“You are dancing with him.” The man caught her as she stumbled once again.
The music ended, and he swept into a bow, pressing his lips to her knuckles in a way that sent a thrill through her. “I am Thomas Heathcliff, Marquess of Elington, and if you want your revenge, you should become my marchioness.”
His blue eyes found hers, and Vivian shook her head. It was all too much. She fled, stumbling onto the veranda, not caring about the handful of people staring at her.
She gulped down the cool night air, her mind racing.You should become my marchioness.
“A man like that would never want a woman like me.” She leaned against the nearby balustrade, her arms shaking. “Why would he?”
A breeze tugged at her dress, and for a moment, she swore she could smell amber.Fool.
“Do you make a habit of luring men into dark corners before you have even accepted their proposals?” an amused voice said from behind her.
She whirled around and found herself staring into the Marquess’s handsome face. The wind ruffled his short hair, and she realized he was holding two steaming mugs.
“I am not luring anyone anywhere; you are the one who followed me,” she pointed out, tilting her chin up.
“Well, I could hardly let my future wife disappear into the dark alone without making sure she was looked after.” He took another step toward her, and she saw a glimpse of his smile in the moonlight.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Stop saying that. It was not funny the first time you said it, and to come out here and continue the joke seems at best thoughtless and at worst unkind.”
“You seem rather convinced that it was a joke.” He held out one of the steaming mugs to her, but she did not take it.
“Of course it is a joke! You do not even know me, and you are proposing to tie yourself to me for the rest of our lives? No oneproposes to a stranger unless they are completely mad or they have something to gain.” She wrapped her arms around herself.
“Well, I am not a madman.” The man took a step closer, his voice as cool as the air around them. “Nor am I the kind of man to make light of such things.”
“I do not understand. Why would you do this?” Vivian bit her lip.
Why would a man like you want a woman like me?He was so handsome; surely he could have had his pick of women. Lord Elington placed one of the mugs in her hands, his fingers brushing against hers as he did.
Warmth spread through her body, and she was grateful that in the dim light, he would be unable to see the flush on her cheeks. Steam rose from the mug in her hands.
“Drink the tea, and I will explain. It is chamomile—useful for nerves.” Lord Elington sipped from his own mug. “And I thought it best we have clear heads for this conversation.”
Vivian sniffed the mug and took a sip, feeling the warm liquid soothe her. Lord Elington nodded approvingly. “The truth is, Lady Vivian, I need a wife, and you need a husband. Our union is therefore logical. You get security and the chance to show your ex-fiancé how wrong he was.”
Vivian interrupted. “And what do you get?”
“An antidote to theton’sridiculous superstition.” His expression darkened, and Vivian noticed his free hand curling into fists.
“What?”
Lord Elington’s lips curled in distaste. “Thetonthinks the men in my line are cursed, doomed to die young. This belief is affecting my business. A wife would make them believe that I was planning for the future, that an investment in me would be a sound decision.”
Cursed?Vivian’s brow furrowed. “And are you cursed?”
“I do not believe in such things. And I suspect you do not either.” He arched an eyebrow at her.
“Not really,” Vivian admitted.
She knew many people believed in such things, but could not quite reconcile the state of the world with the idea that they existed. After all, surely if curses were real, more men would suffer horribly after they spurned women? Yet as far as she could see, they almost always escaped unscathed.
Lord Elington nodded, drawing her attention back to the present. “You are a practical woman, and I admire that. I am proposing that we wed, we spend a month together during the honeymoon period, and pretend to be in love with one another. That will make your ex-fiancé jealous and cement the seriousness of our union with theton. After that time, we willlive our separate lives. You will get independence and freedom, and I will be able to conduct my business.”
Vivian’s heart raced in her chest. Her head swam, and she took a deep breath. What he said made sense, and there was no hint of emotion.
It is the answer to everything.She could have the security of marriage without any further obligation. But something held her back.Can I trust him?
