“—marriage contract?!”Xander’s voice rose to a near shout as he finished her thought aloud.
“Ah, yes.His Grace had shown me that.I wondered where it had gotten to.I shouldn’t worry about it, Your Grace.You have time before the family demands an answer.They spend most of their time in London.Perhaps they will wait until you journey there to discuss the matter in person.”
“What is there to discuss?”
“We should review the document, but ’tis my understanding that these contracts include protracted negotiations, and both families are expected to fulfill them with whatever means necessary, as other terms may have already been met.Financial ties linked, other offers declined, that sort of thing?”Munroe waved an uncertain hand.
Evie gritted her teeth.She was not simply another bullet point on a contract, as though she couldn’t procure another offer with a few smiles and a wave of her fan.
There might be some stigma if the contract was dropped, but surely, her family could spin it as an uncouth commoner not being worthy of her.
Her heart clenched at that thought.She wanted to choose for herself.But she didn’t want Xander’s reputation soiled, no matter who declined the union.Blast, it appeared she preferred not to hurt him even if he spurned her.This was a fine fettle of a dilemma she’d not anticipated.
The duke’s voice brought her back to the library.“You cannot be serious.I’m expected to wed some Ton chit because of a contract?Someone who is bound to find me beneath her snooty sensibilities?”
He had a point.She was, after all, laboring in disguise to verify his suitability.And she’d had the fleeting thought before meeting him that his humble origins might embarrass her.Hellfire, she should have thought that when she noticed his continued lack of proper dress, but that throat hollow was too alluring to allow such a concern.More, they had fun together, and their politics aligned.He was everything she’d hoped for and fun, besides.
She wished she could laugh at how upside down the whole situation was.The person born to the aristocracy was on her knees polishing the furniture owned by a man raised working-class who now held the highest non-royal title in the land.
“Your Grace,” Munroe said in a placating tone.“Take some time to think about it.You need heirs, and ’tis my understanding that this particular young lady is quite genial and comely besides.I believe she is related to someone in the village, too.”
Xander sat back in his chair and brought his elbows to the armrests and his fingers to his lips.
She groaned, a spurt of warmth flooding her.Must he?
He frowned and asked, “So I am supposed to marry for geniality, beauty, and heirs?What of love?”
Ohh, good question.She quietly shifted to the floor by another chair so she could see more of his face.Then she frowned.She’d never considered love before.Affection, certainly, but she assumed anything more would grow over time.Until she’d discovered the previous duke’s politics, she’d been fine with a society marriage, negotiated and contracted, as all of her peers were.There was no reason she should be leaning on one hand where she knelt to tilt closer and catch every word.
Munroe blushed.She could see it even from where she sat.“I could not speak to that, Your Grace.”
“You’ve never been in love, Munroe?You have, what, a few years on me?”
“I am eight-and-twenty, sir.And no.I take it you have?”
Before the duke could answer, Evie toppled to the floor, narrowly missing the uncapped linseed oil bottle beside her knee.She’d leaned one inch too far.Her elbow hit the wood floor with a crack.“Ouch!”
Both men’s heads whipped around.
The duke raised a brow.“Are you quite all right, Miss Mullens?”
“Sorry, sir.Yes, thank you, sir.I’ll, ah…” She looked around.“You know, I think I have finished this.I shall go check with Mrs.Betters regarding my next task.”
Doing a terrible job at stifling a grin, the duke nodded.
* * * *
Late that afternoon, the duke sent for her again.
Evie had worried all day about what to do if he broached the topic of marriage contracts or, indeed, marriage at all, with her.
Sure enough, as soon as she entered the library, he stood and gestured for her to sit before tossing the contract across the desk.
“Rutland, as a reminder, you needn’t stand for a maid,” she teased him.
“Oh.Right.Well, better safe than sorry, I suppose.”He shrugged and threw himself into his chair.“I’m rattled.As you apparently saw and heard.”
She dipped her head.
