Page 14 of King Takes Queen
“Not a gentle…man.” She was being evasive and would not look him in the eye.
He countered, “A man of any sort?”
“What does it matter to you?” She inched closer, and he took a step back. Moisture gathered in her eyes, but she blinked it away.
Blast, she was upset. He hated that she was unhappy, for he knew her sadness was all his doing.
Minerva spun away from him and faced the window. “The sun shall rise soon. I suggest you leave now, before you lose the advantage of the dark. You wouldn’t want to be discovered traipsing through the streets after all the efforts you have taken to hide away for the duration of our chess match, now would you?”
“Actually, I’ve been debating the advantages and disadvantages of conducting our game in secret, and…”
She turned back around with tears threatening to spill. “And?”
Why was she about to cry?
Women were a complete conundrum, but especially Minerva. He didn’t know what he should say next—he merely knew he needed to attempt to explain why he couldn’t marry her. “I should have left. Allowed the Head of the Foreign Office to banish me. I shouldn’t have issued the challenge to play for your hand. Nothing good can—”
Minerva let out a muffled sob, halting his speech.
He reached out for her, but she whirled out of his reach. “If you regret your decision, then leave!”
If he could leave her, he would, but his heart wouldn’t let him. He moved to stand behind her until he could feel the heat radiating off her back. “Minerva. Hear me out.” When she didn’t answer, he placed his hands on the tops of her shoulders, needing to be connected to her. He sent up a quick prayer he wouldn’t muck up the words he knew that needed to be said. “If you win, I shall be able to feign my return and reenter society, but I’ll have to endure a Season of standing in the wings as Isadora and Diana throw gentlemen in your path, and it will only be a matter of time before you deign to grant one of them the privilege of your hand.”
She turned, dislodging his hands from her. “I’ve endured three Seasons, and not once did you express any concern over whether or not I’d marry another. What has changed?”
Everything for him. An ultimatum by the Head of the Foreign Office and the risk of never seeing Minerva again had triggered a need for him to act. He was fully aware that, as he’d summoned her brother to his townhouse three nights ago, Kent would not be able to keep his departure a secret. He knew Minerva would come to his aid. But he still hadn’t resolved the issue of the threat to her life if they were to marry.
Hurt-filled eyes stared up at him. She was patiently waiting for an answer. His thoughts scattered into a thousand pieces at the sight of her pain. Pain he had caused. He should stay away from her, but he couldn’t do that. He wouldn’t do that. For a man who was supposed to be a brilliant strategist, he had certainly made a muck of things with the woman he loved.
“What has changed, you ask…” He employed the same tactic Minerva would use when she needed an extra moment to think.
“Anthony. Simply tell me the truth. Now, out with it.”
Ah, at least she wasn’t crying, and for the moment she was back to being her bossy, know-it-all self, even if there still remained a tear or two threatening to spill over at the far corners of her eyes.
Best not to delay. “My perspective on our relationship has changed over the course of the last two days. Two days of nothing and no one to distract me led to many, many hours of soul searching.”
He sighed and stared down at Minera. It was the truth. Bored to death with his own company, he’d had to face the truth: he wanted to marry Minerva. He simply didn’t wish to be the cause of her death.
She raised the back of her hand to her eyes and wiped away the unfallen tears. What was he waiting for? It was time he confessed his true feelings for her.
“Minerva, I…” The words stuck in his throat.
“You what? Regret kissing me? Wished you never issued the challenge? Can’t stand the sight of me? What?” She threw her hands in the air and twirled away from him, and then twirled back to confront him.
She was beautiful when she became this passionate.
Minerva jabbed a finger at his shoulder. “If you are so miserable in my company, then leave. Leave this instant.” She turned and marched to the door. “And if you are worried that the Head of the Foreign Office shall banish you if we do not finish our chess match, I shall happily agree to completing our game via correspondence. Then you won’t have to endure seeing me ever again.” She swung the door open and waved a hand, motioning for him to leave.
She believed he didn’t want to be in her company when that wasallhe wanted. How could she have misconstrued his intentions? How had he mucked everything up so superbly? Each biting word was like a stab to the chest. She really did not understand how much she meant to him.
Anthony marched to up to stand behind her. He bent to whisper in her ear, “Close the door, Minerva. I wasn’t finished explaining.”
To his utter surprise, she didn’t balk at the order. She didn’t turn to glare at him. Minerva quietly did as he asked and pressed her forehead against the wood as the latch fell back into place.
Without her mesmerizing hazel eyes to distract him, he stepped closer. “You’ve got it all wrong, my love.” Her shoulders stiffened, but he persisted. “I can’t stop thinking about our kiss the other night. I no longer care if Kent will hate me for the rest of my days for betraying his trust. I. Love. You. And have done so for many years. Please believe me. I want to win our match, desperately—but I can’t marry you.”
“I don’t understand,” Minerva mumbled to the door.