"I never wanted to marry anyone, Lily. If things were different, if I was different, it would be another situation all together, but I am who I am. Somehow we'll find a way to make it work."
"What about your lifestyle?"
He blanched. "We'll find a way to make it work," he repeated.
"Simon—" she began, but he placed his finger on her lips, silencing her.
The intensity of his grey eyes pierced her, and Lily lost her breath. She did want him. He was offering respectability and his name, if not his heart. Perhaps that would come. She prayed it would.#p#分页标题#e#
Lily nodded her consent.
***
Simon thought his heart was going to leap out of his chest, right up to the moment she nodded her head. When she finally nodded her acquiescence, he was sure he looked like a besotted fool. Surely she would turn her head and laugh at him any moment. But he couldn't be romantic, could he? He had to let her believe his offer of marriage was simply to protect her reputation. But it was far from that.
Well, it was partly that. He could already imagine the society pages when the scavengers reported that someone had finally shackled the Duke of Blackmoor. He was notorious for his escapades; he'd spent years cultivating his image, after all. He could only imagine how Lily would feel when the gossipmongers began to speculate about an eight-month baby. They might even make wagers in the London clubs about how long it would be before a blessed event would occur. Even though he and Lily hadn't been intimately involved, she would be slaughtered by their poisonous pens.
Simon turned away from Lily and scrubbed a hand across his face. How best to protect her?
"Is something wrong, Simon?"
"No, no, Lily," he said, suddenly distracted by his wayward thoughts. "Nothing is wrong."
"Simon," she said as she laid her delicate little hand on his chest. "You don't have to marry me." His heart sped up beneath her touch.
"Oh, I do," he murmured, already feeling aroused from her innocent touch.
"I can survive a bit of scandal…" she started.
"There is no need, Lily."
"I can't imagine forcing you into something you don't want to do." She turned away from him. Then she spun back quickly. "Will you hate me?"
"I can't imagine anyone hating you," he said, tipping her chin up with his finger. "And you will make a perfectly beautiful duchess."
"Oh, my, Simon." She smiled. "I almost forgot about that part."
"You will be perfect," he said, looking into the amber depths of her eyes.
"Who will make a beautiful duchess?" Oliver asked as he breezed into the room. He stopped and looked at the pair of them, his stance one of supreme bullheadedness. He stomped like a horse as he walked toward them and plopped into a chair.
"Really, Oliver," Lily said. "Mind your manners."
Oliver had the nerve to smirk at her. "Why?" He looked at her with the utmost disrespect, reminding Simon of a young pup who's just learned he has teeth but hasn't yet learned how to use them to his advantage.
"Because an earl is expected to behave properly." Lily's eyebrows scrunched together.
"Aunt Lily," Oliver said. "My manners are certainly not the only thing that's improper about me. If you only knew…"
"Enough!" Simon barked, worried the boy would reveal too much.
Oliver snapped his mouth shut and sat up straight. That was much better, Simon thought. He really didn't want to take the pup to heel. Not again. Not today.
"So, who is going to be a duchess?" Oliver asked again.
"It appears as though I am," Lily sighed. Simon's eyes sought hers. She sounded as if she had just said "I'll be going to the gallows tomorrow" or "I have three days left to live."#p#分页标题#e#
"Well, that was fast," Oliver said. "You met a duke last night? And he has already offered for you? It's that dowry, isn't it? I had a feeling…" he trailed off when Simon shot a look at him.
"No, Oliver," Simon began, adjusting his stance to lean casually against the door frame. If he wanted the boy to be less of a peacock, he might try by setting an example, so he attempted an air of relaxation. "Your Aunt Lily has agreed to marry me." Before he could even attempt a smile at the lad, the boy was up and stomping across the room.
But what tipped his hand was when he grabbed Lily's upper arms and shook her slightly. "Are you daft, Aunt Lily? You simply cannot agree to marry a man like him."