‘I do not mean to hurt your pride, but do you really want to spend two months pretending to be in love with me?’
‘When you put it like that…’
‘Two days?’ she suggested hopefully.
‘Six weeks.’
‘Six days.’
His long sigh seemed to deflate him. ‘Is having to spend time with me such a terrible prospect?’
Lord Christopher was larger than life, the centre of attention. They did not run in the same circles, but she was aware of him. It had never occurred to her that she was someone with the ability to hurt hisfeelings. From the slight downturn at the edge of his lips, she realised she had. What a nightmare this whole situation was proving to be. She couldn’t abide unkindness in other people and here she was being horrid to a man who had proven himself to be a gentleman in all their dealings.
‘Of course not, but six weeks is a long time. My mother will want to begin planning the wedding, everyone in Society will believe it is going to happen, and I cannot sit through her and my sisters’ excitement over which dresses to purchase, knowing that it is all going to end.’
‘How about a month, and you tell them all we are trying to find a way out of it that does not destroy our reputations?’
‘The longest one of my sisters has kept a secret is thirty-nine seconds and that is only because she was alone when she discovered it and that is the length of time it took her to run down the stairs. Telling them the betrothal is a ruse will not work if we wish to keep it private. But… a month is reasonable.’ Was it? There was no way of knowing until the whole thing began. What if she discovered Lord Christopher was too much of a rakehell and that she could not stomach more than a few hours in his company? More likely, he would find her too straight-laced to bother with. Perhaps the whole thing would be over much more quickly.
‘Are you worried about Robert’s reaction?’
It was strange to hear this sophisticated man discuss Robert. ‘Robert is… Robert has…’ How to explain that although she believed they would marry, there had been no sign that he was coming up to scratch on the matter. ‘We have an understanding, but there is no formal engagement. I…’
‘Once he knows there is another man on the scene, he will come running. Think of this as another way to prompt him to offer for you.’
‘He is not the sort of man who would fight over me like some sort of trophy.’
‘Trust me. All men are like that. If he thinks you are pining for him, he will stay at home. If he believes he has lost you, he will come.’
‘His father is ailing and he has to stay in the country to take care of him.’
‘He will come.’
Sophia hoped not. She would rather the whole situation was over before she had to tell him about it. But before she could say anything else, her mother called her over to join Lord and Lady Blackmore and the moment was lost.
Chapter Five
When not reeling in horror at spending time with him, his betrothed had an animated face that lit up when she was amused; she was rather lovely to look at. Christopher watched as her large brown eyes sparkled with laughter while Freddie waxed lyrical about something inconsequential.
Freddie was his most charming brother with an ease of manner that had people flocking to him, but Christopher didn’t think he was that different from his older brother. Fine, so he often drew people to him with his penchant for coming up with diverting ways to pass the time and the occasional wild idea rather than the stories he told. He was not the sort of man who was vain about his appearance, but he wasn’t hideous to look at. But he didn’t think his looks were all he had going for him. His reputation for always wanting a good time was almost universally known and he was never without people to talk to at an event. People liked him, and he liked people.
Why then was Sophia blatantly horrified at the idea of spending any time with him? It made no sense at all. What sort of a man was this Robert whom she considered a better prospect than him? It was not in his nature to be boastful, or at least he hoped it wasn’t, but even if you stripped him of his looks and his sense of fun, he was still the son of a duke and a brother to one. Although not as wealthy as hisolder brothers, he had inherited money and was learning to invest it wisely. Any wife of his would live a life of luxury. Not that he was getting married. Not now or ever for that matter. But still, it wouldn’t hurt Sophia to show a little enthusiasm at spending time with him, or, at the very least, not outright disgust.
He didn’t want a wife and wished that last night had never happened, but from all that he had learned about her, Sophia was thought to be a good woman, and although he could not know for sure, spending a little time with her would not be terrible. Unless, of course, she kept wrinkling up her nose whenever she looked at him. He had it on good authority that he didn’t smell, but her reaction would suggest otherwise.
The only time she hadn’t looked repelled by him was when he was showing her the blue box. Heaven knew what had possessed him to share with her one of his childhood memories. He’d led her over to the far corner of the Blue Lounge so that they could talk in private, but as he’d been taking her away from their families, his mind had gone terrifyingly blank. What did one say to the woman to whom you’d accidentally become engaged? Seeing the toy he’d loved as a child, he’d grabbed at it. If she’d treated it with contempt, he may have found her repulsion at the thought of marrying him easier to bear. But the way in which her eyes had taken in every detail, the fascination with which she’d held the tiny figures and admired their features with a quick, flickering smile every so often, had captivated him. Of course, there would be no wedding, but there could be a friendship if she allowed it.
‘What do you think, Christopher?’ He looked up from where he had been staring at the floor and realised that everyone was turned towards him. Glancing around at the expectant faces, he saw Sophia’s eyes were wide and unblinking. When she caught his gaze, she noddedslightly, obviously trying to communicate something to him, but he had no idea what.
‘I am sorry, my mind had wandered. What was the question?’
His sister-in-law’s lips thinned, a sure sign she was displeased with him. His stomach tightened uncomfortably. He hated disappointing people, especially Emily, who was the person who had started to make Glanmore House feel like a home instead of a group of four men thrust together by circumstances.
‘Mrs Jacobs has suggested a June wedding,’ she told him, no hint of annoyance in her voice, which somehow only made him feel worse. ‘Is that acceptable to you?’
Glancing once more at Sophia, he was none the wiser as to what she wanted him to say. If they weren’t going to go through with the marriage, did it really matter when they set it? Although, it did seem alarmingly close. ‘June is… quite soon.’
Sophia’s eyes grew wider still; whatever he’d said didn’t appear to be the right answer. He tried again. ‘But the weather will be nice.’
