltered slightly. "I'm fine, my lord."

As soon as she was gone, he turned to Eli. "See to it that she arrives home safely. Go, take my horse." He then stalked back to the direction of his study where he found his mother still standing where he had left her.

At his entry, Ida Devitt glared at him with tears in her eyes. He had seen her at her worst acting, of course, and this one did make him cringe as much.

"How dare you have that woman here!" she hissed. "You're not honoring your sister's memory welcoming that wench into your household! I come here after not having received any replies from you only to find the reason for it. You have been committing a sin against your sister's memory by bedding her! I would rather have a scullery maid be your mistress than that Everard woman. She and her family deserve to burn in hell for what they have done to us."