He didn’t bother to lower his eyebrow. ‘You had no dowry or connections, whereas Miss Wadlow had both, as well as a number of suitors. Perhaps you were jealous?’
She reeled backwards again, seemingly outraged by the suggestion. ‘I wasnotjealous!’
‘And yet here you are, a marchioness, while your friend, as far as I know, remains unwed.’
‘I’m also no fortune hunter.’ She sounded as if she was speaking through gritted teeth.
‘So you’ve been saying for the past month, but what other interpretation is there?’
‘I don’t know, I just know that that’s not it! I came to London as Amabel’s companion and I was perfectly content with my position! And if I’ve been saying so for the past month then it’s the truth!’ She put her hands on her hips, so that her shawl fell open. ‘Didn’t I tell you what the message was later?’
‘No.’ He fought the urge to glance downwards.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Interestingly enough, you said that you couldn’t. Then, after our wedding, you persisted in saying there was an explanation for your behaviour, without actually telling me what it was. In that respect, not much has changed.’ He gave a disgusted snort. ‘You can understand my scepticism.’
‘Oh.’ She looked crestfallen before rallying again. ‘Then what about Amabel? What did she say about the message?’
‘Nothing. When I asked, she said she had no idea what I was talking about. She seemed as surprised as anyone. Anyone including the Earl and Countess of Malvern, Lady Lansbury, Baron Paltrow and Lord and Lady Wadlow.’
‘Oh.’ She dropped back down onto the footstool. ‘So we truly had to marry?’
‘We did.’ He turned his gaze back to the fireplace. Technically, that part wasn’t strictly true. He could have refused to go through with it. He’d certainly thought about doing so, but his sense of honour had compelled him. No matter how conniving she’d been, or the cost to his own status, consideringher lack of family or connections, his conscience hadn’t allowed him to ruin her.
‘There just has to be some reasonable explanation for what happened.’ She sounded genuinely at a loss.
‘If there is, I’d be delighted to hear it.’
‘What about an annulment?’
‘What?’ He turned his head again sharply.
‘Why don’t we have our marriage annulled?’
‘On what grounds?’
‘That we’re not…you know…properly married.’ A look of sudden panic flashed across her face. ‘Are we?’
‘We are not.’ He felt a muscle twitch in his jaw. ‘If you’re asking whether or not we’ve shared a bed, the answer is most definitely no.’
‘Thank goodness.’ Her shoulders sagged with relief.
‘Quite.’
‘I didn’t mean…’ Her cheeks were so red now, he could see them glowing in the half-darkness. ‘I only meant that if there was no wedding night, then there’s still a way out of this marriage. I’ll happily agree to an annulment.’
Happily?He let his gaze roam over her face for a few moments. Given what she’d done to trap him, the offer was…surprising. Unfortunately, it was also pointless.
‘Overjoyed as I am to hear that, we’ve been living together under the same roof for the past month. Even if a court believed us, thetonwould not.’
‘A divorce, then?’
‘It’s not quite so easy. A petition to parliament would be lengthy, expensive, and most likely unsuccessful.’
‘Unlikely doesn’t mean impossible.’
‘No, but the scandal of a divorce would be even greater than that of our marriage.’
