Secrets of Seduction (Legendary Lovers 3)

“But you are having second thoughts.”

“You might say so.” And fourth and fifth thoughts as well.

A measure of guilt and regret accompanied Hawk’s subversive admission. The last thing he wanted was to disappoint and betray Sir Gawain’s hopes for him. Even so …

Ryder chuckled. “I confess I am not surprised. I never thought you two were suited in the least.”

“I am beginning to agree,” Hawk said with a grimace.

He had also concluded that he would need Ryder’s support to find an answer to his dilemma—or perhaps Ryder in conjunction with another of the elite Guardians.

“Where are the rest of our cadre at the moment?”

“I left Caro and Max on Cyrene, enjoying their newborn son. Thorne and Diana are here in England visiting his father, the duke. And Deverill and Antonia are planning a voyage to America to see his cousin Brandon.”

Hawk was about to reply when a flash of color above his head caught his eye. Both he and Ryder tensed as they looked up, automatically reaching for weapons they weren’t carrying, given their formal attire.

But there was no need to defend themselves from the lad up in the gallery sitting astride the railing. The boy was garbed as a pirate with eye patch and sash, but the short sword he carried was painted wood, and he looked to be perhaps twelve or thirteen.

“Isn’t that Sir Gawain’s great-nephew?” Hawk asked curiously.

“Yes, Timothy is his name.”

The boy didn’t seem related to his shy older sister, Amelia. Even as they watched, Timothy carefully got to his feet and balanced on the railing with his arms held out—playing at walking the plank of a pirate ship, Hawk surmised.

The incident brought to mind another scene from years earlier, of Skye when she was a young girl, almost falling headfirst over a gallery railing to his feet.

Timothy didn’t look to be in danger of falling. In fact, seeing he had an audience, he winked down at Hawk and grinned broadly.

Precocious, bold, and adventurous was Hawk’s instinctive assessment: the very qualities that might make a good member of their league.

“I’ll be damned,” Hawk murmured. A lad like that could be groomed for the Guardians with a good chance of success.

Which meant he could be free to follow his own path.

You may have found your way out. You could call off the courtship and still ensure the future of the Guardians.

Hawk waited for fresh regret to strike, but in truth, this possible solution felt wholly right. The one thing he was not capable of doing was losing Skye.

“I won’t be marrying Miss Olwen,” he said aloud, as if testing his decision. And with his declaration, he felt as if a great burden had been lifted from his chest.

Ryder slapped his back again. “Very glad you’ve come to your senses, old fellow. An arranged marriage is a high price to pay for the privilege of commanding the Guardians.”

Hawk’s mouth twisted in a wry grimace. “Sir Gawain will need to be persuaded.”

“I will be happy to help you try.”

“No, this is something I must do myself. I shall call on him in the morning and present my idea. Meanwhile, I have a proposition for you to consider regarding young Timothy.…”

Sir Gawain’s face fell the moment he saw Hawk the next morning. “I can guess why you have come,” the baronet said with a heavy sigh. “I realized that Amelia was not the right wife for you when I observed you together last evening. Your union was clearly wishful thinking on my part.”

“A laudable wish, sir,” Hawk replied sincerely. “Your desire to secure the league’s future is supremely admirable. But it would not be fair to your niece to wed only for political reasons, no matter how admirable. Furthermore,” he added, venturing to honestly explain his motives, “I have my own personal reasons for wishing to withdraw from my commitment to you. I want to be free to marry for love, and I could never love your niece.”

Sir Gawain’s gaze turned searching. “If so, it would be unfair to you as well. In my own defense, I never expected you would love again.”

“Nor did I.”

The simple fact was, he couldn’t marry elsewhere when his heart belonged to Skye. She had carved a place in his heart against his will. “I am truly sorry, Sir Gawain, but I must ask you to release me from our plan.”