A Promise of More Read Online Free PDF Page B

on.”
    He was about to challenge her, but what did he care if she wanted to lie back and think of England instead of enjoying the pleasure he could give her? Did he reallycare how his son was conceived as long as it was his? In fact, a pious, frigid wife would likely mean she’d not take lovers. Unlike his father, he would know his children’s parentage.
    “If that appeases your sensibilities, who am I to argue?”
    She sighed. “As long as we are clear on our respective duties, we should rub along fine.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “Our respective duties?”
    “Yours is to take care of my family, mine is to bear your children.”
    He let out a quick breath. “Of course.” For a minute he thought she was going to insist on fidelity. He would not promise that.
    “Give me a day to obtain the required special license, and we can be married. In the meantime, I’ll arrange for your family’s bills to be sent to me. You’ll stay in your home until we wed. Then you’ll move into Waverly Court, my London residence.” He turned to leave the room to afford her some privacy in which to dress. “I also need to talk with my sisters. I haven’t seen them in four months and they’ll be hurt if they hear of our situation from someone else.”
    “They will be surprised. What will you tell them?”
    His smile was genuine. He loved his two sisters. Would do anything to protect them.
    “The truth. Marisa is nineteen years old and a little hellion. She’s very intelligent, and began beating me at chess when she was fifteen. Helen is only just gone eighteen and is very quiet and shy. They are very different from each other. But I love them both.”
    He didn’t tell Beatrice that they looked nothing like each other because they were likely sired by different fathers. Some family secrets he would never share.
    She appeared to be surprised at his profession of love. Of course he loved. He simply refused to love a spouse. He loved his fellow Libertine Scholars, his family, his horses, brandy, and pleasure.
    “I’m responsible for my sisters and I take my guardianship very seriously. I will expect you to revere them as you would your own family.”
    Her mouth, which had fallen open, snapped shut. She sat in stunned silence for a moment before saying, “Of course. Marisa is a stunning beauty.”
    His jaw eased from its tight clamp. Like him, his two sisters had suffered greatly in the battle waged between their parents, and he would not have themsubjected to further marital battles.
    As Sebastian opened the door Beatrice added, “I imagine Marisa has been inundated with offers. I suspect she’ll marry soon?”
    He hesitated before exiting the room but did not look back. “My sister has had many offers from men pledging their undying love, all of which she has declined. The girl is far too sensible to see love other than an evil to be avoided at all costs.”
    The door closed before she could scramble a reply. An evil to be avoided? At all costs?
    Is that why he had capitulated so easily? He did not expect or desire love? It was inconceivable to her that someone would purposely avoid love. As a girl she’d been denied love from parents who were cold and distant. As a woman of no great beauty or accomplishment, she’d never found love—well, one that had been reciprocated—and she understood now she was unlikely to ever know true love. Not with a man like Coldhurst.
    The churning in her stomach worsened. But love was the one thing she had vehemently desired all her life.
    Beatrice fell silent, considering all that had passed between them this morning. She finally gave a silent prayer of thanks. She’d done it. She closed her eyes and ran a shaky hand over her face. She had persuaded the ton’s most notorious rake to marry her, and saved herself from a monster.
    A little pang of guilt would not dim her victory. She had lied to Coldhurst. She wondered what price she’d pay for that lie.
    There was a suitor who had offered for