“Does it pain you?”

“It does not,” Celia replied stubbornly, tossing her head back. “Just a twinge from being manhandled by a monster.”

“If you are lying to me, I shall throw you up over my shoulder and personally deposit you in your bed,” he grunted. “Where you shall remain until I know for certain you are completely healed.”

“An impossible scenario,” Celia ground out. “Your concern is deceiving when you drag me along like a hangman leading me to the gallows.”

Gabriel’s gaze flared, an instant spark promising retribution for her insolence. But then his eyes softened. His grip loosened so his hand now cupped her elbow. “I forget myself with you, Lady Celia. Indeed, I forget my place. Forget I have no right to touch you or even speak to you. But you have a way of inciting all manners of emotions inside me. And I am just a man, after all.”

Celia sighed, her lips tight with annoyance. “Gabriel, don’t ever believe you haven’t the right. You’ve more than most men of my acquaintance.”

He appeared startled by her words, but Lady Caroline Robertson’s approach interrupted whatever Gabriel might have said in response.

“Ah, there you are! Come, come, let us get these games started,” she trilled, clapping her hands with delight.

“You are joining us?” Celia asked curiously.

“In a chaperone capacity only, my dear. And I thought I’d keep Mister Rose company. Surely, he attends for the sole purpose of keeping these young bucks in line.” The widow’s appreciative glance swept over Gabriel’s form.

Celia’s fists tightened. She recognized the lascivious glint in the other woman’s eyes.

“How kind of you, Lady Robertson,” Celia said, stepping away from Gabriel, although he seemed faintly disturbed by the distance she placed between them.

The others joined them in the corridor. There were more men than women but that wasn’t unusual. Lord Harvey hung at the back of the group, his dark eyes bouncing between Celia and Gabriel.

“Well, it seemed a necessary endeavor. However, do not worry I shall watch the participants too closely.” Caroline sidled closer alongside Gabriel until their arms were a hair’s breadth from touching. “I won’t ruin everyone’s fun.”

The lady’s true intent and interest were so blatantly obvious, Celia was hard pressed not to roll her eyes. Playing these games was not so appealing anymore. In fact, she’d lost all interest in the entire affair. Seeing the politely indulgent smile Gabriel bestowed upon Caroline sent a sharp ache through Celia’s heart.

And that was upsetting because the emotion stemmed from a tiny fissure of jealousy. It was something she could not examine too closely.

They continued into the library as a group, the doors shutting with a faint click of finality.

“What shall we do first, Lady Celia?” a young lady inquired. She blushed when one of the five men in attendance grinned at her boldness.

Celia sank onto one of the burgundy-hued divans. Her cheeks grew pink upon recalling the last time she was within the confines of this room. Upon this very piece of furniture.