He sat back.“What did Edgar say when you confronted him—I gather you did confront him.”
“Oh yes, and he denied it and denied it—he must think I’m a complete fool.Though I suppose I am, given the way he has been deceiving me all along.But I stood firm and eventually he had to admit it.I don’t believe he ever had any intention of getting a loan.”
“It’s not foolish to believe the word of your brother, the head of your family.If anything, he is the fool for abusing his only sister’s trust and alienating her.”
“Perhaps.”She swallowed and said, “He is still determined on my marrying Sir Henry Lester.”
He sat up straight.“You’re not, are you?”
“No, I’ve told him I won’t do it.I made it very clear.However ...”She bit her lip.She couldn’t tell him how Edgar’s smug confidence, and what had happened with her previous marriage frightened her.“I must find some way of supporting myself, a position of some sort.Which is why I’m asking for your help.”
#
MARCUS FROZE.FOR ONEappalled instant, he’d imagined she was talking about becoming a courtesan and for an even more shocking moment he’d almost considered it.She was very beautiful and would have no trouble finding a rich protector.At least she would be safe with him.
“What sort of help?”he said cautiously.
She clasped her hands over her heart.“I need to find some way to support myself.”
“Yes of course.What were you thinking of?”He held his breath.
“I’m not sure.I made a list of possibilities, but I’m not qualified for positions such as a governess or even a dresser—I had dressers when I was married, and they were more skilled than I could ever be in the maintenance and repair of clothes.And I could never do hair as elegantly as they did.”
Governess.Dresser.His breath escaped in a gust of relief.“I understand the difficulties, but why not marry?Not some ancient, but a much younger man, someone nearer your own age?”And then he found himself adding, “Myself, for instance.”
He froze.Had he just proposed marriage?He had.Or close enough.
She shook her head.“No, thank you for the suggestion, but I don’t ever intend to marry again.”
He frowned.“What, never?”His brain was reeling.Any other woman would have snapped up that suggestion in a trice—and placed a betrothal announcement in the Morning Post at the earliest possible moment.But she’d barely seemed to notice.
“Yes, I find marriage doesn’t suit me.”
She would think that after two marriages to men old enough to be her grandfather.And he couldn’t help persisting.“What about children?Don’t you want children?”The way she’d cared about those wild animals when she was young, he was certain she’d make a wonderful mother.
She flushed and shook her head.“No, and please let us drop the subject.I won’t marry again.I asked you here for quite a different reason.”
“Of course,” he said, feeling dazed.He’d virtually proposed to her, and she’d acted as if he’d asked if she took sugar in her tea.And politely refused.
It was a lucky escape.Yes, it was.He had no plans to marry, so what on earth had prompted him to make such a foolish suggestion?He rallied his wits.“Then how can I help you?”
“Thank you.Do you know any lonely old ladies?”
He blinked.“Lonely old ladies?”
“Yes.They are on my list, you see.”
“Your list?”He was all at sea.
“Yes, of jobs I could do.I don’t have sufficient education to be a governess—well, you know how I was brought up.And though I couldn’t be a dresser, I could be a maidservant, only I’d rather not if I could help it—not because of the hard work but because of the danger of um...predatory employers and older sons.”
“Absolutely.”The thought horrified him.She wouldn’t last a week.“I see you’ve given it some thought.”
“Yes.I thought I might be able to find work as a shop girl, but when I tried to find a position, nobody was interested.”
Marcus was fascinated.“You tried, did you?”
“Oh yes, I visited every shop along Oxford Street, and any others I could find, asking about a job.I must have walked miles.”She gave him a rueful smile.“Thank goodness I was wearing my most comfortable shoes.”
