Taming of the Beast (Scandalous Affairs #2) - Christi Caldwell Page 0,119

moment. Their brother’s condemnation of Tynan would undoubtedly be how nearly all among Polite Society would have viewed any relationship Faye had with him. None of that had ever mattered to her. But Claire, the sister whom she loved and respected, responding with that same derision would alter the bond in ways she didn’t wish for it to be changed.

Faye, however, was proud of Tynan and who he was. “He was a prison warden, who was also imprisoned.”

A wry grin twitched at Claire’s lips. “Well, that seems an unlikely juxtaposition.”

“I coordinated his freedom and then sought him out for help with… an undertaking.” One that her sister had already managed to piece together.

“Along the way, after freeing this man from prison, you fell in love?”

Unlike Tristan, who’d been unable to blunt his reaction of horror and fury, her sister spoke of Faye falling hopelessly in love with a man who’d been imprisoned as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“He is kind and honorable and good, and he makes me laugh, and he makes me think, and he’s forced me to see the world in ways I hadn’t previously, and—” She caught her lower lip between her teeth.

“And…?”

“And he will not marry me,” she finished on a broken whisper.

“Because you asked—”

“And he declined.” What was worse, he’d questioned her love. He’d believed he was nothing more than a diversion for her, a fancy lady with too much time on her hands.

“Ahh,” Claire said. “I know something of that,” she added under her breath.

Puzzling her brow, Faye glanced over.

“I may have also asked the man I love to marry me,” Claire explained, gesturing to that same man she so loved, who fought off an onslaught from three smaller, but fiercely ruthless, children. “And though he declined at first, look at him now.”

They stared on at the enormous American rapidly tossing snowballs at his three younger, smaller opponents. His arms emptied of those white powdery missiles, the children made to dart around him, heading back for the easier targets of Faye and Claire.

“This is d-different,” Faye said tiredly. The winter’s chill, along with another fresh onslaught of grief, lent a tremble to her voice.

Claire captured one of Faye’s gloved palms in both of hers and brought it close to her chest. “In the moment, Faye?” she said softly, her eyes sliding along Faye’s face. “It feels that way. It feels like you are the only one suffering so, and you cannot imagine that you might ever come out on the other side of that misery, to have that which you truly want, the one person whom you love, whom you desperately want to love you.” Claire squeezed her hand. “And if he doesn’t embrace the gift that is your love? Then he was never, ever worthy of that emotion from you.”

Tears filled Faye’s eyes, blurring her sister’s face.

“Go. I will make your excuses.”

“Tristan—”

“Has been obnoxious about keeping you in his sights. Yes, I’ve noted.” Claire flattened her lips into a resolute, hard line. “Fortunately for you, and unfortunately for Tristan, you have a faithful sister who will hardly go about allowing an older brother to so stifle you.”

Going up on tiptoe, she kissed Claire on her cold cheek. “Thank you.”

“Oh, hush. That is what sisters are for. After all, you let me go off without saying anything.”

Collecting her hems, Faye headed off.

The rapid scrape of metal scraping along the ice cut across the laughter of her niece and nephews.

“Where is…?”

She caught that concerned question from her brother, followed by Claire’s admonishment.

Picking up her pace, Faye marched onward through the grounds and made her way back toward the carriage. The heavy blanket of snow made her steps slower, and keeping her eye on the ground as she went, Faye kept along the makeshift path of the snow disturbed by her family earlier.

She slammed into a wall. All the breath left her lungs as she was knocked back and went sprawling.

Dazed, she stared up at the hint of sun peeking through the heavy cloud cover blanketing the London sky.

How singularly odd. She’d never known there was a wall in the middle of—

“Bloody hell.” A tall figure came towering over her. “I bowled you over.”

Faye’s heart paused midbeat as she blinked slowly up at the man above her. For he wasn’t just any tall bear of a man. He was a familiar one.

In one fluid movement, Tynan bent, and effortlessly scooping her up, he set her on her feet. “Are you hurt?”