She didn’t want to fall into that trap.
“That is your only plan?” she said, avoiding giving him an answer. “That is a weak attempt. Can you not come up with anything else?”
Douglas had to admit that her refusal to play along disappointed him. More than that, it hurt his feelings.Imagine that! Me—with hurt feelings!He almost laughed at himself but couldn’t seem to manage it. Shrugging his big shoulders, he shook his head and turned away.
“I do not,” he said. “I am sorry that pretending to be in love with me is such an appalling prospect. I did not mean to offend you.”
He was starting to walk away again, and Mira followed. “You did not,” she said. “Don’t be silly. I simply meant that I do not think they will believe it.”
“Why not?”
“Because you are Douglas de Lohr. I am no one of note.”
He came to a stop and looked at her. “That is not true,” he said. “You are Lady Misery Isabella Rosalie d’Avignon. Your family hails from Lincolnshire and your father was Lord Wygate of Wygate Castle. You are of noble birth.”
Her brow furrowed. “Who told you that?”
He threw a thumb in the direction of the gatehouse, or keep, or both. “Le Kerque,” he said. “He says your uncle was none other than Caius d’Avignon of Hawkstone Castle.”
She nodded. “He was.”
“He and my father were friends, you know.”
She shook her head. “I did not,” she said. “But I do not like le Kerque telling you about my background. That should come from me.”
Douglas braced his big legs apart, folding his arms over his chest. “He wasn’t gossiping if that concerns you,” he said. “We met shortly after I was stationed here and he told me about everyone of note who lives here simply to orient me. I know about you, about Lady Astoria, Lady Helen, and the rest of them. Would you rather have me not give a lick about any of you and treat you all like dirt?”
“That isnotwhat I meant.”
“Then whatdoyou mean?”
She sighed sharply. Douglas was a forthright man and when he was correct, which was always, he could get a bit confrontational when challenged. Not that it had ever really happened between them, but she’d seen it happen with others. Eric le Kerque was one. Eric had trained men unchallenged for several years, and when Douglas made a suggestion one day, probably a correct suggestion on weapon management, Eric had pushed it aside and Douglas had taken offense. The castle was still talking about it. Eric had eventually backed down and the two of them got along well enough, but Douglas was clearly a man used to having his way in all things.
Truth was, so was Mira.
“I simply meant that if you were curious about me, then I would hope you would ask me directly,” she said. “I will tell you everything you wish to know, so let me explain to you why no one would believe you could consider me a marital prospect.”
Douglas cocked a blond eyebrow, an imperious gesture. “Go ahead,” he said. “I am listening.”
Mira cocked an eyebrow, too. “First of all, I am not an heiress,” she said. “I am not anything. Everything went to my brother, Payne. Secondly, when I finished fostering with LadyIsabel, I returned home to Wygate only to discover that my mother had taken another husband who had a daughter a little younger than I, and she immediately became very hateful against me. She told my mother that I had threatened her and intimidated her, and my mother believed her. She sent me back to Lady Isabel. Have you not wondered why I’m still here at my age? It is because my mother’s new husband did not want me around. So I am here.”
“What did your brother have to say about it? He is lord of Wygate, is he not?”
“He is,” she said. “But even he could see what a fuss that girl was making over me. He told me I could stay if I wanted to, but I chose to return to Axminster where I was happy.”
“I see,” he said. “But all of this still does not explain why you feel you are an undesirable marital prospect.”
She looked at him as if he were daft. “Did you not just hear me?”
“I heard everything.”
“Then it should be clear to you.”
He shook his head. “The only thing clear to me is that you find me to be a disgusting creature you could never be in love with,” he said. “I am sorry that I am so appalling, my lady.”
She scowled. “You are ridiculous.”
“Is that so?”
