He had loved her. Mrs. Cuthbert had told her as much.

All this time, she had thought he wouldn’t marry again because of the sacred love he had shared with his deceased wife. But if she hadn’t even loved him back? What kind of love was that?

Not a living love. Not one that breathes and demands to be fed. It was a torture device, not happiness.

Lord Bryant threw open the study door and motioned for her to get out. She ignored him. “In all of your marriage and in all of the scandals that happened after your marriage, you have never been held, never been caressed by a woman who cared for you?”

“Leave, Diana.”

“I’m going to fix this.”

“I’m not yours to fix, Diana.” Lord Bryant’s hand was gripping the door handle so fiercely his knuckles were white. If he moved, the handle might break off and fall to the floor. “Plenty of women desire me. Women practically throw themselves at me. I’m certain you have seen it yourself.”

“Those women don’t care about you, not like I do. They are attracted to your money, title, and good looks.” Diana stepped gingerly across the study until she was within a foot of Everton.

He put his free hand on his hip and furrowed his brows in what she was certain was pretend affront. “You don’t care about my good looks?”

She smiled back, but she wasn’t going to allow him to scoff and return to their sparring relationship of earlier. “I care a little. But I’m here now, even though your nose is still swollen and puffy. We don’t even know what it will look like after it heals.”

“You said a crooked nose would improve my appearance.”

“I lied. Nothing could improve your appearance. You are devilishly attractive, with or without a crooked nose.”

Without taking her eyes off his, she tugged on her right glove, one finger at a time, until it was loose in her hand.

He swallowed, making the hard ridges of his neck more prominent. Everton claimed to know he was attractive, but she was certain that even he had no idea what the lines in his neck did to her.

He swallowed again. “What are you doing?”

She started removing her left glove as well. “You practically undressed in my office, yet you are concerned about me removing my gloves?”

“Why would you remove your gloves when you are on your way out?”

“Oh, that is a good question. Why would I?” She tucked her gloves into the belt on her waist.

“Don’t make me call Nelson.”

“Nelson is welcome to witness this.”

“I mean to have him throw you out.”

Diana bit back a smile. Nelson wouldn’t throw her out. The look of relief on his face when she appeared on the doorstep mimicked the relief on Charlotte’s face whenever she arrived home early enough to take a turn with the children. It was as good as a blessing.