Never Marry a Stranger by Gayle Callen Page A

obvious that she chose his title over love. But when he spent more time rebuilding his estate than paying attention to her, their shaky marriage crumbled even further. Their children—my mother, her sister andbrother—were the ones to suffer. Grandfather made up for his neglect by allowing them all to marry as they wished, and not always to success.”
    With a smile, she said, “So here in this cottage, when a simple university professor met an unhappy daughter of a duke…”
    “The guilty duke allowed them to marry.”
    “It sounds as if they fell in love.”
    “They did…I believe. But my mother came from a world where men chose business or gambling or hunting to take them away from their wives—not science. And once the scandal happened…”
    “Your sisters explained it all to me. The female corpse, illegally purchased.”
    He nodded, leaning on his pommel, staring at the cottage as if he could turn back time. “I didn’t tell you any of this before?”
    She shrugged. “You didn’t want to discuss it.”
    Slowly, he said, “I can believe that. When Rebecca was born, though I was young, I thought things were better between my parents. I didn’t understand then how two people could…give in to an old passion, yet not resolve things between them.” He sighed. “This is too strange, to be discussing my parents’ marriage and near-divorce like this. But you’ve been here, you’ve seen them together.”
    “And are things not much improved in the time you’ve been gone?”
    “They are.”
    “I have been…encouraging them to spend more time together, forcing them to talk on occasion.”
    “And why did you believe you could help my parents?”
    She heard the doubt in his voice and couldn’t understand it. Why wouldn’t his wife want such a thing? “I simply believed it couldn’t hurt. I thought they were two people who’d become used to their separate lives. If they could remember why they were first drawn together, perhaps things could be different for them. It’s not yet a success, of course.”
    “But it is much improved. And I have you to thank for that?” He tilted his head, smiling.
    She demurely waved a hand. “Oh, not entirely.”
    As they rode away, he leaned toward her, as if imparting a confidence. “You turned this ancient household on its ear, Emily Leland, just like you did to me.”
     
    After Matthew dressed in his evening clothes, he waited in the great hall with Peter, Reggie, and his father, until at last the women arrived. Lady Rosa and Rebecca were obviously excited, and Emily was feigning it well. Matthew almost forgot the point of the evening when he looked at Emily in the rose-colored gown that emphasized the tops of her creamy breasts and made her blond hair glow. He almost wished the evening were already over, so he couldhave her alone in his suite, to see where their earlier shared kisses would lead.
    Susanna’s demeanor brought Matthew back into the present. She looked like she was headed for the French guillotine, resigned and no longer fighting her fate.
    He arched a brow at her. She heaved a great sigh and donned a smile that showed every tooth in her head.
    He approached his sister and spoke softly. “I thought you only needed your spectacles for reading or painting.”
    “I do.” Light reflected off the lenses as she gave him a stare that was almost mutinous.
    “They hide your lovely brown eyes.”
    With another sigh, she removed them and slid them into the reticule dangling from her wrist.
    “Thank you,” he said, trying to be solemn.
    “Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes. “Do not try to make me believe you are only suffering through a brotherly duty. You are enjoying yourself.”
    “I always enjoy myself—now.”
    She narrowed her eyes. “That is another thing that is different about you. You didn’t even protest going to this dinner, when you used to tolerate them before. You haven’t even asked if there’s going to be dancing—you used to