Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman

Author:Felicia Grossman [Felicia Grossman]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2023-08-09T00:00:00+00:00

Aaron held his breath, searching for the right words to convey the situation properly, to make sure she did what was right for her and for the community, without concern for him. Because she did not need the extra muddle.

Isabelle gave him a curt, queenly nod. He coughed.

Oy. Why was this so difficult? She needed to know. She specialized in risks and prided herself on analyzing them all. She wanted the information. All he needed to do was talk.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you think marrying Weiss might undermine your broader objectives?”

She blinked. “Which ones?”

“Preserving your family’s power and influence.” He cleared his throat. “The gentiles could be insulted if you do not choose one of their favorites—a Jew who is not merely wealthy and learned, but who they find . . . more civilized.” He swallowed uncomfortably.

Isabelle only frowned, raising an imperious eyebrow.

“From your part of the community,” he added. “Which you have avoided.”

“For good reason,” she countered.

“I know the Duke of Sussex has indicated his preference for Sephardi men.” Aaron shook his head, cursing the man. “And few have comparable connections and standing—or longevity in England like—”

“The Berabs,” she finished with a roll of her eyes. “Let me guess—David approached you with this argument?”

Aaron stared at her for a moment. Oy, she truly was sharp. “I, um . . . No, not him. The other two.”

“Louis and Roger?” Her expression became thoughtful. “Interesting. I’d always assumed they hired others to do anything which would require exertion on their part.”

“But you see the merit in their argument, do you not?” he said, knitting his hands a little. “Even if the bill doesn’t fall apart, Weiss or someone like him isn’t exactly what the gentiles are used to.”

And to his great surprise, she laughed. Loudly. Beautifully. A full, enchanting laugh that lit her entire face, so much so he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“Are you all right?” he managed to ask, even as he could not stop staring.

“Very much,” she said between giggles. “This is just delicious. And also inept.”

“What do you mean?” Aaron shook a little, trying to make sense of her words and, more, her reactions to his.

“Yes, the gentiles favor certain Jews over others, especially ones with romantic notions about our ancestors, who they want to claim without having to abide real, living Jews, but I have found, at least from reading history, that as long as their pockets are lined and their rules are followed in their presence, in the end, for most, one of us is as good as the other. Or as bad, when they decide they want us gone. Or need a monster to slay.” She gave a dismissive shrug. “Weiss is a fast learner. And the fact the Berabs dislike him so much is a point in his favor in my book.” She wrinkled her nose. “Even though it won’t bring about peace within the company easily.”

He opened his mouth to respond, but she wasn’t finished. She raised a single finger.

“Still, he’s clever and ruthless, and they will not want a war with him, because he will fight to win.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.