Page 23 of A Marriage of Necessity

What plans did she have? “We are not truly married until…”

His amusement vanished. “You want to earn that five thousand pounds as quickly as possible. I am a fool.”

Anne gasped. Then anger whipped through her. “Why not? This is a business arrangement after all—nothing more.”

His eyes darkened. “Then I shall be at your service tonight, madam.”

“If you are certain that you are up to it, my lord? I don’t want to inconvenience you.”

“Too late,” he shot back. “You have inconvenienced me a great deal.”

He yanked her against him and turned her in a tight whirl that made her dizzy—and aware of his hard length.

“I must now devise a way not to embarrass myself in front of Edinburgh’s elite,” he said.

Then she found herself being whirled off the dance floor and out the balcony doors.

* * *

Kennedy brought Anne to a halt. She tried to shove away from him, but he tightened his grip and kissed her. Then released her. She took two faltering steps backward.

“Just a preview of things to come,” he said.

“How very fortunate for me,” she said.

“Oh, it will be, that I promise.”

She released a frustrated breath, then turned and hurried back into the ballroom.

Kennedy started after her, then thought better of it and pivoted, headed for the gardens. He crossed the balcony, took the three steps down to the lawn, and slowed to a stroll.Anne didn’t deserve his disdain. She was right. Their marriage was a business arrangement. Oddly, the thought bothered him. She was also correct in that he wasn’t happy being married. He’d known he would someday marry, but it galled him that his father had forced the issue and had even chosen his bride.

Underneath it all, though, he feared for Rose. He couldn’t allow himself to dwell on her. For the moment, he felt certain she was safe. The longer she was away, however, the greater the chances that her keepers would grow careless. And he couldn’t consider what would happen if his father died.

He needed Anne to bear him a son just as much as she wanted to. He couldn’t fault her for that. Tonight, he would consummate their marriage. A small sense of satisfaction arose. If his father had any idea that he hadn’t consummated the marriage last night, he’d be furious. Now that he thought of it, he should have married long ago and simply never consummated the marriage. That would’ve driven his father mad, and he would have had no recourse to kidnap Rose. He was wrong. His father would have secreted her away and demanded Kennedy bed is wife and bear a child.

Why hadn’t it occurred to him that his father would use Rose? Because, despite everything, Kennedy simply had never believed his father would put his own daughter in jeopardy.He wouldn’t underestimate the old man again.

“Kennedy.”

Kennedy halted. Bloody hell. He turned to face Jacqueline. “What are you doing here?”

“I saw you and Anne leave the ballroom, but she returned immediately. Is something amiss?”

“What is amiss, Jacqueline, is that my father has kidnapped my sister and blackmailed me into marriage.”

She stepped closer and laid a hand on his arm. “You know your father will never allow any harm to come to Rose.”

“He threatened to marry her to Granbury. There is no worse harm that can come to her.”

She shook her head. “I don’t believe he would do it.”

“Then you are a fool.”

She stepped closer. “Does she please you?”

He didn’t have to ask who the ‘she’ was. “Very much so,” he said.

“Does she please you as much as I used to?”

Kennedy stared down at her. Even in the pale moonlight she was beautiful. “Aye, she pleases me very much.”

Jacqueline laid her palms on his chest. “Perhaps you have forgotten how much I please you.”

He grasped her hands and removed them from his chest. “You should remember that you’re married to my father.”

“You know how ill he is, Kennedy. He hasn’t been able to…” She looked up at him through her lashes. “I am very lonely.”

He gave her a cold smile. “Perhaps there is a stable hand who will oblige. I understand you like stable hands.”

“You know that is a vicious lie.”

“I know nothing of the sort. In fact, I would be surprised if it wasn’t true.”

She slapped him. His cheek stung. He wanted to shake her, demand to know why she’d chosen his father. But he knew why.

She whirled toward the mansion and hurried away. He watched until she disappeared from view. Had she always been so cold and calculating? He thought back. She was driven. That was something he’d always admired about her. What he hadn’t understood was the motivation behind that drive. She would have what she wanted at all costs. Were all women like that?

He thought of Anne. Aye, she was determined, as well. Unlike Jacqueline, however, she never pretended to love him. Of course, he’d known her for less than two days. There was still time for her to pretend many things. He recalled her ire moments ago, and wondered if she were capable of doing anything but showing what was in her heart. He sighed. Time would tell.