A Lady Never Surrenders Read Online Free PDF

that.
    “It’s too late for love, Mr. Pinter,” she said wearily. “Gran is breathing down my neck, and this is hardly the season for matrimony. There are a few country balls and little else before the end of the year. The likelihood of my stumbling upon any other eligible gentlemen at this late date is quite small.”
    “There must be someone else, someone more—”
    “No one whom I know, whom I’m comfortable with. At least I like these gentlemen. I can see myself married to one of them.” Possibly. If worse came to worst. “And since they’re all titled and wealthy, Gran would find them irreproachable.” Which was the point, though she couldn’t tell him that.
    His expression turned cynical. “So that’s what you’re looking for in a husband,” he said coldly. “A rich man of rank . ”
    “No!” How like him to assume she was mercenary. “That’s what Gran is looking for. I merely want a man I can tolerate. But if my suitors are wealthy, at least they won’t marry me simply to gain my fortune.” As Papa had done with Mama. “I prefer not to marry a fortune hunter.”
    “I see.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Still, wealthy lords and fortune hunters aren’t your only choices. Surely there are other respectable gentlemen.”
    “Why are you being so stubborn about this?” Suddenly it dawned on her. “Wait, is it because my suitors are noblemen? I know that you consider titled gentlemen to be beneath contempt, but—”
    “That’s not true,” he grumbled. “I count Lord Kirkwood and his brother among my friends, and even, if I venture to be presumptuous, your brothers. It’s not all men of rank I find beneath contempt—just the ones who prey on women. Like Devonmont. And probably the other two, as well.”
    “To my knowledge, none of them has ever taken advantage of a respectable female. Even my brothers had their … dalliances as bachelors.”
    “So did your father.”
    He would point that out. “That’s different. Papa broke his marriage vows. That doesn’t mean my suitors would do so.” She swallowed. “Unless you think it impossible for a woman like me to keep men like them satisfied and happy?”
    He started. “No! I wasn’t trying to say … That is—”
    “It’s all right, Mr. Pinter,” she said, fighting to keep the hurt out of her voice. “I know what you think of me.”
    His gaze locked with hers, confusing her with its sudden fierceness. “You have no idea what I think of you.”
    She twisted her bracelet nervously, and the motion drew his eyes down to her hands. But as his gaze came back up, it slowed, lingering on her bosom.
    Could Mr. Pinter … Was it possible that he …
    Certainly not! Proper Pinter would never be interested in a reckless female of her stamp. Why, he didn’t even like her.
    She’d dressed carefully today, hoping to sway him into doing her bidding by showing that she could look and act like a lady, hoping to gain a measure of his respect.
    But the intimate way his gaze continued up past her bosom to her throat, and then paused again at her mouth, was more how her brothers looked at their wives. It wasn’t so much disrespectful as it was … interested.
    No, she must be imagining that. He was merely trying to make her uncomfortable; she was misinterpreting the seeming heat in his glance. She refused to let herself be taken in by imagining what wasn’t there. Not after the nasty things Ned had said to her when she was fourteen.
    I only kissed you to win a bet, you know.
    She’d learned her lesson then. Men had an annoying habit of pretending interest in a woman just to gain something they wanted. Just look at Mama, dreaming of fairy tales when Papa had been dreaming only of finance.
    Well , she would marry a man who didn’t need or want her fortune. Mr. Pinter didn’t fall into that category.
    And given how blank his expression became as his gaze met hers, she’d been right to be skeptical. He would never be interested in her in that