His grace's frigid glance swept past her to include Nicholas, who met his stiffness with cool amusement.
"I am honored," Nicholas murmured to Aurora in an undertone, "that you chose me over him."
Before she could think of a fitting reply, Halford turned his attention back to Raven. His supercilious expression softened, and whatever he said made her laugh.
Aurora frowned to hear her friend's charming laugh. She didn't like to see Raven on such good terms with the duke, for he was still looking for a wife.
"She knows her own mind," Nicholas said, as if reading her thoughts.
Aurora shook her head. Most young ladies of marriageable age would consider Halford prime husband material, but she didn't care to think what his coldness would do to someone with Raven's lively spirit. "They would not be the least compatible."
"But then you might not be the best qualified to judge suitors, considering the state of your own marriage."
Nicholas was watching her, Aurora realized, his amusement suddenly gone.
His solemnity made her recall the urgency of his situation and what she had meant to say to him.
"I heard from Percy yesterday," she remarked. "The entire Caribbean knows you escaped hanging."
"I expected as much."
"Nicholas…" She took a deep breath, striving for patience. "It is only a matter of time before someone in authority discerns your true identity. Please, won't you stop risking your life and return to America, where you will be safe?"
"I would consider it, certainly."
"You would?" Her eyes searched his.
"Yes," Nicholas replied slowly. "I would leave tomorrow under the right circumstances."
"And what are those?"
"If you agree to come with me. As my wife."
She stared at him a long moment. He was all seriousness now; the charming rogue was gone. Instead he emanated the keen intensity she had noticed about him when they had first met, when his life was at stake.
"I thought we had settled this," she responded uneasily.
"No, we never settled anything. We agreed to live separate lives for the time being. But since then, I have come to reconsider."
This was precisely what she had feared, Aurora thought, dismayed. "I have no desire to discuss our marriage," she murmured, wishing she had never begun this conversation.
"Ignoring it won't make it go away," he said just as quietly.
Aurora shut her eyes, knowing it was hopeless to try to argue with Nicholas in public. "Very well, we will discuss it."
"When?"
She averted her gaze from his potent one. "Tonight. Come to my house."
"Your bedchamber?"
She nodded reluctantly. "That is the only place where we can be private. I will leave the window open."
Wanting to escape, Aurora urged her horse forward, intending to intervene in Raven's ill-advised flirtation, but her thoughts remained on Nicholas and his dismaying revelation.
Aurora paced her bedchamber, every nerve ending she possessed alert and on edge. Another glance at the mantel clock showed the hour was nearing midnight, and still Nicholas didn't come.
She had tried reading, first a magazine and then the journal, but she was too restless to concentrate. Her mind was churning, preparing arguments to use in their forthcoming dispute. She had to convince Nicholas that she didn't wish to be his wife, that she deplored the very thought of living under the thumb of a dominating, forceful husband. Only recently had she even gained a measure of control over her life, over her fate. And now he was threatening to take that from her.