She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Whether or not Lady Abernath is justified in her anger, I am sure she feels abandoned by the men who left her. I’m beginning to understand her motivation at least.”
The carriage rumbled to a stop. Had they reached Daring’s house already? “This conversation isnae over.” They had so much more they needed to discuss. What had happened between them, and why he couldn’t marry her.
She held her face in his hands and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “It definitely is. Good night, my lord.”
She’d used his formal address again. No more Callum, rolling off her tongue. Good night had sounded a great deal like goodbye.
Diana slumped against the front door of Minnie and Daring’s townhouse listening to Callum’s carriage roll away. What had she just done?
She dropped her head into her hands. She couldn’t believe that she’d allowed another man to kiss her, touch her intimate places. Callum’s touch was so much more exciting than Charlie’s had ever been. Her first lover had been thrilling in idea. A man not intimidated by her and willing to pursue her relentlessly. But somehow the act had been disappointing. Not just when he’d taken her maidenhead but even the kisses, the touches, they’d been…tolerable.
Callum, however, made her body sing. She drew in a deep breath, vowing never to be alone with the man again. With Charlie, she’d somehow thought by giving herself to him, he’d offer. He’d been pulling away and she’d hated that. Now she knew he’d found a new romantic interest but at the time…
The circumstances were completely different this time around. Callum was not going to offer for her hand. Unless of course, she ended up pregnant. Not that she would. She’d have to take great pains not to end up alone with him again because if she did, she might very well be tempted.
She knew who Callum was. He was the owner of an illicit club, a man who would have to be dragged into matrimony.
Then again, Daring and Jack had succumbed. Even Lord Malicorn had married Cordelia and that man seemed far darker than Callum ever could.
And Callum already knew her secret. The one that had convinced her she’d never be able to marry. How would she explain to her husband that she’d fallen so short of purity?
Callum was attracted to her and protective? Was he her future?
She pushed off the door just as Minnie came down the stairs.
“How’s Daring?”
Minnie wrinkled her nose. “Terrible. The big lout.”
Diana pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. “Terrible?”
“He’s emptied his stomach and then dropped into sleep like a stone sinks to the bottom of the lake.” Minnie stopped in front of her. “I expected you to take longer. Did you behave yourself?”
Diana shrugged. “More or less. A man tried to rob us in the back of the club.”
Minnie gasped, “What?”
“Don’t worry. Callum had the situation well in hand.”
Minnie raised her brows. “Callum?”
“Stop repeating one word with a question mark. It’s annoying.”
“Sorry?” Minnie crossed her arms. “When did Lord Exmouth become Callum?”
Diana rubbed her temples with the tips of her fingers. “About the time he sliced some man with his short sword to protect me.”
“Oh.” Minnie reached for her hand. “No wonder he brought you straight here.”
Diana grimaced as she gave Minnie’s fingers a squeeze. The two began to walk up the stairs together. Part of her wanted to tell her cousin what she’d learned about Daring and Lady Abernath but she held her tongue. “Any thoughts on what the countess will do next?”
They reached the top of the stairs and Minnie stopped. “That’s an abrupt change of conversation.”
Not in her mind. “Apologies. The entire reason I wanted to take Callum home was to learn what Jack had said. I feel if I understand the Countess of Abernath better, I’ll know her next
plan.”
Minnie nodded. “Did you learn anything?”