“It is the truth,” Lewis said. “I need a duchess anyway, so I might as well match with your sister. Because of her incident at the lake, our names are already attached to one another.”
“They would not have been if you had not jumped in the lake after me!” Lady Bridget argued. “This matter was as much your own fault as it was mine.”
While her words were certain, Lady Bridget’s eyes reflected uncertainty. Lewis doubted that she truly believed they were both equally at fault.
“Do you have a point, my lady?” Lewis asked. “Regardless of how the incident happened, it has. It is too late to change it or how thetonreacted to it.”
Lady Bridget’s jaw tightened. Her eyes snapped to her brother. “This is the worst proposal in the history of the world, and I deserve better.”
“Bridget,” Elias said in a warning tone.
Oh, it seemed as though he was finally going to chastise his sister for behaving in such an inappropriately brazen manner! Better late than never.
“Lady Bridget is a very romantic young lady,” the Duchess said gently. “It is understandable that she would be disappointed.”
“But we are grateful for the proposal, nonetheless,” Elias said, giving his sister a quick glance. “As I have said, I cannot offer you an answer now. This is a very serious matter, as I am certain you understand, and I think that we ought to discuss it tomorrow after we have all had some time to consider the idea.”
“Perhaps over dinner?” the Duchess of Greenway added. “We do enjoy entertaining company.”
Lewis resisted the impulse to roll his eyes at the lovestruck note in the young lady’s voice. The gossip said that Gerard, the notorious rake, had transformed into a devoted husband after his marriage with Elias’s eldest sister, but Lewis did not believe it.
Love was the stuff of fairy tales and silly novels for ladies. It did not really exist, and even if it did, Lewis would not want it. Helikedwho he was, and he had no desire to change his entire being to accommodate the attentions of some woman, much less one whom he had known for only a handful of months, as was true of Gerard and his bride.
But the Duchess of Greenway was, at least, a mature and nurturing woman. Of all the family members, she appeared to be the one with the most sense who was at least eager to discuss the situation and come to a resolution. She would have made him a perfectly suitable bride, unlike Lady Bridget.
“Yes,” Gerard said, at last joining the conversation. “Would you be willing to join us for dinner, Wheelton? We can discuss the matter more thoroughly then, and Lady Bridget will have more time to consider your very thoughtful offer.”
Lady Bridget opened her mouth, doubtlessly preparing to protest, but her brother, as well as Gerard, silenced her with a look. Even though she complied, that spark of defiance still burned strongly in her eyes.
“I do not like being asked to wait,” Lewis said in a clipped tone. “Besides, I do not believe that the lady’s opinion will be improved at all. She does not seem to appreciate is the precariousness of her position.”
“After she has given it some thought, she might,” Elias said.
“I would rather die than marry you,” Lady Bridget said.
Lewis smiled thinly. He had never met such an overly dramatic woman in his life! “That is unfortunate, for I am certain you will realize that you have no other choice than to marry me.”
“Tomorrow,” Elias insisted. It was impossible to say if his weary expression was directed toward Lady Bridget or Lewis himself. “We will reconvene, then. Please. It has been a trying day for everyone, and I think we all wish it to end.”
Lewis could not argue with that point, for it had been an exhausting day. He had wanted it to end the moment he enteredhis townhouse, but as he had removed his sodden clothes, it had occurred to him that his reputation might be besmirched if he did not promptly attempt to set things right with Lady Bridget and her family.
He resisted the urge to run a hand through his hair, still wet and dripping little droplets of water down the back of his neck.
“As you wish,” Lewis said. “I will return tomorrow for dinner, and we may discuss the finer points of my proposal and the lady’s dowry.”
Elias smiled, his face softening with relief. “Thank you.”
Lewis strongly suspected that the man had no intention of trying to explain to Lady Bridget the reality of her situation. In all likelihood, Elias was playing for time, so he could find some other solution. Lewis was quite certain there was none, though. Whether he wanted to or not, Elias would realize all was lost, and his sister would be forced to accept her fate as the new Duchess of Wheelton.
Without warning, Lady Bridget curled her hands into the fine material of her skirts and stormed toward the open doorway.
“Bridget!” the Duchess exclaimed.
The young woman whirled around, her face flushed with color and her eyes as bright as firelight. “Leave me be!”
Lewis glanced at Elias to see if he would, at least, be the strong patriarch that he ought to be, but his face showed only softness. There was no sign of the firm hand that he ought to have. He seemed content to let the young miss act as empress of the household.
They listened to the retreating sound of Lady Bridget’s footsteps until they were gone entirely. Elias sighed softly. “I apologize that you had to witness my sister fleeing so suddenly,” he said. “I hope you do not take offense.”
