Chapter Seven

Lavender didn't know what to do at that moment. The silence that descended upon the table was thick enough to slice through bread, so uncomfortably judgmental that she felt cold sweat wash her entire body.

Fighting. The man she was set to marry, whose arm she had entered the room on, had just told a room full of people that his favorite pastime was fighting. If she hadn't already been seated, Lavender would have fainted right there.

Instead, she licked her lips and tried to think of what to do. No one spoke as if they were waiting for her to say what she felt about it. And the earl continued eating as if nothing were amiss, as if he hadn't just thrown yet another wrench in her plans.

She stood suddenly, hands curling at her sides. She didn't have to fake her anger. It rumbled throughout her body with such force that she had to resist from doing what she truly wanted to do. Aware that many eyes were on her, Lavender didn't dare turn to her betrothed and tell him exactly what she thought about his announcement. Instead, she marched off and prayed he had the good sense to follow behind her.

Within four seconds, she realized that her hopes were foolish. She didn't hear footsteps behind her, didn't hear the scrape of the chair to indicate that anyone had stood. Silence trailed behind her as she marched to the door and struggled to fight back tears of anger.

It took every strength in her body to keep from slamming the door in her frustration. Vincent would certainly hear about this. Didn't he look into this man before he agreed to their betrothal? Surely this should have been a topic of conversation at some point in their discussion?

Lavender stalked away, rage trembling with such force through her limbs that she had to distance herself from the dining room door, not trusting herself not to do anything foolish. She had to think of a way to fix this. Her reputation amongst her peers was in jeopardy and, if she wanted to reach the very top, this wasn't the start she needed. Indeed, after all her preparations, her dreams could not go down the truth like this.

She heard a door open. Lavender stilled, listening to the ensuing silence with her heart in her throat. Did Alice come after her? She loved her friend dearly but she wasn't in the mood to face the humiliation she'd just suffered.

Footsteps started towards her. Lavender blinked back her tears of anger and tried to school her expression into something more civil. Putting on her usual mask to hide the lady underneath.

"Lavender," came a breathless voice behind her.

Lavender turned in surprise. It wasn't Alice nor the earl. To her surprise, it was Colin Asher.

He was breathing a little heavily as if he had raced after her in the spur of the moment. His blond hair looked a little more tousled than usual, his thick brows knitted together in concern. He approached her in two quick steps, not hesitating to grasp her by the shoulders.

"Are you all right?" he asked her, scanning her face. The concern on his face was enough to warm the icy knot that had formed in the center of her chest.

"I suppose the easier thing to say would be that I am quite fine," she sighed.

Instead of laughing, like she'd expected him to do, Colin only frowned harder at her, his lips set in an unamused line. It was unusual to see. Colin was always on the verge of laughter, finding humor in every situation. There was no better person to see her in this state than him, she thought. Like her, Colin was the only child of a wealthy merchant. Unlike her, his father was still alive and kicking.

They'd been friends for so long that Lavender thought she'd seen him in every state. But the look on his face right now wasn't anything she'd witnessed before.

"Colin, is everything—"

He caught her wrist and began pulling her down the hallway before she could finish her question. His grip was firm enough to keep her protest at bay. Lavender didn't even think twice about the fact that he was dragging her further away from the dining room and that they had no chaperone .

Colin pulled her into an unoccupied parlor and closed the door, his jaw tense. "Lavender, what are you doing with that man?"

Lavender frowned at him. "I beg your pardon?"

"The Earl of Derby," he clarified. "Surely you aren't truly betrothed to him?"

Lavender sighed, sinking into the nearest armchair with obvious exasperation. "Yes, that is so." Unfortunately , she thought glumly.

Colin ran his fingers through his hair in distress. "Why?' Haven't you heard of his reputation?"

"Clearly I have not, considering my surprise at his announcement." Lavender paused, raising her brow. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"It is a rather delayed time to ask such a thing, don't you think?"

His incredulous tone only increased her ire. Lavender shot to her feet, making her way to the door. "If you only wished to chastise me about a decision I cannot undo, Colin, then save it for another time. I am no mood for it right now."

He caught her wrist before she reached for the handle. It was firm enough to give her pause, to make her scowl at him. "I am only worried for you, Lavender," he said after a deep breath. "When I saw you entering the room by his side I couldn't believe that you would—"

"That I would what?"

Colin hesitated. Lavender pulled her wrist free and opened the door. She didn't have time for this. They shouldn't even be alone anyway. It had been fine when they were younger and had very little expectations placed on them. But they were both at an age where they should be married. She should be chaperoned at all times, not falling into old habits.

She didn't make it two steps out of the room before Colin came after her. "I'm worried about you, Lavender," he pressed.

Lavender stopped, turning to face him. The pitiful look on his face made her annoyance soften. "I understand, Colin. But there truly is not anything you need to worry about. "

"How can I not? Lord Derby's name runs rampant amongst the ton, Lavender. They talk about his dangerous upbringing and how it shows itself in his pastimes. Not to mention the fact that his estate is in desperate need of repairs. Clearly, he only wishes to marry you for your dowry."

That stung, even though Lavender had already assumed the same. "Many marriages are borne from such a desire, Colin. This time would be nothing new."

"I refuse to accept that." He took a step towards her. "Do you really want to be tied to a man who only wants you for your fortune?"

I could not care less about such a thing , she wanted to say. Instead, she shrugged. "It is not ideal but nothing can be done about it now."

"That isn't true." Colin reached for her hand. This time, he held it gently, brushing a thumb across the back of it.

Lavender resisted the urge to pull away but she couldn't stop the frown that crept across her brow. "Colin…"

"You are a beautiful lady, Lavender," he went on. "You needn't settle on the likes of the Earl of Derby. Not when you have far more respectable options standing before you."

Lavender tried swallowing past the lump that suddenly clogged her throat. The air had shifted. The frustration and confusion she'd seen on his face and had heard in his voice was gone. Now there was something tender lingering behind his blue eyes that made her want to tuck her tail and run.

She couldn't think of a single thing to say in response. The quiet stretched on uncomfortably with her hand still limp in his even though she knew she should pull away. He seemed no more eager to break the silence, waiting for her response.

Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, she heard a familiar voice. "Lavender?"

That was Alice. Relief flooded Lavender like a tidal wave as she pulled away and turned to face her friend, who was just coming around the corner. She drew in a breath to greet her but her words died in her throat when she saw the Earl of Derby following behind her with that constant scowl on his face.