emotions, old man. But I appreciate your thinking so highly of me. Also, I adore you too.”
His grandfather grunted and glared at him, but Cav could see the twitch to his lips. The playfulness that had always existed even if they quarreled. At least he knew he would have his family at his side if everything went…wrong…with Emily.
Cav pushed to his feet. “I cannot be angry with her, though. I don’t wish for you to be, either. After all, she has a right to her feelings, doesn’t she? I cannot and would not ever force her to try to change her heart out of some sort of…obligation.”
“But you are disappointed that she has left you hanging so long.” A statement, not a question.
Cav bent his head, all pretense of playfulness gone. He could not tease, not about this. “I admit, I had some dream in my head that I would declare my heart and she would immediately confess to similar feelings. Or that within a day or two, she would recognize the joy we could bring to each other for the rest of our days. I would have liked it to be…easy…after so many years of battling my feelings.”
His grandfather nodded and his expression had softened. “I would have liked that for you, too, Cavendish.”
Cav sighed. “But all I can do now is wait, isn’t it? And hope the cards fall in my direction.”
“I suppose that is all you can—”
Before his grandfather could finish, the door to the parlor opened and Cav’s butler, Jennings, stepped into the room. “Pardon the intrusion, Mr. Cavendish, my lord. You have a caller, but I wasn’t certain if you would wish to receive her as you have a guest.”
Cav blinked. The guest was a she. He exchanged a quick look with his grandfather as he rose to his feet and faced Jennings. There must have been a great deal reflected on his face, for the normally straitlaced butler seemed concerned for a brief moment.
“Who is it?” Cav asked, his voice barely carrying no matter how much he tried to make it seem strong and unaffected.
“Lady Rutledge, sir.”
Cav reached back to steady himself on the chair he had abandoned. His legs suddenly felt like he’d been at sea and his vision blurred slightly.
“Emily is here,” he repeated. “Well, please send her in. I would very much like to receive her.”
As Jennings exited the room to fetch her, the marquess got to his feet and smoothed his jacket. Cav blinked, trying to bring his attention back to the room rather than focus only on Emily, Emily, Emily, Emily…
“I will say hello to the lady and then I shall leave you,” his grandfather said.
Cav drew in a long breath. “I’m surprised you don’t want to stay here and involve yourself.”
“With this? No. But I do hope you will come and call on me and tell me good news,” his grandfather said. Then he stopped talking as Jennings ushered Emily into the room.
“Lady Rutledge, Mr. Cavendish, Lord Comerford.”
She stepped around him, her gaze finding Cav. Her eyes lit up and she smiled slightly, then she glanced toward his grandfather. “Oh, my lord,” she said, breathless. “I did not realize you were also here. I apologize for interrupting you two, I ought to have made an appointment.”
The marquess snorted as he came forward and caught both of Emily’s hands in his as greeting. For all his bluster about her, Cav could see the genuine affection his grandfather felt toward her. “Posh, my dear, I think you already know you needn’t have an appointment to call on my grandson. And I was just on my way out.”
“Oh dear.” Emily looked up at him. “I hope I haven’t chased you away.”
“Not at all,” he assured her with a glance at Cav. “You look lovely, as always. A very happy new year to you, and Cav, I expect to hear from you soon.”
Cav gave him a half-salute, and his grandfather snorted as he exited the room and pointedly closed the door behind himself. Which left them alone. At last. As usual. Only this time it didn’t feel normal or friendly or anything but charged as Emily clasped her hands before herself and fiddled with her fingers restlessly.
“Good afternoon,” she said at last.
He chuckled. “Good afternoon.” There was a pause that lasted for what felt like an eternity and then he shook his head. “God’s teeth, I hope we aren’t going to stumble all over each other like this. Not after all we’ve