The Seduction Read Online Free PDF

hold that against her. Coy women had never held any charm for him. Besides, subtlety was not going to work with a man like this.
    "I should hope not," Roger answered her pompously. "You are a lady of quality. No gentleman would presume to be so forward."
    Trevor rolled his eyes. To hell with the proprieties. Kiss her, you idiot. Can't you see that's what she's waiting for?
    "Of course not," the girl echoed with such consternation and disappointment in her voice that Trevor choked back a laugh.
    "Unless he were engaged to you," the man went on. "Then it would be quite all right, of course." He took a deep breath, as if gathering his courage, then grasped her hands in his and suddenly dropped to one knee. "Margaret—may I call you Margaret?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "I have such sincere regard for you, that I feel compelled to express my feelings. I have a deep fondness for you, and I respect you utterly. You would be the perfect wife for me. Will you marry me?"
    The sight of a fastidious Englishman down on one knee in damp grass proposing marriage with all the passion of a schoolboy reciting catechism was nearly too much for Trevor.
    Despite how silly the man might look at the moment, Trevor knew that most women would have been delighted by such an offer and would have accepted it triumphantly. This woman, however, did not look delighted at all. Nor did she seem to find the situation amusing. Instead, she stared down at the man in astonished dismay. She opened her mouth to speak, then shut it again, as if she really didn't know what to say. This was clearly not what she had been hoping for.
    A few passionate kisses, some romantic words, yes. But it seemed a marriage proposal had not figured into her plans. Trevor wondered what she would say.
    She tried to pull her hands away, but Roger held them fast and went on, "I've been planning to ask you for your hand almost from the moment we met, but I confess that until tonight, I wasn't certain of your feelings for me. You can be so circumspect, my dear."
    "Roger," she said, "I'm afraid that you have mis —"
    "But your charming invitation to walk in the garden told me that you care for me a great deal more than I realized," he babbled on as if she hadn't spoken.
    Once again, she tried to speak. "But I really—"
    "Tell me you'll marry me," he urged. "We would be a splendid match, you and I. All of society will envy us."
    "Yes, I'm sure they would," she murmured, "but I really don't think—"
    "Mother is quite fond of you, you know, even though you're American. She already told me it was quite all right to ask for your hand."
    Right-ho, Trevor thought, Mummy has given permission. How nice.
    The girl was now trying desperately to free herself. "Oh, Roger, do get up!" she said, finally jerking her hands out of his grip. "I should have known this wasn't going to work. Let's just forget the whole thing."
    The man stared up at her in bewilderment. "Forget the whole thing? I don't understand."
    "I know you don't. You've made a charming offer. I'm flattered, really. But I can't possibly marry you."
    "You are refusing me?" he asked in disbelief. "But you invited me out here! You led me to believe—"
    "I'm sorry if I misled you, I truly am. That was not my intention. But we are ill-suited, I'm afraid, and if we were to marry, it would be a grievous mistake for both of us."
    Trevor heartily agreed. This was a girl clearly out of the common run, a girl who desired passion even though she was obviously innocent of its ramifications. He doubted Roger was capable of giving her what she longed for, in the marriage bed or out of it.
    There was a long, uncomfortable silence before Roger finally spoke. "I see," he said coldly, and stood up. "You're right, of course. It would be a mistake." His voice grew more contemptuous with every word he spoke. "I should have known better than to waste my affections on an ill-bred American. Good-bye."
    He bowed stiffly and departed.
    "Oh,