“
Suppose he really is in love. What about her? She never has anything good to say about him.”
“Yet she blushes whenever he enters a room. And she stares at him a good deal. Or hadn’t you noticed that, either?”
“As a matter of fact, I have.” Gazing up at him, she softened her tone. “But I do not want her hurt, Isaac. I must be sure she is desired for herself and not her fortune. Her siblings had a chance of not gaining their inheritance unless the others married, so I always knew that their mates loved them, but she…” She shook her head. “I had to find a way to remove her fortune from the equation.”
“I still say you’re taking a big risk.” He glanced beyond her to where Celia was talking to the duke. “Do yo really think she’d be better off with Lyons?”
But she doesn’t love him…If you’d just give her a chance-
“I do not know,” Hetty said with a sigh. “I do not know anything anymore.”
“Then you shouldn’t meddle. Because there’s another outcome you haven’t considered. If you try to manipulate matters to your satisfaction, she may balk entirely. Then you’ll find yourself in the sticky position of having to choose between disinheriting them all or backing down on your ultimatum. Personally, I think you should have given up that nonsense long ago, but I know only too well how stubborn you can be when you’ve got the bit between your teeth.”
“Oh?” she said archly. “Have I been stubborn with you?”
He gazed down at her. “You haven’t agreed to marry me yet.”
Her heart flipped over in her chest. It was not the first time he had mentioned marriage, but she had refused to take him seriously.
Until now. It was clear he would not be put off any longer. He looked solemnly in earnest. “Isaac…”
“Are you worried that I am a fortune hunter?”
“Do not be absurd.”
“Because I’ve already told you that I’ll sign any marriage settlement you have your solicitor draw up. I don’t want your brewery or your vast fortune. I know it’s going to your grandchildren. I only want you.”
The tender words made her sigh like a foolish girl. “I realize that. But why not merely continue as we have been?”
His voice lowered. “Because I want to make you mine in every way.”
A sweet shiver swept along her spine. “We do not need to marry for that.”
“So all you want from me is an affair?”
“No! But-“
“I want more than that. I want to go to sleep with you in my arms and wake with you in my bed. I want the right to be with you whenever I please, night or day.” His tone deepened. “I love you, Hetty. And when a man loves a woman, he wants to spend his life with her.”
“But at our age, people will say-“
“Our age is an argument for marriage. We might not have much time left. Why not live it to the fullest, together, while we’re still in good health? Who cares about what people say? Life is too short to let other people dictate one’s choices.”
She leaned heavily on his arm as they reached the steps leading up to the dais at the front of the ballroom. He did have a point. She had been balking at marrying him because she was sure people would think her a silly old fool.
But then, she had always been out of step with everyone else. Why should this be any different? “I shall think about it,” she murmured as they headed to the center of the dais, where the family was gathering.
“I suppose I’ll have to settle for that. For now.” He cast her a heated glance. “But later this evening, once we have the chance to be alone, I shall try more effective methods to persuade you. Because I’m not giving up on this. I can be as stubborn as you, my dear.”
She bit back a smile. Thank God for that.
”
”