An Ill-Made Match by Alice Coldbreath

Author:Alice Coldbreath [Coldbreath, Alice]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2018-10-22T18:30:00+00:00

Even before she spoke, he could tell he would not like her chosen topic of conversation. Damn the woman. Could she not pick up on his mood? Now she was safely under his roof, all he wanted to do was cosset her. It was a strange impulse, which threw him a little in truth. Never before had he had such an inclination toward a woman. He wanted her to like his home. Their home. Her opinion of Vawdrey Keep, whose superiority to all other places had always been a matter of fact to him, strangely counted. She was accustomed to court life, and all its attendant luxuries, and Hallam Hall which was a country residence, not a harsh fortress. He wanted to know what things he had to add to the Keep, to make it acceptable to her as her new home. But he could tell from her expression that it wasn’t about home comforts that she wanted to speak now. He sighed. “Let’s hear it then.” Eden rose from his lap, and re-settled herself into the chair directly opposite him. He suffered this, although it irritated him.

“Don’t you think it’s odd that we’ve never actually discussed what must have happened that night?” she asked, turning to him, her expression serious.

Oh gods. Why now? Roland spread his hands wide. “What’s done is done. I see no point in crying over spilt milk.”

“Spilt milk?” repeated Eden, her expression so blank that Roland immediately cast about for a turn of phrase she’d find more palatable. “Things didn’t turn out as intended,” he said carefully. “But what’s the point in cutting up rough about it after the deed is done?” A heavy silence greeted his words, and he rolled his eyes. “Quite frankly, I have no desire to discuss it now,” he said bluntly. “What would be the purpose?”

“To clear the air perhaps?” she suggested gravely. “To try and promote some kind of understanding between us at this point.” She paused heavily. “It seems to me, that we are poised at a critical juncture. Would it not be best to clear up any confusion now?”

Roland snorted. “I’m not laboring under any misunderstanding,” he said dismissively.

Eden took a deep breath. “Really? What about the fact we clearly had not engaged in any… pre-marital relations?” she asked with a directness that took him aback. “Despite what everyone assumed. Ourselves included.” When he continued silent, she fixed him with a stern look. “You know as well as I, that I was still a virgin that night at Tranton Vale. Yet we’ve never discussed it.”

Roland felt his face grow hot. “What of it?” he demanded.

“So clearly, we were innocent of any wrong-doing that night at Hallam Hall!” she cried, losing her calm.

Roland stiffened. “I was drunk,” he said bluntly. “I may not have breached your virginity, but we could still have done other things.”

“What?” Eden looked startled.

“We were both naked,” he pointed out. “When I woke up, my hands were all over you-”

“I know that!” Eden interrupted him.

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