“Pray, desist!”
“‘The Duke stood tall, his heart full of dread, to marry a girl he wished was dead instead’?”
“Frederick.”
“Too morbid? How about...”
“Do, for once, still your tongue and let me think.” Alexander abandoned the mirror, pacing to the window. The morning wasdisgustingly cheerful, all sunshine and birdsong, as if nature itself was mocking his misery.
“You’re overthinking this,” Frederick said, suddenly serious. “It’s a business arrangement. You both know it. Just be straightforward.”
“Straightforward.” Alexander laughed bitterly. “Yes, nothing says romance like ‘I’m legally obligated to marry you or lose everything I own.’”
“Well, when you put it like that…” Frederick considered. “Perhaps flowers? Women like flowers.”
“She arranges flowers. It’s apparently her primary occupation.”
“Jewellery then?”
“What jewellery? ‘Here’s a bracelet to commemorate this joyless transaction’?”
“You’re right, that might send mixed signals.” Frederick studied his cousin with unusual perspicacity. “You know, you could try being kind.”
“Kind?” Alexander said the word as if it were foreign.
“Revolutionary concept, I know. But considering you’ll be married to her for the rest of your natural life, a little kindness might make the whole thing more bearable.”
“She’s a Coleridge.”
“She’s also, by your own account, a person who asked you not to actively hate her. That’s a fairly low bar, Alex. Even you can manage not to actively hate someone.”
Alexander returned to the mirror, straightening a cravat that didn’t need straightening. “I don’t hate her.”
“No?”
“I hate the situation. I hate her family. I hate that my grandfather’s last act was to trap me in this farce.” He paused. “But her specifically? She’s… inoffensive.”
“High praise indeed. ‘Miss Coleridge, you’re inoffensive. Marry me.’”
“This isn’t helpful, cousin.”
“Nothing about this situation is helpful.” Frederick stood, suddenly serious. “But you’re going through with it anyway, so you might as well not make it worse than it needs to be. Miss Coleridge didn’t choose this either. Remember that.”
Alexander was quiet for a moment. “She said we were both trapped by the same circumstances.”
“Smart girl.”
“She said I probably lie awake wondering how my life came to this.”
“Perceptive girl.”
“She said she excels at being invisible.”
“Sad girl.” Frederick moved toward the door. “Try not to make her sadder, would you? It’s unbecoming of a duke to cause unnecessary misery.”
“When did you become so philosophical?”
“When my best friend and cousin decided to marry a girl he’s never properly looked at.” Frederick paused at the door. “Actually look at her today, Alex. You might be surprised.”
