She had come so close to escaping this.
But in the end, perhaps she should have realized that there was no real chance of getting away. It had always been too much to hope for.
The net of marriage had finally closed around her.
CHAPTER 5
“You didn’t even want this, did you? Admit it.”
Leonard Hall took a deep breath to try to steady himself as the carriage pulled away from the church. He had not expected any of what had happened today though perhaps he should have. His wastrel of a brother had been perfectly predictable by skipping out on his own wedding and forcing Leonard to take the responsibility instead.
And Lady Prudence was quite right. He had not wanted it.
He hadn’t wanted to marry at all and certainly not today—like this. He had offered Peter to Lord Highgate as a way of making up for Peter’s inappropriate conduct. He had never thought he would be forced into this role himself.But then, what am I letting myself feel surprised by? That I have to clean up Peter’s mess? Our whole lives have been me cleaning up his messes, and I expect that it will continue that way for the next forty years.
“Answer me,” Lady Prudence insisted. “You didn’t want to marry me, and you ought to say as much.”
Leonard sighed. “What good will it do you if I say that?” he asked. “Why do you want to hear me say that I don’t want this?”
“I want you to tell the truth. Is that so much to ask of a husband? Since you are myhusbandnow, I think I am well within my rights to ask for whatever I would like from you.”
Leonard had to laugh. “Is that what you think? That now that we are married, I’m somehow beholden to you and will simply do whatever you ask of me? I’m afraid you’re in for a surprise if you believe that, Lady Prudence. I married you out of a desire to help you protect your reputation and to protect my own family’s good name, nothing more.”
“So, you didn’t want it.”
“I don’t know why you bring that up as if it’s something that matters,” he said. “Do you believe that people only ever marry because it’s what theywant?”
“I knew what I wanted for myself,” she said hotly. “I wanted love. I would have married if I had ever found that.”
“And you think that’s a common outcome, do you? Finding love?”
“Both of my sisters managed it,” she said. “They are in love, and they are happy. All I want is the same thing they have.”
“And if that never happened? What then? I suppose you would be content to remain a spinster all your life?”
“I would have,” she informed him. “Better that than to be forced into a loveless marriage with a man who wants nothing to do with me, who doesn’t evenlikeme—and who I don’t like either.”
If that was supposed to offend him, she’d missed the mark, for she had only spoken the truth. “What matters is that we will be spared any scandal now,” he said. “Duty is what matters most, Lady Prudence. Duty, not love.”
“Shouldn’t you be referring to me differently now that I am your wife?Lady Prudenceis no longer a proper form of address.”
“And what would you have me call you?” He knew she was right, but somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to sayduchessto this lady he hardly knew. He’d have to get beyond that hesitation, of course, but right now, he couldn’t do it, and he decided it didn’t matter that much. This was still the first day of their marriage. These were things they would figure out gradually—there was no great rush about it.
“You could call me by my name,” she suggested. “You could simply call me Prudence.”
“Well, that hardly seems appropriate.”
“How is that inappropriate? You can’t call your own wife by her name?”
“Lady Prudence, we may be married to one another, but I expect you to maintain formality between us,” he told her. “After all, we did not marry because of any personal closeness. We have fulfilled our obligations, and now, we can return to the peace of our day-to-day lives knowing that no one will slander our good names.”
“You’re like everyone else in society,” she accused. “All you care about is your reputation.”
“I know you’re not a fool, Lady Prudence. You know that this scandal would have ruined you. Why can’t you simply be grateful for your good fortune? For my kindness in helping you out of your predicament?”
“Your kindness,” she scoffed. “If you were as kind as you wish to claim you are, you would have considered what I wanted!”
“Youwantedto be ruined?”
