The Viscount's Sweet Temptation by Aileen FIsh

Author:Aileen FIsh
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Aspendawn Books
Published: 2013-10-03T06:44:42.182125+00:00

Chapter Ten

For a moment, Archie questioned the wisdom of his coming to Danby Castle, but it passed in the blink of an eye. Lady Harriet was proving quite troublesome, taking a man’s place in this discussion. It would not do. When they were married, he would be sure she understood he fought his own battles. He tugged at his cravat, which was suddenly very constricting, and faced the duke. “I accept my role in this charade, Your Grace. While not the one to conceive of the scheme, I was complicit in carrying it out. However, I had your granddaughter’s reputation in mind, not my own.”

“I see. You sought to be her Sir Gawain, protecting her from herself.”

“Yes, sir. Your Grace. I mean, no sir. I’m not sure I understand your meaning. I knew her to be a close friend of my sister’s and only thought to do for her as I should hope another might for my own sisters.”

The duke nodded, his jaw moving about as he considered the statement. “And you feel duty-bound now to marry my granddaughter, to further protect her reputation?”

“Yes, Your Grace.” He grimaced and shook his head. “Forgive me. This is all very sudden. I have not prepared the sort of speech one might give a prospective father-in-law—or grandfather-in-law—when asking for his daughter’s hand in marriage. I will not claim an undying and romantic sort of emotion some might declare in times such as this, as I do not believe such a love is believable on such short acquaintance.”

The old man’s face remained unchanged. Morley refused to look at Harriet to see how she reacted to his odd declaration of not loving her. As such, he didn’t see her take a breath to speak.

“But, Archie,” she cried in a hushed voice. “You don’t need to do this. They don’t even know about the kiss.”

Morley would swear the duke smiled before bellowing in perfect harmony with Lord Alderford. “A kiss?”

Rounding on Harriet, Morley grabbed her upper arms. “They do now. But it doesn’t matter. I wish to have you as my wife, Harriet. In spite of the voice of reason that told me to hie straight to Bath, I found I couldn’t do so. No matter how we try to bury the trip in my carriage, someone might learn of it. Your reputation could be in tatters, your husband wanting nothing to do with you. And I couldn’t bear the thought. You don’t deserve to be ruined over so small a slip in behavior.”

“Is it truly so? You wish to marry me? In spite of—”

“In spite of your foolish schemes. In spite of your penchant to act without thought. In spite of how you emasculate me before your father and grandfather. I will not flatter you with pretty declarations on love, but if Eleanor finds your company so pleasant, I am certain we shall suit each other.”

She gnawed her lower lip, drawing his gaze there and making him long for a taste. He forced himself to look into her misty eyes.

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