“Quite the crush indoors.” He came to stand before her. He was equal in height to Aiden Trewlove, but his body was not nearly as toned, his indulgence in rich foods evident by the rounding of his stomach. Strange how she found herself comparing him to Aiden, and yet she feared in the future she would compare all men to him as he had a way of intruding on her thoughts at the oddest of times. The earl’s hair was a faded brown speckled with silver, and she rather regretted she wouldn’t see Aiden’s hair turn snowy white. In spite of having walked the earth for nearly six decades, Elverton possessed the energy of a younger man. Although his features sagged a bit and were populated with wrinkles, he was still quite the handsome devil. She could readily understand why it was rumored he’d had a bevy of lovers in his youth. But comeliness did not justify infidelity.

“Yes. I was in search of a bit of quiet.”

“I thought as much when I caught sight of you leaving.”

Yet, still you followed, denying me the peace I sought.

He glanced around. “As I understand it, a good bit of your husband’s holdings will go to the Treasury.”

“Possibly.”

He jerked his head back around so quickly to stare at her that she thought she might have heard the clack of his bones. “Are you with child then?”

“That’s hardly an appropriate question at a time such as this, my lord.”

“Quite right. Regardless, you are a young and beautiful woman. I doubt you fancy the notion of a life alone and without comfort.”

Oh dear Lord. Was he honestly on the verge of making a pitch at this precise moment under these trying circumstances that she consider marrying his heir? Viscount Wyeth, at eight and twenty, was nearer to her age than Lushing had been and was quite the charmer—

“Perhaps you would not mind if I called upon you.”

Had she been standing, she’d have staggered back by the forthrightness of his statement and its implication. “I beg your pardon?”

“You are the most gorgeous woman in all of England. It would be a shame for such beauty to be spent cloistered away.”

She had a strong desire to smack him for focusing only on her prettiness, recalling how Aiden had thoroughly kissed her without knowing her precise appearance. Her words came out curt with disapproval. “I am in mourning.”

“Two years is an ungodly amount of time to go without the comfort of a man. I can be most discreet.”

“You’re married,” she pointed out succinctly, bristling with the knowledge that he would be so incredibly discourteous and disrespectful of his countess. Did he truly believe that Selena would think he would treat her any differently after a time?