Just a Kiss by Ally Broadfield Page A

his pocket and passed her a sealed note. “Maisy thought you might want this.”
    Charlotte glanced at the missive and grimaced when she recognized the writing. A pox on Elizabeth for continuing to try to force her to accept Horace. Did either of them actually think there was anything they could do to convince her to accept him?
    He raised his brows. “Do you wish to read it before we leave for our tour of the gardens?”
    Charlotte’s fury at Horace’s intrusion into her otherwise splendid day agitated her, and she took off down the corridor. “I don’t wish to read it at all. Not even if it’s an apology. Knowing Horace, he’s probably writing to request an apology from me.” She crammed the letter into her reticule, determined to forget it existed.
    Sebastian wore a pained expression as he hurried to catch up with her. “Charlotte, I don’t mean to pry into your personal affairs, but I must know to what you are referring, or I shall surely expire from unassuaged curiosity.”
    “Well, I certainly don’t wish to be responsible for your demise.”
    “Your sentiment is greatly appreciated,” he said dryly.
    Despite her annoyance with Horace, Charlotte couldn’t help but smile at Sebastian. His amiable disposition was infectious. She found it easy to dismiss her worries about her future when she was in his company. “Horace is Elizabeth’s cousin.” She waited for some sign of recognition from Sebastian. “She wrote to you to obtain an invitation for him to join us here.”
    Sebastian nodded, and she continued, “He’s been courting me all year, and Elizabeth has been pushing his suit, but Richard insisted I be allowed one season before having to accept him.” She paused when they reached another corridor and followed Sebastian when he continued to the left.
    His eyes narrowed. “What offense did he commit requiring an apology?”
    Charlotte paused and pretended to study a painting behind him of a former Lord Marley. “He was attempting to persuade me to accept his proposal, and he went too far.”
    Sebastian stiffened. “Went too far how?”
    “If you must know, he pinched me in a few places I would rather not name.”
    Sebastian’s face turned an alarming shade of red. “When I see him, I’m going to teach him a lesson about making unwanted advances on a lady. Why didn’t you tell me? I would have refused to include him in the invitation if I had known.”
    She kept her gaze trained on the painting. “I don’t think Elizabeth would have accepted your invitation if it had not included Horace. She is determined that I marry him.”
    Thankfully, Lady Marley had invited Elizabeth to join her for tea this afternoon, and neither Richard nor Horace was interested in touring the gardens, so Charlotte was free of all of them for the afternoon. She would not have enjoyed mediating between Sebastian and Horace.
    The haze of anger dissipated from Sebastian’s eyes. He raised his arm and placed his palm against the wall over her head, leaning close. “Regardless, he deserves a good beating for what he did. How can she want you to marry such a man?”
    “He is her cousin,” Charlotte said, “and she wishes to be rid of me as quickly as possible and with as little expense as possible.”
    Sebastian studied her face, his mouth lined with disapproval. “What would give him the idea he should seek an apology from you?”
    Charlotte turned away from his intense scrutiny, instead focusing on a maid entering a bedchamber at the end of the corridor. “I may have given him a black eye during the altercation.”
    “May have?” He raised a brow. “I consider myself forewarned to be on my guard around you. But a lady does have a right to defend herself.”
    She crossed her arms and held her elbow. “Of course, but Horace is a bit more primitive than most gentlemen. He doesn’t see things that way.”
    “He is certainly not a gentleman.” Sebastian tilted closer, so close his nose nearly touched hers. The