“We are,” he said, turning and going back to his seat. “And thank you for being so understanding.”
“And thank you,” she said. “For being honest. In truth, until now, I assumed you had been lying to me.”
“I thought you might have assumed as much.”
She laughed softly as she stood. “It is nice to know that the man I met at that patronage, the things he said…” An awkward smile touched her lips, she glanced at him, then looked away. “That he was real.”
Lucy turned and hurried from the room.
Once she was gone, Marcus breathed a sigh of relief. That conversation had gone far better than he hoped, and he allowed a flicker of belief that this marriage might not be such a dire thing after all.
All the while, his hand continued to burn where she had touched it. Why it did, he did not dare consider. For now, they were of the same mind, wanting the same thing, and that would have to be enough.
As for what might come next? It was strange to admit but Marcus was curious to find out. Why, he might have even said that he was excited…
