wore. So he hadn’t been lying when he’d called it a family heirloom. Beneath the coat of arms was a lengthy description of the earldom’s history. Twelve names dating back several hundred years showed the lineage. The most recent showed Edward Kingsley as the current earl. A family tree outlined the latest descendants. Elizabeth Harlow had married Edward Kingsley and given birth to Tristan Kingsley.
“Heir to the earldom of Pembroke?” Was this real? She’d been kissing a man who was a peer of the realm of England? First in line for the title of “Earl of Pembroke”?
There was no way she’d spent last night making out with a future earl. No way . It just didn’t seem logical that he’d be here at Cambridge. Didn’t future earls have estates to run or something? What was he doing here? The British aristocracy, even in this day and age, tended to stay with their own kind. They didn’t date American girls. They might sleep with them quietly on the sly, but she hadn’t heard of them actually dating anyone outside their own social sphere.
“He’s getting a Master’s in business. Why would he need that if he’s going to inherit money, land, and a title?” Kat studied the photos on the Monarch website again. They were stunning, but had nothing on the flesh-and-blood man.
Her friend shrugged. “Well, running an estate is pretty intense. It’s all about business, so it makes sense for him to get a business degree.”
Lacy had a point. “Well, if he’s taking business classes, I probably won’t run into him.”
“Maybe not, but you have to stay away from him if you happen to see him.”
“I agree. But you were all for climbing him like a tree two seconds ago.”
Lacy shifted in her chair and brushed her hair back from her face. Only then did she meet Kat’s eyes.
“He—what’s that thing you Americans say—‘gets around’”? Besides, a man like him will be in the spotlight all his life, especially once he takes his title. He’s from one of the oldest families in England, and they don’t often marry outside their own kind. If I remember correctly, he’s supposed to marry a viscount’s daughter. Funny, I never listened to Mum before when she droned on about all this stuff, but now it’s coming back to me.”
A man who gets around? Those girls from the pub were right about him.
And one who would end up close to being royalty in a few years? That was definitely the last thing she needed. Someone like him, his life always under a spotlight, and society scrutinizing his every move…If she was with him, she’d be a part of that life. It wasn’t something she wanted, to expose herself like that. What if she let her barriers down and he got inside her heart? When they broke up, it would be so public. The thought made her shudder.
We never even had a chance to figure out what it might have been like to be together .
That realization left a burn inside her. She rubbed her chest and glanced away, hating that for some silly reason her eyes stung. She was not going to get upset about Tristan. Not when they didn’t know each other at all.
Trying to hide her pain, Kat laughed, but the sound was hollow. “Thank God, I’m too young to date anyone seriously. Besides, he’s not my type.”
“Tall, dark, and sexy is every woman’s type,” Lacy said, grinning again. “So he’s out for real, but at least we can fantasize about him.” She picked up her backpack.
“He’s too intense for me,” Kat admitted.
“‘Intense’? What happened? And don’t think about not telling me everything, because if you don’t, I won’t tell you what I heard when I was in your favorite bookstore.”
“G. David?” The place was Kat’s private refuge from the world. They sold all sorts of used books, including rare and antiquarian tomes. She’d spent many an afternoon there sighing over the more expensive editions.
“Yes. You talk, then I will,” Lacy said.
There was nothing like friendship
“Heir to the earldom of Pembroke?” Was this real? She’d been kissing a man who was a peer of the realm of England? First in line for the title of “Earl of Pembroke”?
There was no way she’d spent last night making out with a future earl. No way . It just didn’t seem logical that he’d be here at Cambridge. Didn’t future earls have estates to run or something? What was he doing here? The British aristocracy, even in this day and age, tended to stay with their own kind. They didn’t date American girls. They might sleep with them quietly on the sly, but she hadn’t heard of them actually dating anyone outside their own social sphere.
“He’s getting a Master’s in business. Why would he need that if he’s going to inherit money, land, and a title?” Kat studied the photos on the Monarch website again. They were stunning, but had nothing on the flesh-and-blood man.
Her friend shrugged. “Well, running an estate is pretty intense. It’s all about business, so it makes sense for him to get a business degree.”
Lacy had a point. “Well, if he’s taking business classes, I probably won’t run into him.”
“Maybe not, but you have to stay away from him if you happen to see him.”
“I agree. But you were all for climbing him like a tree two seconds ago.”
Lacy shifted in her chair and brushed her hair back from her face. Only then did she meet Kat’s eyes.
“He—what’s that thing you Americans say—‘gets around’”? Besides, a man like him will be in the spotlight all his life, especially once he takes his title. He’s from one of the oldest families in England, and they don’t often marry outside their own kind. If I remember correctly, he’s supposed to marry a viscount’s daughter. Funny, I never listened to Mum before when she droned on about all this stuff, but now it’s coming back to me.”
A man who gets around? Those girls from the pub were right about him.
And one who would end up close to being royalty in a few years? That was definitely the last thing she needed. Someone like him, his life always under a spotlight, and society scrutinizing his every move…If she was with him, she’d be a part of that life. It wasn’t something she wanted, to expose herself like that. What if she let her barriers down and he got inside her heart? When they broke up, it would be so public. The thought made her shudder.
We never even had a chance to figure out what it might have been like to be together .
That realization left a burn inside her. She rubbed her chest and glanced away, hating that for some silly reason her eyes stung. She was not going to get upset about Tristan. Not when they didn’t know each other at all.
Trying to hide her pain, Kat laughed, but the sound was hollow. “Thank God, I’m too young to date anyone seriously. Besides, he’s not my type.”
“Tall, dark, and sexy is every woman’s type,” Lacy said, grinning again. “So he’s out for real, but at least we can fantasize about him.” She picked up her backpack.
“He’s too intense for me,” Kat admitted.
“‘Intense’? What happened? And don’t think about not telling me everything, because if you don’t, I won’t tell you what I heard when I was in your favorite bookstore.”
“G. David?” The place was Kat’s private refuge from the world. They sold all sorts of used books, including rare and antiquarian tomes. She’d spent many an afternoon there sighing over the more expensive editions.
“Yes. You talk, then I will,” Lacy said.
There was nothing like friendship
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