Married By Midnight by Julianne MacLean Page A

she were the most witty person on earth, and she wondered if something had been added to the hot cider back at the church hall.
    The duchess patted her hand. “It’s nothing outrageous, Lady Anne. We simply want you to know that you are welcome to stay at Pembroke Palace as long as you wish. We understand that you signed some sort of document agreeing to leave after the wedding when Garrett returns to Greece, but those terms were drawn up before any of us had a chance to meet you. Devon and Blake quite agree that you fit in well here.
    “ We feel that if you marry Garrett, you should be treated as a true member of the family. I daresay you will be my beloved daughter-in-law whether or not my son remains in England. We therefore want you to know that we would all be honored and pleased if you were to decide to remain here with us.”
    Anne couldn’t speak for a moment. This was wholly unexpected. “Does Garrett know about this? Has he agreed to it as well?”
    Charlotte and the duchess locked gazes. Anne knew immediately that the answer was no.
    “ We haven’t spoken to him about it yet,” Charlotte explained. “Mostly because we don’t want to put pressure on him. We are quite sure he has not changed his mind about returning to Greece. At least not yet. He says he still wants to remain a bachelor and live elsewhere.”
    “ Which is why it won’t make any difference to him whether you stay or go,” the duchess added.
    Anne cleared her throat. “I will have to consult the terms of the contract, but I believe it stipulates that I, too, will live elsewhere. If I stay, I could be in breach, and therefore would lose the annuity that is promised to me.”
    The others were quiet.
    “ Perhaps we could draw up a new contract that allows you more freedom to live where you choose?” Chelsea suggested.
    “ Garrett would have to sign it,” Anne replied, “and I am not comfortable proposing such a thing to him. Please do not misunderstand—I like your son very much, Adelaide. But I do not wish to burden him or put him in an awkward situation should he not wish to change the terms. I really think we should leave everything as it is.” She paused, then shook her head. “He does not want a true wife, and I do not wish to try and change his mind.”
    But why not? she asked herself. Wouldn’t it be a dream come true to have him as a husband who would genuinely love her, pleasure her, share a bed with her, be devoted to her?
    Of course it would be, but that was nothing but a pipe dream, an existence he did not want, and she certainly didn’t come here to put herself in the painful position of getting her heart broken again. She had resolved to be independent and not rely on any man, for she had suffered at the hands of every man she had ever trusted.
    She’d already made things more difficult for herself by kissing Garrett and dreaming about him romantically, but she could not rely on him to rescue her.
    An uncomfortable silence ensued while the coach wheels sliced through the soft, melting snow.
    “ But you both seem so well-suited to each other,” Charlotte said with disappointment. “I thought perhaps there was a chance you might fall in love, and that he might choose to stay as well.”
    Anne regarded Charlotte with understanding. “It is clear you love your brother very much,” she said. “I cannot blame you. He is a wonderful man, but the truth is...I cannot pin my hopes on him. He has made it clear to me that he is not seeking a life of matrimony in the conventional sense. Please understand that I must protect myself.”
    Eventually, the duchess patted her hand. “We understand,” she reluctantly said. “But this offer will remain in effect. Once you marry my son, you will always be welcome here, Anne. If you ever want for anything, anything at all, you need only ask.”
    Anne thanked her and gazed out the window. It was important that she try and forget about their proposition, for it would not be wise to