“Marriage to any man is.” She turned to face him. “Surely, you see that.”
He did. It made no difference to him. “How lonely have you been these last twelve years? Was there companionship between you and a man double your age?”
She grimaced. “We found ways to get along.”
“And was that enough for you?” He leaned forward, dropping his fists on the mattress beside her. “You have been terribly lonely. You said so yourself!”
“Yes.”
“So why would you want to remain alone? Why sentence yourself to more years in isolation—”
“Isolation?” she mocked. “A wealthy widow chooses who she spends her time and her money on.” She straightened up onto her knees. “A married woman goes as her husband wills.”
He shook his head. “I would not restrict you.”
“You have been restricting me from the first moment you came into my house! You have been locking my doors, following me everywhere, keeping me within sight—”
“For your own safety!”
“And when will you cease worrying about that?”
“After Geoffrey is dealt with.”
“Then I shall be free to go where I will, do as I want? If I chose to shop in Cheapside or come back here?”
“Why would you want to do either of those things?”
“What if I want to take a ship to India or the colonies?”
“You’ve never wanted to do any of that!”
“That’s not true! I’ve never had permission before.”
He blew out a breath. “All of these things can be done with proper precautions. Except for Cheapside. There is nothing there for you.”
She shook her head. “Can you not see it? I don’t want to bargain with anyone for my choices.”
“And you would toss me aside so you can visit Cheapside?”
She swallowed. “That would be your choice. There are ways to prevent pregnancy. Ways to have pleasure without a wedding ring.”
He knew that. Hell, he had spent the last years in a gaming hell that had upstairs rooms for all manner of entertainment. But he could not think of her like that. Not Diana, the woman who had reigned as an angel in his thoughts. He couldn’t imagine her as yet another merry widow in search of entertainment. He wouldn’t.
“I need to take another circle of the property.”
She blew out a breath. “Geoffrey is not here.”
“You don’t know that. You have no idea what a man will do get what he wants.”
She could not miss his dark tone, but did he truly intend the double meaning? Geoffrey would go to any end to get hold of more money. Would Lucas do the same to possess her?
Maybe.He wanted her that much, but he had to be smart about it. He had to let her choose him. She would not be forced, that much was obvious. And so he would leave her side now and think about it. He would plan his campaign as carefully as he would a war. And in the end, she would see that she wanted him so much that she would give him everything, including her hand in marriage.
“Lucas,” she said as she let the covers slip. Her breasts were stunningly beautiful in the shimmering light of the moon. “Leave the protection to your men. Stay the night here with me.”
He wanted to, but that was not going to happen. “I trust your safety to no one but myself and God.”
She sighed. Then he pressed his point harder.
