Page 64 of How to Ruin a Rake

Allegra’s foolish dream that Max, when confronted by his father, had insisted they marry dissolved into the mist. Of course he didn’t want to marry her.

“Can we simply pretend this didn’t happen?” Allegra asked somewhat desperately. “There will be a new scandal soon, and I will be forgotten about.”

The duke frowned. “Young lady, your father is one of my friends. I cannot allow you to be dishonored by my son.”

“And what did my father have to say about your proposal?”

“He said it was up to you, which I consider somewhat debatable, but he is your father.”

“And if I say no?”

“Then you are extremely foolish. This is not the match I would want for my son, but it is the right thing to do.” The duke rose to his feet. “Your parents have agreed to let the marquess stay here for the next week so that you can come to a satisfactory arrangement.”

“But—”

The duke inclined his head an inch. “Thank you for your time. I have to get back to London. I will see you and Max when I return, and I hope to find you in a more conciliatory mood.”

He swept out, leaving Allegra in a state of shock. She took several deep breaths and managed to make her way back to the drawing room, where her mother and sister awaited her.

“Well?” Carenza demanded. “What did the duke say?”

“He wants me to marry his son.”

“The Marquess of Blanchard?” Carenza asked. “You?”

“To save my reputation.” Allegra sat down in the first available chair with a thump.

“That’s”—Carenza glanced at her mother—“rather unexpected.”

“I know,” Allegra said numbly. “And even though I declined the offer, the duke says Max is to stay here for a week to secure my acquiescence.”

“I must say that the marquess doesn’t seem very thrilled by the idea,” her mother said. “He’s barely said a civil word to anyone.”

“Probably because the duke is forcing him into this,” Carenza said. “I doubt such a man had marriage on his mind when he met you at that inn.” Carenza had obviously spoken to their mother. “It does seem slightly unfair.”

“To him? What about me?” Allegra looked at her sister. She barely bit back the desire to blurt out that Max wouldn’t have been anywhere near the Musgrove house if it hadn’t been for the wager involving Carenza.

“You’d be a duchess. You can’t tell me that doesn’t hold some appeal?”

“The duchess of a man who didn’t want to marry me in the first place?” Allegra shot to her feet. “Don’t I deserve better than that?”

A terrible urge to cry swept over her, and she turned to the door just as it opened to admit the gentleman. Allegra gathered her skirts and rushed past them.

“Excuse me, I’m not feeling well.”

“Allegra …”

That was her father speaking, but she couldn’t stop. She hated to cry, and doing so in front of Max was not acceptable.

She ran for the stairs and went up them as fast as she could. She glanced down into the hall as she gained the landing and saw Max looking up at her, his expression unreadable.

CHAPTER 12

Max woke up with a now-familiar feeling of dread and rolled onto his back to contemplate the highly decorated ceiling of the guest bedroom. What an absolute disaster. His father had insisted on speaking to Allegra alone, and Max had no idea what had passed between them, as his father had left immediately afterwards. He’d been told to stay with the Musgroves and to accustom himself to the idea that he would soon be married.

Max groaned and rubbed his face. Allegra was not pleased, but had she accepted her fate? His father must have secured her agreement to something if the Musgroves had allowed him to stay. And who was that fellow hanging around her with such a possessive air? She’d sworn that her marriage prospects were dire, and yet here she was, days after being with him, with a new suitor hanging on her skirts.

Max got out of bed. He didn’t like the way he was feeling at all. He hated emotion and now he was mired in it, and it was all Lady Allegra Musgrove’s fault. A servant came in with hot water for him to wash with and informed him that breakfast was laid out in the dining room and would be available until ten.