“Until tonight.” Her huff of laughter was more of a trembling sound. “I made my own choice—because I wanted to.”
“We,” he corrected her. “We made a choice.”
“Yes. I’m sorry. Of course.”
The long breath of air he exhaled revealed that perhaps she was convincing him. And that mattered. She was going to need his cooperation in keeping their indiscretion a secret.
“You won’t tell anyone, will you?”
“What kind of man do you think I am? Wait, no, don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.”
“You are… an honorable gentleman… I think. But I don’t really know you.”
“No, you don’t.”
Ah, yes. She had either pricked his pride or hurt his feelings. Possibly both.
“You don’t truly wish to marry me. That isn’t the sort of decision a person makes hastily. And I refuse to become yours, or anyone else’s,duty, ever again.”
“And if you’re carrying my child?”
“I thought you…” She was lucky enough that one of her governesses had explained the mechanics involved in conception. Left to her mother, she’d still believe that babies were found hiding under a cabbage leaf.
She frowned.
Manningham had withdrawn. She knew this because the sticky fluid streaking her legs had not been all blood. Not even close.
His wince was not a favorable response.
“But—”
“I wasn’t entirely successful.”
“You weren’t… what?”
He closed his eyes. “As embarrassing as this is to admit, I pulled out. But not before I’d already spilled—”
“Oh!” She held up a hand to stop him, not wanting to hear any more details.
He’d spilled some of his seed inside…
Inside of me!
“Oh!” she exclaimed a second time.
“My sentiments exactly.” His gaze held hers. “I don’t like this.” Did he mean he didn’t like the possibility that she was carrying his child? That he might have to marry her? Or did he mean he didn’t like her refusal?
Most likely, all of it.
“If I am…” With child. She couldn’t even say it out loud. But he was right.
If she was, in fact,enceinte, neither of them would have a choice but to marry.
It would change everything. Her fingertips felt numb. Her lips felt numb. Her entire face felt numb.
“If necessary, we’ll marry by special license.”
“The house party is over in two days,” she pointed out. Her father’s home, her home, wasn’t far, but… “I imagine you’ll be returning to London—”
