Convincing Leopold by Ava March Page A

sitting across from him, his muscular frame nearly overpowering the chair. He could not conceive of what could have possibly prompted Randolph to feel the need to apologize.
     
    Wooden joints creaked as Randolph shifted in the chair. “Please, Arthur,” he said, his tone dangerously close to approaching a plea.
     
    “Apology accepted.” He could give no other answer. His relationship with Randolph was firmly behind him, and it would do no good to be so churlish as to not accept the man’s apology.
     
    “Thank you.” Randolph stood. “If I could ask another favor, please do not mention this visit to Thornton. I do not wish to incur his wrath.” A distinct wariness briefly pulled his brows before he lifted his chin. “Yet I felt the need to speak to you one last time. Surely you can understand and keep this visit between us.”
     
    “Why would I mention it to him?” Had he done something at the ball to tip his hand regarding his relationship with Thorn? Thorn certainly had not when he had pulled Arthur from his conversation with Randolph. The man had been all distant politeness. And it wasn’t as if he had been plastered to Thorn’s side the entire night. Had mere association been enough to rouse suspicion? But Arthur had seen Thorn speak to many other men that night. Surely Randolph did not believe all of them were buggering Thorn.
     
    “Because he is my replacement.” Randolph let out an indignant huff. “Come now, Arthur. A man does not lurk outside the necessary and threaten another with the loss of everything he holds dear for no reason. He made the consequences of coming anywhere near you again very clear.”
     
    “When did this happen?”
     
    “At Mr. Dunmore’s supper party. I would have never guessed it of someone like Thornton, but the man has quite the protective streak, at least when it comes to you. I can understand the appeal of him, but do be careful. He is the farthest thing from a model of discretion.”
     
    “A man can change.”
     
    Other than those four words in defense of Thorn, who had indeed proved the truth in them, Arthur held his tongue. He was not about to explain or justify or defend his relationship with Thorn to anyone, and definitely not to Randolph. Though now he had the answer behind Randolph’s visit. During the tirade Arthur could only imagine Thorn had unleashed on him, Thorn must have said something to make Randolph suspect just how hard it had been for Arthur when he had ended their ten-year relationship.
     
    However much he did not approve of Thorn’s threats, he could not help but want to thank him. It warmed his heart that Thorn had gone to such lengths to protect him, and he did not doubt for a moment that Thorn would see the threats through if necessary. Frankly, he was amazed Randolph had taken the risk in calling on him today. Maybe he wasn’t as cold and selfish as Arthur had come to believe.
     
    “And you needn’t fear Thornton’s wrath,” he said, resisting the urge to leave Randolph in suspense. “Even if word were to ever reach his ears that you called today, I will make certain he understands there is no cause at all to follow through on his threats.”
     
    Eager to be done with this particular visitor, he bid Randolph good day. Yet this time when he watched the man walk away from him, he did not feel even a twinge of that old echo of pain.
     
    He made to reach for the next document that needed his attention, but paused, his fingers hovering above the pile on his left. Thorn’s uncle’s “supper party” had been the night before their argument. Had Thorn overheard Randolph’s proposition? Arthur had not confessed how uncomfortable conversing with him had been until after they’d left the ball. Randolph had earned Thorn’s hatred over how the man had treated Arthur during their relationship, but had more than hate and a need to protect prompted his threats? Had Thorn feared he would go back to Randolph? But he had told Thorn in the