Caroline and the Captain: A Regency Novella Read Online Free PDF

ploy to discourage his suit? Might there be another man she hoped to marry? Someone unsuitable to her father?
    “And George knew about this?”
    “He did. He didn’t care.”
    “No” he said heavily. “I doubt George would.”
    “Your brother vowed never to speak of it again.” Her voice throbbed a little.
    He was well within his rights to give up his suit, and maybe he should for both their sakes. If that was what she wanted. Cry off with some excuse. Without thinking, Nicholas took her by the shoulders, finding them slender under his hands. “I don’t care either,” he found himself saying. He actually didn’t, although he was damned curious about the blighter who’d made her so unhappy. For unhappy she undoubtedly was, it was evident in every line of her body as she stood there, rather courageously, he thought, awaiting his condemnation.
    Large grey eyes widened in disbelief. “You don’t?”
    He searched her pretty eyes for a sign of disappointment, but found only concern and shame in her searching gaze.
    “No.” Deflowering a virgin had never appealed to him. “We need never mention it again.”
    “There’s one other thing.” She sounded desperate. What would she throw at him next? Was she still pining for her lover? He held up a finger to stop her.
    “I expect my wife to be faithful.”
    A pink flush colored her cheeks. “But of course. George agreed that our marriage would not be consummated for at least a year. I would have the same promise from you.”
    Good old George, Nicholas thought with amusement.
    “No, Miss Mirrington.” His brother may have been able to live with a pretty girl under his roof and not make love to her. He was made of a weaker resolve. In fact, he suffered a sudden wish to bite that full bottom lip of hers. “You’ll get no such assurance from me.”
    Her brows flew up with alarm. “You won’t?”
    “I require an heir. Don’t you want children?”
    She grasped her hands together. “Surely there’s plenty of time for that. It’s just that I would need that year to get to know you.”
    “Nonsense,” he said softly. He stepped closer and held her resolute chin in the heel of his hand. “Sharing a bed is the most effective way.” He rubbed a thumb over that rosy lip he wished to kiss. She really was the most extraordinary girl. She would have been closely watched all her life. How had it happened?
    “Did this occur in London, during the Season, Miss Millington?”
    She dropped her gaze. “No.”
    Did she really know what losing one’s virginity was all about? Or was she just being theatrical. But he had made his decision and was keen to move forward. “Now that we’ve got those troubling issues out of the way,” he said briskly, “what say you, Miss Mirrington. Will you marry me?”
    The guarded look remained, but she nodded, a slight flush on her pale cheeks.
    “Yes, my lord. I will marry you.”
    Nicholas wondered why she’d given in without fighting for her independence, which was what he assumed she really wanted. He suspected she liked a good fight. A sudden suspicion that she would adopt another delaying tactic, gave him pause. He took the jeweler’s box from his pocket. The Debenham rose-cut diamond sparkled in its intricate setting. Taking her hand, he slipped the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit. He didn’t miss how her fingers trembled in his.
    “It’s lovely.” She held her hand up to the light.
    “I thought George would have given this to you,” he said, wondering if she knew it had been sold.
    “He wanted to sell the diamonds. He needed to make an urgent payment to someone. He said it was a matter of life and death.”
    “Life and death?” A cold breeze blew across his damp back and chilled him to the bone. He managed to smile. “George’s language tended to be a bit overblown at times.”
    When Nicholas drew her toward him, she stiffened under his hands. “I just want to kiss you. A mere formality,” he said huskily.