Only Marriage Will Do by Jenna Jaxon Page A

the doctor, yes.”
    Amiable stood and paced to the window and back. This bit of bad luck changed things. They no longer had a chaperone, although God knew Glynis’s presence last night had made no difference to their actions. What would occur without her nominal guard? He strode the length of the floor several times.
    Juliet watched him with a brooding expression.
    It would not do. One option alone remained for them.
    “Under the circumstances, my dear, I believe we must abandon our plans to go to the Keep. You will return to London instead. You can stay at Dunham House until your aunt arrives, then either remove to her household or resume your journey north. I will offer my services as watchdog until she returns, although once your servants are alerted to the danger of St. Cyr, I have no doubt you will be perfectly safe from him.”
    She gave him a hard stare that turned his blood to ice. “No.”
    “No?” He blinked in surprise. Had she gone mad with grief? “Juliet, you must see reason. We can no longer travel together and definitely not as man and wife without a chaperone. We will be hard-pressed to return to London, which is only two days away, without the eruption of a major scandal.”
    She must see the sense of this. To return was their only hope. Her brows gathered in a pucker he had come to recognize all too well.
    “No, Amiable. I will not return to London until my brother does. On this point I am adamant.” Her stare didn’t waver. “Later this morning I will continue north. You, of course, are free to do as you wish.” She dropped her gaze to her lap. “I would relish your company and protection during the remainder of the journey, but if your conscience dictates it is not proper, then you must follow it.” She spoke in a calm tone, but under it he could hear the hurt, the anguish at being abandoned.
    “Damnation.” He swore softly under his breath and rose, pacing again. By God, he would hate her by the end of this journey. Or love her. Stubborn did not begin to describe Lady Juliet Ferrers, but it did show the strength of her character. God help her husband. He chuckled. Most likely he’d just asked assistance for himself. He certainly could do worse than such a marriage. Whoa. He refused to go down that green leafy path at the moment. Best keep to the crisis at hand.
    “Juliet, you know I will not leave you until you are in a safe haven.” He picked up the shirt that had fallen from the chair when she’d sat. “If that means another week on the road headed north, then to the north we go.” He stood in front of her and fixed her with the stare he reserved for the most recalcitrant recruits back in Virginia.
    “Both of us. Although the rules of this engagement have changed, my lady. After our encounter last evening and now the removal of your chaperone, we will be even more circumspect in our behavior and appearance.”
    She eyed him askance as she listened to his demands, and her face did not inspire confidence in him. Too passive, too timid, too smug. The smugness worried him most.
    He continued to alter their arrangement in the only way that now made sense. “We will abandon the pretense of a married couple. Instead, we will now be traveling as brother and sister. A married sister, I believe. We can then observe the proprieties with separate rooms.” He held his breath, preparing for battle.
    “I suppose that works as well as the other story.” She nodded and rose, acquiescing without a fuss.
    He had expected her to put up a fight. Would she ever keep him guessing? There were worse faults in a wife. Why did he keep thinking that? Why did the thought of such a marriage bring on panic? It might be the simplest solution to all their problems.
    They were good company together. She possessed a sharp wit and a delightful sense of humor, thank God. She was one of the most comely women of his acquaintance. Last night had shown they could make passion flame between them. And that crackling