Dorothy’s eyes widened, then narrowed with sharp incredulity. “A bride of convenience? That’s your grand plan, Your Grace? You want me to be some sort of... ornament? A proper lady to stand by your side and smile politely at tedious dinners?”
Magnus’s eyes held steady as a faint flicker of amusement crossed his face. “I am looking for more than a mere ornament, Miss Lockhart.”
She let out a frustrated sigh, hands on her hips. “Then what exactly do you want from me, Your Grace? Because ‘bride of convenience’ sounds like a pretty empty role to me.”
He stepped closer. “You misunderstand. There is a responsibility that comes with it, one that requires strength and resolve.”
Dorothy’s gaze sharpened as a flicker of bitter clarity pierced through the confusion. If that was the arrangement he was offering, just some hollow role to fill, then she might as well have married Lord Hensley. She bit back the sting of the thought, but it was true. She would likely have been nothing more than a pretty accessory to him, too. A name on a ledger, mother to his heirs, a face at society events, trapped in a gilded cage of expectations.
She sighed, arms tightening across her chest. “I am confused, Your Grace.”
Magnus began to pace with his hands behind his back. “An ornament would be an insult to you and to me. The role I propose demands more than mere appearances. It requires resilience and partnership.”
Dorothy sighed yet again as her hands dropped to her sides. “That sounds... rather charming. I’m certain you will find someone who will jump at this wonderful opportunity,” she said, feigning a smile, “but I am not interested in that life, Your Grace. I will not fit into it.”
He took a measured breath, stepping just close enough that the space between them crackled with unspoken challenge. “I believe you are capable of far more than you pretend, Miss Lockhart.”
She narrowed her eyes, suspicion sharpening her tone. “You don’t even know me.”
A faint, almost amused smile touched his lips. “I know enough.” His gaze was steady. “You had the audacity to drag my name into scandal, to parade it before London as though it were yours to toy with. Most would not dare. Most would not even think of it. Annoying as it is, that kind of nerve is not without use. It is what my niece needs.”
Dorothy blinked, caught off guard. “Your niece?”
He inclined his head. “Yes. The bride of convenience I seek is not going to just be a wife in name. She is someone who will care for and raise my niece.”
His words settled over her, shifting the entire conversation. This was no mere arrangement of appearances. There was more at stake. Much more.
Dorothy’s brow furrowed deeply, confusion knitting her features. “But how could someone like me, someone who dragged your name through scandal, be the person you want to care for your niece? It doesn’t make any sense. If anything, you’d want to keep me far away from her.”
“That is up to me, Miss Lockhart,” he said as he straightened.
She blinked, searching his expression for meaning.
“My niece will need guidance, someone who can teach her to be brave, to stand firm in a world that often demands compromise.”
Dorothy’s eyes narrowed as she tried to probe deeper, sensing there was more beneath his words. “What exactly is it about your niece that requires such… boldness?”
Magnus’s expression tightened slightly. “You will understand in due time.”
Dorothy’s shoulders slumped, the fight draining from her as remorse settled in her chest. Her voice softened, trembling just enough to reveal her sincerity. “I know... I know I dragged your name into this mess. I put you in a terrible position, one you never asked for, and for that, I am truly sorry.”
She took a shaky breath, eyes flickering away before meeting his gaze again. “Though part of me wishes I could say yes, that I could accept your offer… I cannot. As much as I want to make amends, I have to turn this down.”
Her words felt heavy in the quiet room, but she pressed on. “I’m sorry, truly. I’m sorry for bringing you all this way from Northern England to London because of a foolish rumor I started.”
Magnus’s gaze didn’t waver. He walked over to the wall, near the door, and leaned on it with both hands in his pockets. “The rumors? They’re the least of my worries. An excuse, nothing more.”
Dorothy’s frustration bubbled to the surface, her hands clenching at her sides. “I am still very remorseful.”
“Dorothy...” He paused. “Can I call you Dorothy?”
Dorothy only nodded.
“Dorothy, I don’t care about the rumors,” he said. “There’s very little that I care about in this world. I don’t care for love, I don’t care for society’s approval, and I don’t care for idle gossip. What matters to me is responsibility and doing what needs to be done. Whether you like it or not, this is something that needs doing. You don’t have to keep apologizing. We are both going to fix this.”
He arched a brow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “But in the end, it’s your father’s decision. Or so I’m told.”
Her eyes flashed with conviction. “He would never agree to this.”
