Claiming HisBride
Chapter1
Devonshire,1819
"But what if herefuses?"
Dominick Chandler silenced her with a kiss, which was what happened whenever she tried to be practical. Roxanne Mayfield sighed and relaxed into his embrace for a moment before pushing away. Trying to sound stern, she said, "Papa is not going to be persuaded bykisses."
Gray eyes sparkling, he brushed an errant red curl from her cheek. "That's all right. I wouldn't want to kiss himanyhow."
Trying not to laugh, she said, "Dominick, please be serious, we haven't much time. It was hard to convince Miss Bartholomew to let me see you alone for even ten minutes, and that wouldn't have happened if she weren't half in love with youherself."
His expression turned grave. "It's true that I've been a bit wild in the past, but I've never done anything really dreadful. My birth is good, I have a respectable income, and I'm reasonably eligible. Why would your father reject me? Here in the wilds of the West Country, there isn't a lot of competition foryourhand."
She chuckled. "You mean he'll take your offer because I'm so hopelessly plain that otherwise he risks having me on his handsforever."
"Minx!" Dominick said appreciatively. "You know that's not what I meant. If you'd had a Season in London, you would have had half the men in England at your feet. But then you might not havemetme."
"A thought too terrible to contemplate." For the thousandth time she marveled that such a splendid, charming, handsome man had fallen in love with her. But he had. Ever since they met by chance while riding, there had been magic between them. Roxanne suspected that she was the only person who really knew the honest, caring, vulnerable heart that lay beneath his dashing exterior. When she had recognized that, she had started to believe his declarationsoflove.
His hands tightened on hers. "I'm no paragon, Roxanne, but I swear that I will neverfailyou."
"I believe you." She shivered. "But I'm afraid, Dominick. You don't know Papa. He… He's not always reasonable, and he is not going to like the fact that you and I have been seeing each other without hisknowledge.”
"Since you spend all your time on the estate, how else could we have met?" Dominick said reasonably. "Granted, our courtship has been a bit irregular, but we've done nothing improper." He grinned. "I'm waiting for marriageforthat."
She blushed and looked down, knowing how easily he could have seduced her if he had put his mind to it. She was lucky that he was honorable. But Papa was still not going to be pleased that she had a suitor. "If my father refuses your offer and forbids me to see you, what willwedo?"
"Why, we'll run away and be married,mylove."
Her eyes widened. "I couldn't do that! There would be the most dreadfulscandal."
He arched his brows. "You wouldn't risk a scandal to becomemywife?"
She bit her lip. What he was asking went against every principle of morality and propriety. To elope would be to carry a stigma for the rest of their lives. And yet ... Softly she said, "For that, I would dareanything."
His smile returned. "Then it's a bargain, my darling vixen. If your father refuses, we'll head for Gretna Green. You'll be the most lovely bride in Britain.Promise?"
Praying it would not come to that, she said, "Ipromise."
He gave her a last, lingering kiss, then turned to leave the drawing room so he could go to her father's study. As Roxanne watched him leave, a chill ran through her, a premonition that something would go horriblywrong.
Though her father was so absorbed in studying his bones and bits of pottery that he scarcely spoke to her, he did like having her around to order the household and write his letters. He hated change, and his first reaction would be to refuse anyoffer.
It wouldn't help that Dominick had a reputation for wildness and he was universally considered too handsome and charming for his own good. Yet Dominick was right that he was an entirely eligible suitor. In fact, he was something of a catch for quiet Roxanne Mayfield, if the truth beknown.
Surely in time her father would come around. All they needed waspatience.
Her hands clenched. And if patience wasn't enough, well, there was always GretnaGreen.
* * *
After entering the study,Dominick spent several minutes shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot before he cleared his throat and said, "SirWilliam?"
The baronet lifted his head and stared balefully at his visitor. "Who are you and what doyouwant?"
Sir William Mayfield was a renowned student of primitive civilizations, and Dominick had assumed he was an absentminded scholar. But as he looked into Mayfield's cold eyes, he suddenly understood Roxanne's trepidation. This was not going tobeeasy.
