Free Tananguard 02 - To Love a Lord by Diedre Clark

eyebrows rose in surprise. He gave a forced laugh and shook his head.
    “My apologies. The question was too personal,” Connor said.
    Declan shrugged. “We were friends once, Connor. And I hope to be so again. I will answer your question. She thought she was with child…my child. At least that is what she persuaded me to believe. It wasn’t until after we were wed that I discovered she had a lover and I was her pawn.”
    “Then why not annul the marriage? Why stay with her when she was unfaithful?”
    “You mean while she isn’t faithful?” Declan asked with a wry smile. “Yes, I know of her…pastimes. And no, I have not done anything about them except keep track. There will come a day when I will act, but the time is not right.”
    “Not right?” Connor asked in astonishment. “How can you stand by and allow her to disgrace you the way she does?”
    Cunningham frowned. “You need every viewpoint before drawing conclusions. There are other people and other lives at stake besides my own. My reputation will survive, but I have made promises that I intend to keep. Once those are met, the divorce will happen.”
    Connor nodded. “Of course. I should have realized you had a purpose.”
    “I must make certain her family is secure before I disgrace them,” he said quietly. “They were nearly bankrupt when I met Rebecca. I believe I was not only her pawn, but her mother’s pawn as well. But Lord Sterling is an honorable man, and his other children are innocent of Rebecca and Mary. I have to consider their futur e before making anything final.”
    Connor discovered much about Cunningham that day. The man was one of the most honorable, pleasant-mannered individuals he would ever know.
    The rest of their meeting went well, and Connor succeeded in avoiding Rebecca while there. That is until he was departing. It was very uncomfortable trying to leave the house as she was returning. She scowled at him the entire time. He did his best to ignore it and greet her as expected. He was almost out the door without incident when she called his name. He groaned within but turned expectantly.
    “You do not apologize?” she asked curiously.
    “Have you?” he asked.
    “Apologized to whom?”
    “To the woman you insulted.”
    She laughed. A side of her he had never seen before erupted with that laugh. It was an honest laugh, not forced or flirty. And it was attractive, he realized with alarm. He was beginning to see how someone might be sucked into this woman’s charm…or perhaps he should say guile.
    “I wouldn’t tell you even if I had,” she said honestly, a smile still lining her lips. She eyed him then. “What makes you do different than everyone else ?”
    He frowned at the question. “ I do not understand what you mean.”
    “Don’t play coy with me, Mr. Tananguard. You are different. You do not seem to care what society thinks of you. I thought perhaps you were simply naive, but I’ve done my research. I no longer think that. What is your ruse? What are you playing at?” she asked suspiciously.
    “I have no ruse. I am who I am, and that is that. Now if you will excuse me, I must be going.” He turned to leave.
    “I never noticed you much until yesterday, you know. An d even in that short amount of time, I do believe you. You are…unique.” She paused then added quietly, “Had only you been there instead of him .”
    He was certain the comment was not meant for his ears, but he had heard it nonetheless. What did she mean by that ? His gut knew the answer, but he refused to acknowledge it. “You need to get out more because there are many like me.”
    She smiled at that and swayed right up to him. “No, I think not.” She ran her fingers lightly across his shoulder. He stiffened visibly, and he caught her eyeing him sweetly beneath her lashes. “You should join me for tea tomorrow. Declan will be gone by then. He is returning to Westbrook for a time, but I suspect you already knew that. He’s asked