Earl of Sin (Lords of Scandal 6)

. “I must be to blame. My father, mother, brother, and fiancé are all gone. I try to do good in this world, but I must have done something terribly wrong to—” She couldn’t finish, a sob breaking free from her chest.

Diana wrapped her in a hug, Minnie joining until Cordelia and Grace had wrapped her up too. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” Cordelia said, squeezing the whole group. “Life has been cruel to you. You, however, have done an admirable job of rising above that. And it’s your turn for happiness. Don’t forget that.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks. How did she explain that Sin made her happy? Perhaps it wasn’t what they had. She’d just met him, but the idea of what they could build together filled her with joy. Though in her heart of hearts she wished for love, she was content to be a wife and a mother, and she’d make the most of this situation. “Thank you for saying that. I suppose it’s time that I confess to you he didn’t ask me to marry him.”

The hug loosened as her cousins stepped back forming a ring about her chair. “What does that mean?” Minnie asked.

But Diana let out a peal of laughter. “You asked him.”

Mary nodded. “My Chase sensibilities took over.” She twisted her hands in her lap. “I find him to be…”

“Gorgeous,” Grace suggested.

“Stunning,” Diana corrected.

Minnie tapped her chin. “Handsome as Sin.”

They all laughed. “And he hurts too. He needs someone to—”

“Oh dear lord,” Cordelia gasped. “Not only are you trying to save Anne but you’re going to help him recover from his grief.” She reached for Mary’s hand. “How can you not see how good you are?”

Diana pressed a hand to her shoulder. “And be careful. A man like that… It would be so easy for you to end up hurt.”

Mary winced, her mouth twisting into a frown. Diana was right. Her feelings were already involved. “He is attracted to me, I know that.”

Grace nodded. “That attraction could turn to love.”

No one spoke for a moment. “How though?” Diana asked the room in general. “What forces a man to develop such feelings.”

Cordelia tapped her chin. “Well, for us, there was an element of danger involved. They were saving us. Mary doesn’t have the threat of real violence hanging over her head but…”

Grace spread her hands in front of her. “What if we fabricated it?”

“What?” Mary asked, her stomach twisting. She didn’t like where this was going. “I don’t think…”

“She could fall into the Thames,” Grace raised a finger. “Or be in danger of a runaway carriage.”

Diana gasped and Mary was certain her cousin would put a stop to this madness. “Or we could have one of our husbands attempt to kidnap her so Sin would have to save her.”

“You’ve lost your senses,” she said. “We’re not tricking him in any way. It’s a terrible idea. After what he’s been through—”

“I think it has merit,” Diana sniffed, her dark hair glinting in the sun.

“That’s enough,” Minnie said from just behind Mary. “We’ll trust Mary to find her own way.” She leaned down and kissed Mary’s cheek. “But ask us for help, would you? You’ve done so much for us, don’t be afraid to ask us to return the favor.”

Mary nibbled her lip. In this, there wasn’t much they could do to help. Mary had gone and fallen in love with a man who didn’t love her back. Was there anything she could do for herself?

Sin sat at his desk watching the sun sink below the buildings in the distance. He’d spent the afternoon mired in reports from his land and the business, which had been a welcome distraction from his thoughts of the blonde-haired beauty flitting about his home.

He’d caught scraps of sound from Anne and Mary as they moved about the house. A laugh here, a crash there. Each one pulled at his legs, making his feet itch to find the two most important women in his life. He loved Anne with all his heart but he was beginning to think that Mary might claim it as well.

Which stole his breath. He pushed back from the desk, banging the chair into the wall behind. What was happening to him?

“Sin?” a feminine voice called from the other side of the door.

Mary. He skirted around the desk, crossing the room in a couple large strides. He yanked open the door to find her standing on the other side with her fist raised to knock.

He reached for her hand and pulled her into the room, closing the door behind her. After the path his thoughts had travelled, somehow holding her in his arms seemed the perfect solution to his fear over his feelings. “Don’t call me that.” And then he gathered her into his arms crushing her against his chest.