Damning the consequences to Swindon, he said tightly, “There will be no offer, Miss Vangelder, for I will do neither of us a favor by marrying a woman whodespisesme.”
Sunny caught her breath, and for the first time since he had arrived in Newport looked directly at him. He was shocked by the haunted misery in heraquaeyes.
After a moment she bent her neck and pressed her slim fingers to the center of her forehead. “I’m sorry, your grace. I didn’t mean to imply that I despise you,” she said quietly. “I recently... suffered a disappointment, and I’m afraid that my temper is badly out of sorts. Still, that does not excuse my insufferable rudeness. Pleaseforgiveme.”
He guessed that only a broken heart would cause a well-mannered young lady to behave so brusquely. He had heard that Paul Curzon had been in Newport until the week before. Could Sunny have fallen in love with Curzon, who had as many mistresses as the Prince of Wales? Recalling how she had looked at the man when she was at Swindon, Justin knew it was all toolikely.
The disappointment was crushing. When he had received Augusta Vangelder’s invitation, he had assumed that she had obtained her daughter’s agreement to the marriage. He should have known that he would never have been Sunny’s choice. It was Augusta, after all, who was enthralled by the idea of a dukedom; Sunny was obviously unimpressed by theprospect.
In a voice of careful neutrality, he said, “You’re forgiven, but even if you don’t despise me, it’s clear that this is not a match that you want.” His throat closed, and it took an immense effort to add, “I don’t want an unwilling bride, so if there is someone else whom you wish to marry, I shallwithdraw.”
She stared at her hands, which were locked tightly on her book. “There is no one I would prefer. I suppose that I must marry someone, and you’ll make as good a husbandasany.”
He studied the delicate line of her profile, his resolve to do the right thing undermined by his yearning. Then she raised her head, her gaze searching. He had the feeling that it was the first time she had truly looked at him as anindividual.
“Perhaps you would be better than most,” she said after a charged silence. “At least you are honest about whatyouwant.”
It was a frail foundation for a lifetime commitment, but he could not bear to throw away this chance. “Very well,” he said formally. “I would be very honored, and very pleased, if you would consent to becomemywife.”
“The honor is mine, your grace,” she said with equalformality.
If this was a normal engagement, he would kiss his intended bride now, but Sunny’s expression was unwelcoming, so he said only, “My name is Justin. It would please me if youusedit.”
She nodded. “Very well,Justin.”
An awkward silence fell. Unhappily he wondered how achieving the fondest hope of his heart could feel so much like ashes. “Shall we go and inform your mother ofournews?”
“You don’t need me for that. I know that she is interested in an early wedding, perhaps October. You need only tell her what is convenient for you.” Rubbing her temples, she set aside her book and got to her feet. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a bit of aheadache.”
“I hope that you feelbettersoon.”
“I’m sure I shall.” Remembering that she had just agreed to give her life, her person and her fortune into this stranger’s keeping, she attempted asmile.
It must not have been a very good attempt, because the duke’s face remained grave. His thoughtful eyes were a clear, light gray, and were perhaps his bestfeature.
“I don’t wish to seem inattentive,” he said, “but my brother left his affairs in some disarray, and I must return to London the day after your mother’s ball. I probably won’t be able to return until a few days before thewedding.”
“There is no need for romantic pretenses between us.” She smiled, a little wryly, but with the first amusement she had felt since discovering Paul’s true character. “It will be best if you aren’t here, because there will be a truly vulgar amount of publicity. Our marriage will inevitably be deemed the Wedding of the Century, and there will be endless stories about you and me, your noble ancestors and my undistinguished ones, my trousseau, my flowers, my attendants and every other conceivable detail. And what the reporters can’t find out, they willinvent.”
His dark brows arched. “You’re right. It will be better if I am on the other side of the Atlantic.” He opened the doorforher.
When she walked in front of him, on impulse she laid her hand on his arm for a moment. “I shall do my best to be a duchess you will beproudof.”
He inclined his head. “I’m sure you willsucceed.”
As she went upstairs to her room, she decided that he was rather attractive, in a subdued way. Granted, he wasn’t much taller than she, but she was a tall woman. The quiet excellence of British tailoring showed his trim, muscular figure to advantage, and his craggy features had a certaindistinction.
The words echoed in her mind, and as she entered her room and wearily lay on the bed, she realized that she had had similar thoughts when she first saw him at SwindonPalace.
That memory triggered others, and gradually fragments of that day came back to her. Lord Justin had been quiet but very gentlemanly, and knowledgeable about the gardens and estate. He had even showed signs of humor, of a very dry kind. It had been a pleasantinterlude.
Yet he was still almost entirely a stranger, for she knew nothing of his mind or emotions. He didn’t seem to be a man of deep feelings; it was his duty to marry well, so he was doing so, choosing a wife with his head rather than hisheart.
Her eyes drifted shut. Perhaps this marriage would not be such a bad thing. She had heard that arranged marriages were happy about as often as love matches. She and the duke would treat each other with polite respect and not expect romance or deep passion. God willing, they would have children, and in them she might find the love shecraved.
Certainly the duke had one great advantage: he could hardly have been more different from charming, articulate, false-hearted PaulCurzon.
* * *
