Page 26 of A Match Made On Duchess Square

“Oh, glory! Do you really have no clue what I am talking about?”

No. When would she ever have learned such things?

Well, she ought to have done with Andrew, since they were betrothed. But they never had.

And now she had made a naïve fool of herself, although she was determined to finesse her ignorance. “Um, as you were saying. They offered their skirts, and—”

“No, Gwen. I am not going to give you any details about what they asked me to do. Suffice it to say, their suggestions were often quite imaginative.” He groaned and sat back. “Sorry, that was uncalled for on my part.”

“No,” she said with a sigh. “I should not have harangued you. It is I who owe you the apology for trying to blame you when it is my failing.”

“It isn’t your fault,” he insisted. “Why would you ever blame yourself? However, you are surprisingly innocent in many ways and oblivious to how manipulative some of these ladies can be. Men are no prizes either. All I am saying is that marriage is a high-stakes game. Most who play will scheme, cheat, and look for every advantage to get them what they want. They will sabotage their competition. They will lie to my face about how brilliant I am and how much they desire me. I know what they are doing, and I do not like to be played.”

“Was there anyone on my list you did find worthy?”

He arched an eyebrow. “Do you want an honest answer?”

She sighed again. “Yes, of course.”

“Then no.”

Her eyes rounded in surprise. “Nobody? Not a one? What about the remaining four who did not proposition you? What did you find wrong with them? Or did they proposition you, too? Am I the only spinster in London who does not go around throwing herself at eligible marquesses?”

“You very well may be,” he said with a nod. “I am not purposely trying to disappoint you, but the issue of loyalty is important. There was not one among the seven on your list I felt would work honestly toward a good marriage. It is also a question of control.”

Gwendolyn frowned. “You expect to control your wife?”

“No, not at all. My point is that if the lady is using her body to entice me now, she will certainly use it as a weapon against me after we are married. She is the one who will think to control me by granting or withholding sex.”

She eeped.

Good grief!

She was a spinster over the age of thirty. A virgin still, but she was no dullard about what went on in the bedchamber. Well, she thought she knew because she had read some books that were surprisingly explicit.

The thought of Milbury doing those things to her body…

She coughed.

“Gad, you look genuinely shocked.”

“I am,” she said with an emphatic nod. “Who would do such a thing?”

“Gwen, are you that naïve?”

She blushed. “No.”

He eyed her speculatively. “Yes, you are.” But his tone gentled. “That is not a bad thing. It just proves you have a good heart and will always be forthright when dealing with your husband. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing with one’s spouse. That is bound to happen. But to put conditions or exact punishment for those disagreements, well, that is not a healthy marriage.”

She let out a breath. “All right, I see your point. This is what you thought of the other four, too?”

“Well, they did not proposition me, but two treated the servants badly. This also indicates they would treat me badly were I to get on the wrong side of them. One’s character should not shift according to whom they are addressing. As I said, it is a matter of punishment and control. Retribution instead of an honest engagement and working through any disagreement with respect for the other’s feelings. I refuse to involve myself with a wife I cannot trust to do this.”

“I see. Got it. Your bride prospect must not be controlling or shifty. And the other two ladies?”

“One had a sour expression on her face, except when talking to me. Then her smile was overly bright.”

Gwendolyn groaned. Why was Milbury making things so difficult?