Page 68 of The Rogue’s Offer

“The truth is never an insult, Gilchrist. You’re as stubborn as you are blind. What would you say if I said Ophelia is not going to be the next Countess of Chelmsford?”

The earl’s words took a moment to sink in as Mathias stared at his enemy in bewildered silence. Ophelia wasn’t going to marry Chelmsford. But why? With a look of annoyed disgust, Chelmsford narrowed his gaze as he stood up.

“Do you love her or not?” The earl bit out his question in a display of impatient exasperation.

“Yes.” The word was a guttural sound as Mathias met the man’s gaze.

“Good. If you’d said no, I think I would have been the one challenging you to a bout in the ring,” Chelmsford said sharply. “I’m quite fond of Ophelia, but she refuses to marry a man she doesn’t love.”

“She said she’d never marry again,” Mathias bit out between clenched teeth as he remembered how emphatic Ophelia had been on the topic.

“And so when you thought she’d agreed to marry me, you assumed the worst about her and her character.” The earl’s gaze hardened as he studied Mathias. “I’ve no idea why she loves you, Gilchrist, but she does.”

Mathias jerked at the man’s statement, his head not quite comprehending everything that had occurred in the past few moments. Was it possible? Did Ophelia really love him or was Chelmsford mistaken. His questions must have been visible on his face as the earl’s expression became one of extreme annoyance.

“For God’s sake, man, I’ve no reason to lie to you.”

“Where is she?” Mathias growled as his mind grappled with the revelation Chelmsford had just shared. “Why isn’t she here tonight?”

“She refused to come because whatever you said to her the night of the Meacham affair nearly destroyed her.”

The sharp words filled Mathias with a deeply stark guilt. He’d been a bastard. He’d treated her with the same contempt her husband had simply because he’d not had the courage to ask her if she’d agreed to marry Chelmsford. The only question now was whether she loved him enough to forgive him.

“You don’t deserve her, you know.” The earl’s quiet words made Mathias meet the man’s judgmental gaze and he nodded.

“You’re right. I don’t. But I’ll do everything in my power to be a man who does.”

“See to it that you do, unless you want to meet me in the ring, and I can assure you, I’ll be quite unforgiving.”

The threat tugged a small smile to Mathias’s lips. With a nod of understanding, he turned away and headed for the main hall. Behind him, Chelmsford said something, but he didn’t pay any attention. When he reached the hall, he waited impatiently for Madison to summon a hack for him. Louisa emerged from the parlor to stare at him in surprise.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yes, I’ve something to do.”

“If your errand is what I think it is, she’s not there,” Louisa said quietly.

“What do you mean?” Mathias’s muscles grew taut as he waited for the youngest Rockwood to answer his question. A look of sympathy swept across his friend’s face.

“She left London almost a week ago.”

“Where are you going Mathias?” The quiet sound of his brother’s voice echoed behind him and he looked over his shoulder to see Charles and Percy moving toward him.

“He’s going to after Ophelia, and I can only say it’s about time,” Louisa said with a note of pleased satisfaction before her pleased expression dimmed slightly. “Unfortunately he’s not going to see her tonight.”

“What in heaven’s name are the lot of you doing in the foyer?” Constance exclaimed as she stepped out into the hall. The moment she saw Mathias with his hat in hand, she narrowed her gaze at him. “You’re leaving so soon, Mathias?”

“He’s finally come to his senses, and is going after Ophelia.” Her sister’s proclamation made Constance smile with happiness. She didn’t get the opportunity to respond as Lady’s Stewart’s voice echoed out from the doorway of the parlor.

“Ach, now, what in the name of all the Stewarts is going on out here?”

Lady Stewart stepped into the hallway as curious dinner guests gathered in the salon’s open doorway. Mathias experienced a sudden sensation of being cornered, and the sound of Madison’s quiet voice announcing a hack was waiting for him made him expel a harsh sigh of relief. He caught Louisa’s hand and kissed it quickly.

“Please convey my thanks to the earl and countess for a delightful meal, and a…most enlightening evening,” he said as he saw the Earl of Chelmsford walk out of the dining room followed by Sebastian.

Unwilling to answer any more questions, Mathias nodded at the earl as their eyes met across the distance before he hurried out the door. He had just reached the sidewalk when he realized he didn’t have the faintest idea where to find Ophelia.

“Mathias. Wait.” At the sound of his name, he turned to see Louisa hurry down the stoop toward him. She halted in from of him as she shook her head in amusement. “Don’t you want to know where to find her?”

“Where is she?” he demanded in a no-nonsense tone.

“She’s gone to Marymont. Leave town as you would if you were going to Melton Park. When you reach the road leading to the family estate, take the right fork. Marymont is about five miles from there. You’ll be able to see the house from the road.” Louisa kissed him on the cheek, and gratitude surged through him.

“Thank you,” he said softly. Without waiting for her reply, he climbed into the hack and ordered the driver to take him to Thornbury Place. He had plans to make if he was to leave town at dawn.