“You shall have to stipulate that. Whether we live together or apart.”
“I shall. In return, I will expect you to attend balls and dinners and the theater and whatever else with me for a period of at least six months. The marriage must seem believable, even if it is something of a—what shall we call it—a marriage of convenience.”
“Very well,” she said. “As long as we can limit the number of balls.”
“I am in full agreement,” he said. Then he extended his hand to her. “Are we in arrangement?”
She raised her hand and shook his, surprised by the strength in his grip. They sat that way for a moment, hands locked, until he let go and got up.
“I shall speak to your aunt now,” he said. In the doorway, he turned around and looked around the room. “You really are not made for parlors and dining rooms and drawing rooms, are you?”
“I am not,” she said.
They looked at one another. Then he dipped his head and disappeared from the room, leaving Marianne behind to realize that her life had once again changed forever.
CHAPTER 5
LUCIEN
“You are to be wed!” Mrs. Greaves said and clapped her hands together. “Goodness gracious, my lord! I am quite in awe! What wonderful news! I did not think you would listen to me. Who is she?”
Lucien rubbed his temple, having been entirely unprepared for the rapturous response of his housekeeper.
“Lady Marianne Langley. She is the daughter of the late Earl of Lowey.”
“One of the Langleys? Upon my word! Quite the reputation they have—quite the catch, my lord! If her sisters are anything to go by, I can only imagine that this household will change rather.”
“Change?” Lucien said, his eyes growing wide. Marianne had not exactly struck him as someone who was going to bring major changes to his house.
“Yes, well, the oldest one, the Duchess of Sinclair, started a ladies’ society. They were among those who had been trying to make life better for the climbing boys. And her sister, the Duchess of Ravenscar, of course, started several schools.”
He nodded. He was well aware of Rhys’s wife’s philanthropic endeavors, and those of her sister, but he had never paid them too much mind. In fact, when he met with Rhys, it was generally just with him. Charlotte was hardly ever there. She seemed to always have an engagement here, there, and everywhere. In fact, both she and Rhys seemed to have lives that were always busy. But Marianne had not appeared to enjoy that sort of hectic social life.
She struck him as quieter, seeking exactly what he sought. Could it be that she had a wild side to her, also? One that had just not awakened yet? His stomach tensed. He hoped not. The reason he had proposed to her was that he thought that she was like him—indifferent to society’s wants and needs.
“Lady Marianne is a rather quiet, young lady with a most retiring disposition. She stayed at the convent for several months, seeking to get away from all of this.”
“I see,” Mrs. Greaves said. “Well then, perhaps things will not change here after all. Although I am certain young Master Henry shall be ever so excited to have a mother once more.”
“She is not his mother. And she will not be. And I will not encourage him to call her so. She and I have an arrangement. We each seek something out of this marriage. She will be someonewho will live with us, but she will not be Henry’s mother. And I would encourage you not to refer to her as such.”
The woman’s face fell. “But the purpose of the marriage truly is to provide Master Henry with a?—”
“It is to provide me with a wife in name. I am certain she will be kind and gentle and a good friend to him, but not a mother. I do not expect it. I do not even know if she is particularly fond of children.”
Mrs. Greaves gasped. “But surely she is. She is a woman, after all.”
“I would venture to say that not all women wish to be mothers,” he said, aware that he was going to shock her sensibilities even more with his exceedingly modern approach. “You have none.”
“But I have you. All the motherly pleasures without the strain,” she said, and he chuckled.
“That is true. And I suppose that is what Marianne shall have—all the pleasures of having a child like Henry in her life without any of the obligations. I do trust that you will help her find her way when she arrives.”
“Of course. I shall prepare the Countess’s chambers for her. When is the wedding?”
“I am uncertain,” he said. “Within the month, I believe. I have only just proposed to her and spoken to her aunt. I shall have to meet with Rhys and the Duke of Sinclair to discuss the settlements, the dowry, and the jointure.”
“And then you will have to prepare Henry.”
