“Pray, what would that be?” Trey cocked his head.
“You must marry her to the first benefactor who asks for her hand. She’s a very hardheaded young woman, and most men find that abrasive. You need to betroth her to someone before they discover her flaws.”
“As always, you are correct, Hawthorne. She’s a handful, to be sure.” Trey slid his gaze over her stiff posture. A wealthy, titled husband was her only hope—and Trey’s. He needed to find one soon so he could wash his hands of the mess. His motherwould understand when she realized the willful streak the girl possessed.
Girl?He chuckled softly. Not likely. The sooner she married, the better. No matter how he’d enjoyed her kiss, no woman was worth the risk of marriage. His parents’ marriage had proved to him a long time ago that this was something he should stay away from. Far away. The late fourth Duke of Kenbridge had taught his son well. Love was a crippling emotion, one men should never be fool enough to possess.
Miss Faraday turned and glanced at him, then slowed her horse until he caught up. Hawthorne urged his faster and moved ahead.
“My lord?” She directed her question to Trey. “I wish to talk to you briefly, if I may.”
“Certainly.”
“What would it take to…well, to pay you off?”
Taken back, he gaped at her. “Pardon?”
“I have a lot of money from my inheritance that I cannot access, due to a stipulation in the will. I love my parents dearly and miss them every day, but I cannot understand why they would think I need a guardian. My father, especially, knew how self-sufficient I am. If you allow me to collect my inheritance, I could pay you well.”
“Miss Faraday, I’m not pleased with the situation either, but it isn’t customary for a young woman your age to be left to her own devices until she reaches her majority. You and I are stuck with each other until that time comes.”
“I am in my second and twentieth year.”
“But according to the law, you cannot collect your inheritance until you are five and twenty.”
“I have no desire to be the ward of your mother. I’m certain she’s an endearing woman, but I’m too old to have a guardian.”
“Perhaps, but from what I understand about your situation, your parents never sponsored you into Society. My mother would be your ally in this endeavor.”
Her face paled slightly, and he detected tears. Why would she act in such a way? Before he could comment, she blinked away the betraying moisture.
“I do not wish to be sponsored, my lord.”
Through a narrowed gaze, he studied her. She must be addled. All the girls he’d ever met dreamed of having a wealthy, titled person sponsor them. Then again, because her parents were free-spirited people, they probably didn’t educate her in the way she needed to be.
“I’m certain, Miss Faraday, your parents thought differently. From what I understand, it’s the wish of every parent to have their daughter sponsored. Was your father not a viscount?”
Her jaw hardened as her lips thinned into a line. “Yes, he was, but you do not know my parents as well as I do, and you certainly do not know me. I’m not like most girls.”
“Obviously.” He ran his gaze over her once more. “Perhaps you should learn to be like them. I think, Miss Faraday, this is your very problem. A problem my mother and I intend to rectify.”
Chapter Four
Problem, my eye!
Judith was not, nor ever would be, Lord Trey’sproblem. Unfortunately, she was stuck as their ward until she found a way out. Trey Worthington didn’t even want to listen to her protests. Judith’s parents may have raised her at their country estate, but she was far from being a country girl. They’d taught her everything she needed to know to enter Society.
That wasn’t the reason she resisted. Before her parents’ untimely death, her mother had started to plan Judith’s coming-out ball. Once again, tears pricked her eyes and she blinked to dry them. How could she allow the dowager to plan her ball without wishing her mother was still alive to do it herself?
Knowing the best course of action was to keep her mouth shut so she didn’t cry in front of Lord Trey, Judith spoke not a word until they reached her home. Before she could dismount, he jumped off his horse, hurried to her side, and helped her down.
Fool.Couldn’t he tell she didn’t want his touch? Her body still remembered his warm kiss, and she cursed her traitorous mind for being unfaithful to Alex—her secret fiancé.
He grinned. “Miss Faraday? Do you need me to escort you inside to collect your things and your servants?”
She bunched her hands into fists at her sides. “No, my lord. I’m quite capable of doing that by myself. However, if you would like to wait in the drawing room, I shall not be very long.”
He gave her a nod. “Then you have exactly one hour to ready yourself and your belongings.”
