My Fair Lily(34)
“I’m not a bit like you.”
“Aren’t you? Why do you think Desmond is trembling in his boots? He’s afraid we’ll reconcile. He thinks I will restore you as my heir.” He stood up and opened his arms to encompass the grandeur of the library. “Do you want it? You can have the dukedom of Lotheil and all its benefits. Here it is. I’m offering it to you.”
“In exchange for what? My soul?”
“Desmond would gladly sell his to me. But I don’t want him,” he said, and Ewan shuddered at the casual dismissal of his other grandson. Though he detested Desmond, they were blood relations, for their fathers were brothers. Desmond’s father had died young. No wonder Desmond had turned out weak and lacking in honor. He’d only known coldness and manipulation from this old man. “I want you, Ewan. Your loyalty. Your affections.”
“Sorry, those aren’t for sale.”
His grandfather threw back his head and let out a long, hard laugh. The malicious sound resonated off the soaring, beamed ceiling, crawled into Ewan’s skin, and penetrated his bones. He felt as though he’d just stepped in a stinking pile of manure.
“Everyone has a price. Even you, my boy. Even that Farthingale girl who seems to have blinded you to her true nature. Mark my words. She can be bought, and cheap, too.”
Ewan wanted to leap across the desk and pound the old man’s face until it was unrecognizable, but he wouldn’t give the old man the satisfaction of knowing he’d struck a raw nerve. Not that he cared what the old bastard said about him, but he did care what was said about Lily. She was a rare gem, sparkling in her kindness, her honesty, and her refreshing innocence.
That he was tainted by Cameron blood couldn’t be helped, but he’d never let his odious family taint her. Which meant he couldn’t see her again. Not ever. Not him. Not Meggie. Eloise would have to find another companion for Meggie.
For her own protection, Lily could have no further contact with him or his family.
***
The only problem with Ewan’s decision was that none of the women would agree to it. Not Meggie, who burst into tears the moment he dared broach the subject with her the next morning. Not Eloise, who later that afternoon yanked the heavenly plum cake off his plate, rose indignantly, and asked him to leave her home and not return until he’d regained his senses.
And not Lily, who gazed at him as though he’d grown three heads... no, make that four heads... when he’d intercepted her on the way into the duke’s library two days after her incident with Desmond. “You mean I can’t use the library? How am I to help Ashton Mortimer finish his monograph on the evolution of lemur colonies in Madagascar if I can’t use your grandfather’s books? You see, as the continental plates shifted and land masses broke apart to form islands, the animal populations on those islands became quite insular—”
Bloody hell. “Lily, that’s all well and good, but I’m only thinking of your safety.”
“Nonsense. The evolutionary development of these lemurs is far more important. So is your sister’s new wardrobe. We had to reschedule our appointment with Madame de Bressard until tomorrow. Dillie and I will take her there. Our cousin William has agreed to come along, but you may join us if you’re still concerned. I doubt your cousins will dare threaten us again, not with Dillie and William with us. Oh, and I had Madame de Bressard send the invoice for the broken table to your grandfather.”
As she leaned into him, he caught the scent of her warm skin, roses delicately kissed by the evening dew. “He won’t dare ignore it,” she continued. “After all, it was your grandfather who instigated the whole affair, and everyone knows it. Now, are you going to let me get back to Ashton’s lemurs?”
She gave him a smug, adorable smile that left him momentarily speechless. It suddenly occurred to him that she’d said nothing about the kiss they’d shared. Had she forgotten it? Found him lacking? Bollix, what did the girl know about such things?
She was the one lacking in that particular regard. He’d only held back to protect her honor. That, and the fact that she was a sickly green and nauseated at the time. She looked healthy now. Dark, silken hair. Pink cheeks, creamy complexion. Dazzling blue eyes, as exquisitely blue as the loch waters on a gentle summer’s day. He dared not glance lower. It wouldn’t do to be caught gawking at her breasts, which were achingly perfect, if she wanted his opinion, though she didn’t seem to be asking anything of him other than to leave her the hell alone and let her get back to those blasted lemurs.