‘Most assuredly,’ responded the Marquess scathingly. ‘And just how is he going to do it?’
‘Well … I … I’m not entirely sure, but I’m certain he will come up with a splendid idea.’
‘Well, he might have done if I’d sent the deuced letter,’ interrupted the Reverend.
‘What?’ exclaimed Patience. ‘You mean you haven’t even posted it yet?’
‘I have to say I agree with his lordship,’ her father came back defensively. ‘The whole business was entirely too smoky. Didn’t sit well. Didn’t sit well at all.’
‘Damn,’ muttered Patience. ‘Damn, damn,damn.’ The last ‘damn’ was uttered with an accompanying stamp of her foot.
‘So, before we take this any further, mayhap you would enlighten me as to how many men you have actually lined up to do the compromising?’ Max questioned drily. ‘I mean how many individuals am I likely to be protecting you from?’
‘There is no one else,’ muttered Patience glaring at her father. ‘You may rest assured that my ruin is now entirely in your hands, my lord.’
‘Well, his lordship doing the ruining is unlikely to help you avoid getting wed,’ protested the Reverend, ‘and even if you’re taken in by his lordship’s pretty face, what exactly is he going to get out of the arrangement?’ He looked over at Max. ‘Truly my lord, I would not wish her on my worst enemy,’ he continued with a shudder.
‘Aside from the fact that she’s penniless and determined to remain a spinster, if you value your family name at all, donotput yourself in a position that might see you leg-shackled to such a termagant.’ He shook his head before finishing sadly, ‘Of all of her sisters, Patience is undoubtedly the worst.’
‘I’m certain she cannot be that bad,’ declared Max, feeling obliged to at least put in a token protest.
‘No, he’s right,’ nodded Patience. ‘I really am not marriage material for any man with more than half a brain. Much better that I turn your marriage proposal down flat – naturally, by then, we’ll have come up with a good reason - and disappear off to the wilds of South Devon.’
‘I was hoping we wouldn’t have to actually get as far as an actual proposal,’ grimaced Max.
Patience frowned. ‘Well, how else am I going to cry off if you don’t actually ask me to marry you?’
‘I was thinking of … well … of…’
‘What? Being discovered kissing me in the drawing room, or dancing with me in the garden, or mayhap simply walking with me alone with at six o’clock in the morning?’ questioned Patience helpfully. ‘Any or all will undoubtedly work, my lord. But as I said on the terrace…’ She ignored her father’s frowning interruption of, ‘Terrace? What terrace?’
‘…Any possibility of my discreet downfall will go entirely out of the window. I will be forced to turn you down publicly and humiliatingly before disappearing off into the sunset.’
‘You’re not really selling the whole idea.’ Max quirked a mocking brow.
‘But you will have your diamond and enough coin to choose whoever you wish to marry,’ continued Patience. ‘Andyou will have the added attraction of being a jilted lover.’
‘Jilted,’ repeated Max flatly.
‘Indeed.’ Patience nodded, getting into her stride. ‘Every woman you cast eyes on will be desperate to sooth away your heartache with her kisses ... and … and … more,’ she finished lamely.
‘Theand morecertainly makes the whole proposal a little more attractive,’ commented the Marquess drily, ‘but what guarantee do I have that you will actually cry off?’ Patience stared at him indignantly.
‘Has nothing I’ve said since we met actually registered with you?’ she snapped. ‘What part ofI really don’t wish to weddo you not understand, my lord?’
If her voice was a little too vehement, Max didn’t acknowledge it, content to simply raise his eyebrows and watch with satisfaction her resulting flush. Why it should cause him quite so much satisfaction, he did not care to examine. Instead, he looked over at the Reverend.
‘I am most indebted to both you and your daughter, Sir, for your willingness to aid me in what must appear to you a very havey-cavey endeavour. Please know that I do not follow this path lightly and am extremely mindful of the risk you are both taking on my behalf.’
His voice was stilted, and Patience could clearly see the battle he was fighting between need and honour on his handsome features. This was a man unused to either confiding or indeed relying on others, and she had a sudden longing to know more about him. He was almost certainly nothing like the man she’d assumed him to be.
Staring at him, she wondered what it would be like to share her deepest dreams and desires. To let another person in, to let themknowher. For the first time in her life, she felt the loneliness of her chosen path. Her heart stilled, then beat faster. Damn and blast, what the deuce was she thinking? She dared not wish for something she could never have.Anyman would quickly tire of her changeable moods, her oddness, and worst of all her runaway mouth.
She became aware that he’d stopped speaking, and his beautiful eyes were watching her intently. Specifically her lips. Her mouth suddenly dry, she coughed and looked to her father who was observing her quizzically.
‘So,’ she said brusquely, ‘are we agreed that you and I, Father, will attend the Earl of Bamford’s soiree? Will not stepmother wish to know where you are going?’
Her father gave a scornful grunt. ‘I doubt she’ll even notice I’ve gone.’
