Her jaw slackened—her traitorous heart gave a leap. Had she heard what he’d just said? “Pardon?”
Leaning forward, Edward clasped his hands between his legs and pinned her with a significantly hopeless look. “I want you to marry me, Alice.”
“Marry you?” She sat up, her brows lowering. “Edward. Why—why would I marry you? You don’t love me.”
“Love is a complication I do not need,” he uttered. “Alice, do you think that is all there is to marriage?Love. Most of our ton marriages have nothing to do with love.”
The stark cynicism sent a chill through her. He stared at her. Those orbs of his darkened with pain so sharp it felt as if theywere knives cutting into her heart. “Love is a dangerous thing, Alice. Love leads you into very dangerous situations. I will never fall in love.”
“Edward, I will not marry for anything but love,” Alice breathed, almost astonished that he would think anything else.
“Think of it,” Edward pressed. “You would be the perfect duchess; you are smart, you-you are practical, and unswayed by the biases of the ton. You have a level head on your shoulders, and Lord knows, the pleasures of yours I yearn to fulfill every night in my bed.” His voice was raw and cracking with need.
“You will have all the worldly goods you desire—everything,and the privilege to do as you please. You will be away from that horrid house and your sister will be above reproach with our titles behind her,” Edward finished eagerly, sitting up now in anticipation. “Think about it, it is the perfect arrangement.”
Her heart took another beat. “Perfectarrangement? But I… I care about you,” she whispered. “So very much, Edward.”
He let out a breath. “You do?”
She nodded, her eyes misting as her throat thickened with tears.
“Enough to marry me then?” He didn’t miss a beat in pressing his advantage.
“…No,” Alice finished. “Not like this, Edward. I won’t trade my heart for money or furs or jewels. A marriage is nothing if there is no love.”
“Alice, please—”
“Do you love me?”
No answer was forthcoming, but she waited patiently even though with every passing second, something chipped away at her heart.
“Do you love me?” she repeated.
“I want to give you everything you deserve and desire!” Edward growled. “Shouldn’t that be enough?”
“Not without your heart, it will never be enough. I-I shouldn’t have come here,” Alice choked out, rising to her feet. Skirts in hand, she headed to the door. “This was a mistake. I need to leave.”
Wildly, she burst open the door and dashed down the halls, terrified that Edward might pursue her and test her resolve, but when she realized that no thundering footsteps were chasing her, she slowed to a walk.
She hurried down the staircase, heart pounding, wondering if she should venture out into the back and find Penelope—just as the doting pair, shadowed by a maid, arrived in the foyer.
Instantly, Penelope caught sight of her sister’s distress and pulled away from Benedict. “Alice? What’s wrong? Your face is bloodless—”
Marshaling all her strength to smile, she hastened to say, “I am more overwrought than I thought I was once. I hate to cut your time short but, my lord, I fear I—we—need to return home.”
“Of course,” Benedict nodded soberly, hurrying to the front to have his carriage summoned.
“Alice,” Penelope whispered, reaching for Alice’s shoulder, her face awash with worry. “Are you ill? What is going on? You were only a little tired when we arrived. What happened?”
Shrugging her sister’s hand away, Alice shook her head resolutely. “Nothing for you to worry about. It is—”
“But Idoworry,” Penelope said, ducking her head to find Alice’s eyes—but she avoided her sister’s gaze. “I cannot see you in this state and not worry.”
“It is nothing—” Alice said desperately, trying hard to calm the pain under her breastbone. “Please, stop asking.”
Benedict returned, his steps hurried. “The carriage has—” his gaze lifted up behind them, “…been summoned.”
Penelope’s gaze trailed Benedict's, and Alice’s eyes followed shortly after. Edward was on the upper level, one hand on thebalustrade while he gazed down at them, his dark robe and hair curling at his collar, merging with the shadow behind him.
