Page 18 of Surrender

“An offer I refused,” Genevieve said with distaste.

Her lips twisted in silent revulsion as she remembered Brockham’s annoying habit of constantly sniffing as if he had a cold. Not to mention his pompous, cocksure attitude when he’d offered for her hand. The boorish bastard had acted as if her acceptance was a fait accompli. When she’d said she needed time to consider his proposal, Brockham’s amazement had almost made her laugh. What the man hadn’t understood was that she needed time to form a reply that wouldn’t completely eviscerate the man.

“For which your mother and I were deeply thankful. You have no idea how worried we were when Brockham asked for your hand.” Her father’s expression said he’d found the viscount as repulsive as she had. “If you’d accepted his offer, I would have been forced to say no. Your mother and I knew you didn’t love the man, and he was unworthy of you.”

“My past makes me unworthy of any man who offers for my hand.” The flat, impassive words echoed in the air around her as she returned her gaze to the fire in the hearth.

“Never say that again in my presence.” The razor-sharp command made her start with alarm as she stared at him in astonishment. Anger darkened his face as he glared at her. “Your past is just that—it’s in the past. Whoever the man is you accept as a husband will be the luckiest of men, just like I was when your mother agreed to marry me.”

Genevieve had no wish to argue with her father over a matter that had been decided for her so many years ago. She shook her head.

“Nonetheless, you worry unnecessarily, Papa.”

“No, your mother and I worry because we’re your parents. Your happiness is important to us, Ginny. You might have been adopted and legally given the Rockwood name, but your mother and I love you and the other children no less than if you were of our blood. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have gone to the lengths we did to make you and the others a permanent part of the Rockwood clan. You’re not just our children legally, you’re ours in our hearts.”

A knot of emotion lodged in Genevieve’s throat as she stared at her father’s distinguished features. Swallowing the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks, she leaned forward and caught his hands in hers. In a silent expression of love and empathy, Genevieve met her father’s gaze then squeezed his fingers in a silent sign of affection before she lifted his hand to press his palm against her cheek.

“I love you and Mama just as much, Papa,” she managed to choke out in a voice that didn’t sound as strangled as she’d thought it would. “We all do.”

“Then allow me to be the father who judges every man who seeks you out. And Theo is the kind of young man your mother and I would welcome as a son-in-law.”

Percy Rockwood’s smile broadened into a grin as Genevieve stared at her father in shock, then scowled at him. With a hard shake of her head, she was about to object vehemently, but was prevented from saying anything as the library door opened.

The two of them turned their heads, and the moment Genevieve saw Theo cross the library’s threshold, she drew in a breath of trepidation. Her father was immediately on his feet as he gestured for Theo to join them. Genevieve jumped out of her seat as well, frantic to come up with a logical reason for fleeing the room.

“Theo, we were just talking about you,” her father said with a smile. Theo’s eyebrows shot up in surprise before he narrowed his gaze on Genevieve.

“I hope Genevieve’s observations as to my character weren’t overly disparaging.”

Theo’s mouth curled in a small smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes. Oblivious to the tension running between the two of them, her father chuckled.

“No, if she’d said anything derogatory about you, I would have insisted on knowing the reason.”

“I’m relieved to hear that,” Theo said as he clasped his hands behind his back. “Actually, I’m here because I was hoping to have a word with Genevieve.”

Theo’s statement made her heart sink, and her father eyed her with amusement, but said nothing as he bobbed his head in understanding.

“Of course, I shall leave the two of you to your discussion,” Percy Rockwood said as he leaned forward to peck Genevieve on the cheek, then picked up the Cadbury chocolate bar. Waving it in the air for split-second, he smiled at her. “I’ll go find your mother now, I’ve no wish to find myself in the doghouse if I delay in sharing this candy any longer.”

With that, her father left the library, leaving her alone with Theo. Hands clasped in front of her, Genevieve didn’t move, her spine rigid as she met his gaze.

“If you’ve come to try and change my mind as to our discussion yesterday, my answer is still no.” Chin tipped upward, she met his gaze defiantly. His sensual mouth tightened as he shook his head.

“No, I’m here because Jamie sent word from C. He’s given us a new assignment that requires—”

“Us? I told you yesterday I didn’t need a partner.”

“And I said you didn’t have a choice.”

“Then I’ll have to speak with C, because—”

“Have you seen the man since Wills took care of your wound?” Firm and unyielding, Theo’s voice vibrated with an emotion that bordered on amused complacency.

“No, I had to come to the Abbey the morning after I saw Wills. I was going to tell him what happened when I returned.”

“Jamie and Wills returned to London yesterday morning. They discussed your injury with C, and the man’s furious with you.”

Theo’s matter-of-fact statement made her wince. She had no doubt Jamie and Wills had made her injury sound worse than what it was. They’d probably hoped the leader of the Secret Intelligence Service’s foreign section would remove her from the field.