trap. He put the glass down in disgust.
“What does it really matter how she feels?” Edward asked, marking his page, then closing the book and setting it aside. “You didn’t agree to this marriage for any reason other than you needed money. I’m beginning to think you have illusions of turning this into some sort of love match.”
Rand shook his head. “It’s not that. Believe me. It’s that she seems to be so opposed to the marriage.”
“And you wanted her to fall at your feet in gratitude for bestowing upon her such a lofty title.”
“Yes,” Rand said, brightening a bit. “I think that’s it exactly. It’s as if she doesn’t have the least notion how rare it is for someone who is not wellborn to marry a title. One of her ancestors was an indentured servant. It’s as if she is doing me the grand favor and it is I who should be grateful.”
Edward chuckled.
“If not for the fact that I needed the funds, I would never consider such a low marriage. And neither would you,” Rand accused, immediately wiping the smile off Edward’s face.
“True enough.”
“For generations we have carefully guarded our titles, our inheritances, being careful who we marry, who bears our children. And now, based only on dire financial need, I am being forced to lower my standards. And I am the one who should be grateful and apologetic. Bah.”
Edward raised one brow. “Were you?”
“Was I what?”
“Apologetic. Good God, I hope not.”
Rand felt his cheeks tinge slightly and hoped his friend thought the alcohol to blame. “Not in so many words, but I expressed my sympathy that she cannot marry the man she wants. I should have told her to beg for my hand in marriage.” The moment the words were out of his mouth, he realized how absurd a statement it was and burst out laughing. “I really can be such an arrogant ass.”
“I will not argue that point,” Edward said.
“I rather wish you would,” Rand said glumly.
“It is one of your finer attributes.”
Rand smiled grimly. “I cannot wait until the next two weeks are over and we are on our own. Can you think of anything more tiresome than attending these American entertainments?”
“Now there’s a positive attitude.”
Rand walked over to the bank of windows and wished he were anywhere on earth but where he was. How he longed for the days when he was in London wearing his uniform, doing his duty for the queen and believing that all was well in his world, when he was responsible only for himself and his men. “I miss the guards, don’t you?”
“Fiercely.”
Rand let out a sigh, thinking about the girls who batted their eyes at him, the married women who threw themselves at him. He didn’t want to think of those days of near debauchery because it made him want to pick up his drink again. Or find a woman.
“I am getting maudlin, Edward. And I don’t like the feeling at all.”
“Women will do that to you.”
Rand threw himself down at the large couch, putting his hands behind his head and gazing up at the ceiling. “They never have done that to me in the past. I rather enjoy their company.”
Edward chuckled. “Try seducing your fiancée.”
For a moment, Rand was shocked to hear that he had a fiancée, and then intrigued by the notion of seducing her. “It would be wrong of me, not to mention nearly impossible with her mother hovering about.”
Edward let out a small grunt of agreement.
“It would be very wrong,” he repeated.
“Oh, no, Rand, I was only joking. You cannot think to seduce her. It is still too far from the wedding.”
Rand agreed completely and said so. But now that the idea was planted in his head—and other parts of his body—he knew he would not be easily rid of it. Seduce her. Get her to fall in love with him. Or at least not loathe him. He could think of nothing worse than standing at the altar with a woman crying silently beside him as if facing a death squad. If she loved him, marrying her would be
“What does it really matter how she feels?” Edward asked, marking his page, then closing the book and setting it aside. “You didn’t agree to this marriage for any reason other than you needed money. I’m beginning to think you have illusions of turning this into some sort of love match.”
Rand shook his head. “It’s not that. Believe me. It’s that she seems to be so opposed to the marriage.”
“And you wanted her to fall at your feet in gratitude for bestowing upon her such a lofty title.”
“Yes,” Rand said, brightening a bit. “I think that’s it exactly. It’s as if she doesn’t have the least notion how rare it is for someone who is not wellborn to marry a title. One of her ancestors was an indentured servant. It’s as if she is doing me the grand favor and it is I who should be grateful.”
Edward chuckled.
“If not for the fact that I needed the funds, I would never consider such a low marriage. And neither would you,” Rand accused, immediately wiping the smile off Edward’s face.
“True enough.”
“For generations we have carefully guarded our titles, our inheritances, being careful who we marry, who bears our children. And now, based only on dire financial need, I am being forced to lower my standards. And I am the one who should be grateful and apologetic. Bah.”
Edward raised one brow. “Were you?”
“Was I what?”
“Apologetic. Good God, I hope not.”
Rand felt his cheeks tinge slightly and hoped his friend thought the alcohol to blame. “Not in so many words, but I expressed my sympathy that she cannot marry the man she wants. I should have told her to beg for my hand in marriage.” The moment the words were out of his mouth, he realized how absurd a statement it was and burst out laughing. “I really can be such an arrogant ass.”
“I will not argue that point,” Edward said.
“I rather wish you would,” Rand said glumly.
“It is one of your finer attributes.”
Rand smiled grimly. “I cannot wait until the next two weeks are over and we are on our own. Can you think of anything more tiresome than attending these American entertainments?”
“Now there’s a positive attitude.”
Rand walked over to the bank of windows and wished he were anywhere on earth but where he was. How he longed for the days when he was in London wearing his uniform, doing his duty for the queen and believing that all was well in his world, when he was responsible only for himself and his men. “I miss the guards, don’t you?”
“Fiercely.”
Rand let out a sigh, thinking about the girls who batted their eyes at him, the married women who threw themselves at him. He didn’t want to think of those days of near debauchery because it made him want to pick up his drink again. Or find a woman.
“I am getting maudlin, Edward. And I don’t like the feeling at all.”
“Women will do that to you.”
Rand threw himself down at the large couch, putting his hands behind his head and gazing up at the ceiling. “They never have done that to me in the past. I rather enjoy their company.”
Edward chuckled. “Try seducing your fiancée.”
For a moment, Rand was shocked to hear that he had a fiancée, and then intrigued by the notion of seducing her. “It would be wrong of me, not to mention nearly impossible with her mother hovering about.”
Edward let out a small grunt of agreement.
“It would be very wrong,” he repeated.
“Oh, no, Rand, I was only joking. You cannot think to seduce her. It is still too far from the wedding.”
Rand agreed completely and said so. But now that the idea was planted in his head—and other parts of his body—he knew he would not be easily rid of it. Seduce her. Get her to fall in love with him. Or at least not loathe him. He could think of nothing worse than standing at the altar with a woman crying silently beside him as if facing a death squad. If she loved him, marrying her would be
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