Roslynn came awake to the tickling of rose petals against her cheek. She opened her eyes, focused on the pink rose first with confusion knitting her brow, then saw the man behind it, smiling at her.
“Good morning, my dear. And it is, you know. The sun has decided to shine for our wedding.”
Roslynn groaned and turned over to bury her head in the pillow, unwilling to face the day and the consequences of her own actions. Hell’s teeth, what had she done? Nettie would have gone on to Silverley and would be out of her mind with worry, thinking their ruse had failed, that Geordie had grabbed her again. And her driver! How could she have forgotten leaving the fellow to wait for her? Granted, she had tipped him well, but not well enough to wait all night. He had probably gone off with her bag of clothes, which also contained most of her jewels and important papers, including her marriage contract. Drat those three brandies!
Amidst the mounting consequences running through her mind, Roslynn felt Anthony’s hand roving over her backside to the accompaniment of his chuckle. “If you really want to stay in bed—”
“Go away!” she mumbled into the pillow, furious with herself for feeling a thrill at his touch even in the face of her misery, and furious with him for sounding so cheerful.
“I don’t see what the problem is,” he said reasonably. “I have taken the tedious chore of decision making out of your hands. You are well and truly compromised, sweetheart.”
She swung around. “The devil you say. I felt no pain, only—”
He laughed as the blush spread across her cheeks and her mouth snapped shut. “I admit to a certain finesse, but I didn’t realize I wasthatskillful. I felt your maidenhead give way, dear girl.” He quirked a brow at her, his grin maddening. “Are you saying you didn’t?”
“Oh, be quiet and let me think!”
“What’s to think about? While you whiled the night away in sated slumber, I obtained a special license that will allow us to marry immediately without hying off to Gretna Green. I never realized until now how beneficial it is to hold the markers on men with influence.”
He seemed so bloody proud of himself she wanted to hit him. “I haven’t said I’ll marry you.”
“No, you haven’t. But you will.” He walked to the door, opened it, allowing the well-remembered butler to step into the room. “Lady Chadwick would like her clothes and some breakfast, Dobson. You are hungry, aren’t you, sweetheart? I always find I’m ravenous after a night of—”
The pillow hit him squarely in the face, and he had to choice back his laughter as he caught sight of his butler’s incredulous expression. “That will be all, Dobson.”
“Yes, yes, of course, sir. Very good, sir.”
The poor, embarrassed man couldn’t leave the chamber fast enough, but the moment the door had closed, Roslynn lit into Anthony with a fury. “You’re a bloody beast, a damnable swine! Why did you have to tell him my name?”
He shrugged, not in the least contrite over his deliberate ploy. “Just a little insurance, sweetheart. Dobson wouldn’t dream of spreading tales about the future Lady Malory. On the other hand…” He left the thought unfinished, but it wasn’t necessary to spell out these new consequences.
“You’re forgetting I dinna care if my reputation’s ruined here.”
“Now that’s not exactly true,” he replied smoothly, confidently. “You would care. You just don’t have your priorities in the right order at the moment.”
True, but irrelevant. She tried turning the tables on him. “I’m wondering why a mon like yourself would be wanting to marry so suddenly. Is it my fortune you’re interested in?”
“Good God, where did you get that idea?”
He seemed so surprised, she felt rather ashamed for having mentioned it but pointed out, “You’re a fourth son.”
“So I am. But you’re forgetting that I’m already aware of your unusual marriage contract, which, by the by, I’m quite willing to sign. You’re also forgetting the fact that we made love last night, Roslynn. You could at this moment be carrying my child.”
She glanced away, chewing on her lower lip. They had, and she could be. She had to tamp down the pleasure that thought gave her.
“What do you get out of this marriage, then?” she asked reasonably.
He came back to the bed on the side she was closest to. He pulled a piece of straw out of her hair and examined it, smiling. “You,” he said simply.
Her heart seemed to flip over. It was sounding too bloody good, so much so that she couldn’t seem toremember what her objections were. This simply wouldn’t do.
She let out an exasperated sigh. “I canna think when I just wake up. You didna give me time to think last night either.” This in an accusing tone.
“You’re the one in the all-fired hurry, sweetheart. I’m only trying to accommodate you.”
Musthe point out things like that? “I need time to consider.”
“How much time?”
