Destiny of the Heart (Viking Destiny) (15 page)

Kristen felt incredibly uncomfortable with Derrick and
his family watching her, but she figured it was better than Lord
Bard making a scene and embarrassing them both further.

"I might ask you the same question." He replied
defensively.
"Lady Atchkinson and I came to have an early dinner
and ran into the Shane family. They invited us to join them. I
could hardly say no."
"Madam, you are a lady of worth, and you seem quite
straightforward, which I very much like. So, I'll ask you plainly,
do you have tender regards for Derrick Shane? Because I'll
not be fiddled about."
Kristen stared at him in open-mouthed shock. Whether
or not she liked Derrick, she certainly didn't like the tone in
which Lord Bard was speaking to her now. She straightened
her spine, squared her shoulders, and drew her lips in a tight
line.
Lord Bard knew he had crossed a line and mentally
cursed himself for his jealous outburst.
"Lord Bard, I do not belong to you. I am here for a
season, and it is customary for ladies to make the
acquaintance of several gentlemen. As to Lord Shane, he is a
family friend. I believe I've mentioned that to you before, and I
don't like your insinuations, or your tone." She said frostily.
Lord Bard's eyes grew cold and hard, like the steel of a
sword. His lips tightened, but he refrained from yelling at her.
"I believe I must excuse myself from our plans this
evening. Given the nature of today's events, I'm not feeling
quite myself and don't wish to ruin your evening. Enjoy your
supper." He bowed and left abruptly.
Kristen took a deep breath. She watched as the only
person on her list of possible marriage partners walked out the
door of the hotel, and she was certain he would not call on her
again. Whatever his impression, he seemed to think he could
control her, which she was relieved to discover now and not
after it was too late. But still, Bard's leaving did put a little more
pressure on her.
"Kristen?" Derrick asked cautiously.
She rounded on him and glared with all of the
frustration and anger she felt inside. None of this was Derrick's
fault, of course, but he just couldn't leave well enough alone,
and now he had caused her a substantial delay in something
she had very little time to begin with.
"Let me make something perfectly clear to you, Derrick
Shane." She said stonily. "You have just ruined any chance I
had at a decent marriage with Lord Bard. I'm not interested in
your silly games. I'm not a toy for you to play with when it
amuses you. Either buck up and accept the marriage contract
or leave me the hell alone. Either way, no more games. Do
you understand?"
Kristen placed her hands on her hips and never took
her eyes off of him. He had gone pale and then blushed
furiously. Kristen lifted a brow. He nodded. She stepped
around him and walked back to the table. She put a smile on
her face, though she knew it didn't reach her eyes, and
everyone at the table looked at her with concern.
"I do beg your pardon, your graces, but I'm afraid I must
take my leave."
"Whatever for?" Asked Nicole. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, your grace. But, I believe I've neglected some
responsibilities this evening and must return to take care of
them. I'm terribly sorry to disturb your evening." She looked at
Mel and told her with her eyes they were both leaving.
"Charlie, Oliver...it was nice to see you both again. Thank you
all for your hospitality."
Mel stood up and curtsied to the duke and duchess.
Derrick walked around the table and sat down miserably. Scott
flicked a glance between Derrick and Kristen, and then
frowned. As Mel and Kristen said their goodbyes and left, the
mood around the Shane table became a lot less festive and
cheerful.
"What the bloody hell just happened?" Asked Oliver.
"Like to know that m'self. Derrick?" Scott gave him a
pointed look.
"Yes, and what was that bit of nonsense about a
marriage contract?" Charlie asked, oblivious to the fuming
glare he was getting from Scott.
Derrick shrugged. "I messed up."
"I beg your pardon?" Scott asked.
"Look, let's just leave it be, shall we?" Derrick picked up
his glass of wine and took a long swallow from it.
Everyone around the table knew better than to push the
issue, but they were all surprised that Derrick had just let her
walk out of there. As if they hadn't seen and heard that
exchange between them. Scott was beginning to think that
Kristen was exactly what Derrick needed, but she was also a
smart girl. She wasn't going to fall victim to Derrick's charms.
She would have a ring or none of him. Scott was damn proud
of her, he was. Derrick may be his brother, but it was high time
he settled down and got out of the smuggling business.

***
The ride back to Mel's house was ripe with bitter
silence. Kristen was fuming, and Mel was at the center of her

anger. Mel was actually quite concerned.
"Kristen, do tell me what happened." Mel said.
"No."
"Why ever not?"
"Because you'll just find some way to help Derrick

rather than help me."
"Kristen!" Mel exclaimed in shock.
Kristen turned accusing eyes toward Mel. "Don't play

innocent, Mel. I'm not a fool. I can see what you're doing,
encouraging Derrick the way you have been. You were
supposed to be helping me find a husband, yet you have had
something negative to say about everyone except Derrick. I've
made myself clear on that situation."

Mel was stunned. She had no idea Kristen would be so
upset. Kristen and Derrick were having such a good time
earlier. She didn't understand what had happened.

"What did Lord Bard say? You were having such a
good time - "
"I'm moving out." Kristen interrupted.
"What?"
"I don't think I can meet my objective staying under
your roof. I'll find lodgings elsewhere."
"Don't be ridiculous. What will you do when Ashby
comes for you?"
"He could just as easily come for me at your house.
There is a country party scheduled for this weekend. I will
move out after that."
The carriage slowed to a stop as they reached Mel's
house. Kristen looked out the window briefly, and then opened
the door.
"Oh yes, Lady Sheffield's country party should be a
good place to meet some eligible bachelors. They always
show up for the hunt. When shall we leave?" Mel asked as the
footman helped them down from the carriage.
Kristen waited until they were walking up the steps
before answering. "I don't think you should come with me."
"What?" Mel asked, faltering on the steps.
"You heard me." Kristen hardened her heart.
Mel was hurt. She knew Kristen was mad, but to be
deliberately cruel, to shut Mel out, that just wasn't like her. Mel
could only guess it was because she was under a lot of
pressure.
"Kristen, that doesn't make any more sense than you
moving out of here. You will need someone to help you
navigate the list of possibles."
"Oh yes, because you have done such a fine job of that
already?" Kristen snapped.
Mel gasped and stopped short. They reached the front
door, but neither of them knocked. Kristen looked back at Mel
after she had spoken and felt a twinge of guilt. It wasn't fair to
be so cruel to Mel when she had just been doing what she
thought was best. But, Kristen was so angry right now she
couldn't help it. The words left her mouth before she could
think about them.
"I'm sorry." Kristen said curtly, and then knocked
smartly on the door.
Mel didn't respond, but tears streamed down her face.
She felt like she'd just lost her best friend. Had she truly done
the right thing, trying to push Derrick and Kristen together?
But, she didn't have time to ponder it further because Chester
opened the door and Mel quickly swiped the tears away.
Kristen walked inside and handed Chester her reticule
and jacket and then went straight upstairs. She hadn't called
off going to the theater with Derrick, but he hadn't come after
her either. She had given him a chance to pursue her, and he
hadn't taken it. She knew he wasn't interested in her for
marriage, and that was exactly the problem. Much as she
wanted to, she couldn't give him what he wanted. She had her
future to protect. And, she'd done a bang up job of that, hadn't
she? It was all well and good to blame Mel for this mess, but
really, Kristen was just as much to blame. She was the one
that was attracted to Derrick.
Kristen went to sit in the chair by the window. She liked
to sit there when she needed to think, and now was certainly
one of those times. Lord Bard and Derrick were out of the
picture. Having put things to Derrick the way she had, she
would be extremely surprised if she ever saw him again. He
was a rake, so it stood to reason that he would run in the
opposite direction with such an ultimatum. But, Lord Bard's
withdrawal was certainly different. He would have been an
excellent candidate, except for his control and jealousy issues.
She shook her head in irritation at the thought of Bard tracking
her down at the Albany as if he owned her. She would be
damned if she'd marry a man like that.
A short time later, Kristen was still sitting in her chair
when she heard a commotion downstairs. She could have
sworn she heard Derrick's voice, but that would be impossible.
She made it clear that she wasn't going to give him what he
wanted. But, curiosity beckoned, so she got up from the chair
and crossed the room to her door, then opened it a crack to
hear better. Sure enough, it was Derrick's voice drifting up the
stairs.
"I want to see her, Mel."
"Well, she doesn't want to see you. Now, I think you
should leave."
"But - "
"No buts. I've helped you enough and gotten into a
heap of trouble for it. If you want her, you will have to marry
her, and that's just the way it's going to be. Now, good night."
Kristen smiled. She could just imagine Derrick's face.
The frustration and indignation were probably lighting his eyes
right up. And, a little of her anger with Mel seeped out of her,
too.
"Now, Derrick....Derrick Shane, you get back down here
right this minute!" Meloney shouted.
Kristen heard Derrick pounding up the stairs and
quickly shut the door. She rushed back to her chair and picked
up a book seconds before Derrick burst into her room.
"You're not marrying anyone else and that's final!" He
bellowed.
Kristen looked at him calmly and lifted a brow. On the
inside, her heart was hammering so hard in her chest she
thought for sure he could hear it. Could it be that he had come
to propose to her after all? Had she been wrong?
"Does this mean you wish to marry me yourself?" She
asked, hoping that her voice didn't sound as breathless to him
as it did to her.
"No."
Any hope she had of things working out with Derrick
crashed, and her heart sank. She knew she shouldn't have
hoped he might court her; it was stupid for her to fall for him
even a little. She turned her head and looked out the window.
"Then I'm afraid I must marry someone else. Good
evening, Lord Shane."
Kristen was feeling dangerously close to tears just then
and did not want him to see her cry. She didn't know why she
was so emotional about it, anyway. She knew what he was
when he first refused the marriage contract, and then in the
cave when he made the suggestion that she should be his
mistress. Why should she have expected him to change? He
barely knew her.
"I will not be pushed out, Kristen."
She shot to her feet and glared at him. "I said get out. I
am done with these games of yours. The world does not
revolve around you, Lord Shane, despite the fact that you
would like it to."
Derrick took two strides across the room and stood
mere inches from her. She didn't back down, just as he knew
she wouldn't.
"And I said I'm not leaving. We're going to -"
Kristen slammed her fist into his jaw hard enough for
him to stagger several steps back. He looked at her in
surprise. She glared at him angrily.
"The next time I won't be so nice." She said
threateningly.
Derrick couldn't believe she had struck him, again. But,
he smiled slowly. He had finally managed to ruffle her
feathers, which meant that he was getting to her. He flexed his
jaw and realized that she had hit him hard enough to hurt. And
she thought that was being nice? He would hate to see what
she could do when she wasn't being nice. He winced slightly,
but was still impressed that his little Kristen was such a fighter.
"I'll leave for tonight m'dear, but this discussion isn't
over." He warned.
Kristen crossed her arms over her chest and jerked her
head toward the door. Her not so subtle way of telling him to
get lost. Derrick chuckled softly but left. When the door closed,
Kristen sank back into the chair and let the tears that she had
been holding back flow freely. She cried herself to sleep there
in the chair.
Chapter 17

The next morning Kristen and Mel left for the
countryside. Over breakfast, Kristen told Mel that she had
heard Mel stand up to Derrick and thanked her. Mel
apologized, though she felt it prudent to point out that Derrick,
despite his callousness, did care for her. There was no other
reason that he would show up after what had happened the
evening before. Kristen thought it was strange that he showed
up, but she wasn't willing to put any hope in Mel's words.

Kristen filled Mel in on what had happened the night
before with Lord Bard. Mel was outraged on her friend's
behalf. How dare Lord Bard track her down and cause a
scene as if he had some claim to her. Mel had thought him
more refined than that, but she quite agreed with Kristen's
assessment that he would not be the kind of man to marry.

"Don't you worry, Kristen. There will be plenty of
gentlemen at the country party. We'll get you a suitable list
together." Mel said matter-of-factly.

Kristen smiled but didn't comment. She decided it was
best for her to walk in with as little expectation as possible.
Instead, she enjoyed the drive and tried not to think about her
problems too much. Mel fell asleep across the carriage and
Kristen used the quiet time to read.