“You’re up early,” his mother said when he wandered into the breakfast room.It was otherwise deserted, and he gave a mental groan.
“Couldn’t sleep,” he said briefly.He couldn’t eat either—this damned love business was messing with everything.
“I imagine not,” Miranda said smugly.“Love is most inconvenient, isn’t it?”
He gave her a sour look.“What makes you so blasted omniscient?What if I told you I had a bad case of wind?”
“It can feel like that.You forget that I know you, better than anyone.I saw you take one look at her and fall, though you’ve certainly been fighting it manfully.And I do mean manfully.Men are so determinedly silly when it comes to accepting the fact that they’ve fallen in love.I suppose you’re going to tell me you have no feelings for her.”
“I intend to marry her.”
If he’d hoped to surprise her, he’d failed.She simply nodded.“Your father will be pleased.He likes her.”
“I don’t give a damn whether he likes her or not, I’m marrying her.”
“And she’s agreed?”she asked coolly.
“Not yet,” he admitted.“But I’ll convince her.”
“May I suggest you don’t try to bully her.She’s an independent-minded female and she wouldn’t respond well to it.”
“I intend to woo her like some lovesick moonling.I’ll write her poems…”
“Oh, God, no.Your poetry is atrocious.”
“That was ten years ago,” he said stiffly.
“It would take more than ten years to improve.Just be nice to the girl.”
“I am nice,” he said, affronted.
“Since when?”
“I’m going for a ride.”He headed for the door.
“But you just fell yesterday.I don’t think you should ride until your father gets to the bottom of why the strap broke.He assured me nothing like that would ever happen in his stables.”
“Straps break, even in the Scorpion’s sainted stables.And I’ll be fine.”
“You haven’t had breakfast yet.”
“I’m not hungry.”
Her shock was palpable.“Now I know you’re in love.You’ve never turned down a meal in your life.”
His response was muttered—his mother was openminded, but even she wouldn’t like that word.
“I hope you’re in a better mood when you come back,” she said.
“If I come back.Maybe I’ll just keep riding and forget all about this love nonsense.”
“Even you aren’t that self-destructive.I’ll work on her while you’re gone,” his mother said.
“You’ll keep away from her,” he shot back.“I can do my own wooing.”
She sighed.“You’re going to make a muddle of it.I need grandchildren.”
“Willem is only four.Raise your own children first.”
