Page 16 of A Lady by Chance

“How dare you?” she shouted.

He marched toward the parlor.

She squirmed. “Put me down.”

He didn’t halt. Jessica thrashed. He hugged her so close to his chest that she felt as if she was in a vice. They entered the parlor and he dropped her onto a wing backed chair. She started to push to her feet, but he grasped her shoulders and held her still while he squatted eye level with her.

“Hear me out. If you want to return home when I’ve finished my tale, I will take you myself.”

She pursed her lips and folded her arms, but remained seated.

He removed his hands from her shoulders and stood. “Baldain is my life and my curse. I agreed to Stirling’s proposal as a means to save my home.” He cast her a worried glance. “Aye, you were my only hope, if you want the whole sordid tale.” He paused and she realized he wanted her consent to go on. She dared not speak, for tears pricked the corners of her eyes, so she nodded. He gave a grateful smile that twisted her heart.

“The very morning Stirling arrived with his offer, I awaited my solicitor and two bankers, who were my late father’s last creditors. I had repaid most of his debts by selling off everything of value. To satisfy these final loans, I agreed to give the creditors Baldain’s remaining land, keeping only the house itself.”

“Oh,” Jessica breathed. Her heart squeezed. She couldn’t begin to imagine losing an inch of Gledstone.

“They would have replaced the vast gardens with tenement buildings. Once, the gardens were called regal.” He sighed. “But that was long ago. It is now overgrown.”

She unfolded her arms and grasped the chair arms. “You would like to see it restored.”

“Aye, but I had a choice: lose all, or keep at least the house. If I sold the land, that would pay all remaining debts and Baldain House would remain in the family line.”

Jessica searched his face. “So you did plan to marry?”

“Eventually.” He looked down at her, so handsome in the thin sunlight. “Not this soon, though, I will admit.”

“You wanted to clear your father’s debts first.” Of course, it made perfect sense.

“My father left more than debts, lass.”

Jessica stood. “I do understand. Gledstone Hall has been in my family for centuries. Living there is more like caretaking than owning. We are always aware of those who went before us, and who will come after we are gone. It is not so much a right, though I know some would say otherwise. My father taught us that Gledstone is a privilege and obligation, one passed down and bequeathed to us generation after generation. I cannot imagine the anguish should we lose even a foot of it.” She was surprised at the sting of tears. She threw her arms around his neck. “I acted very badly.”

He hesitated and she feared she had doomed their marriage before it had become a real union. Then his arms wrapped around her and he gently stroked her hair.

“Shh, sweet. You couldn’t have known. I should have told you before bringing you here. You deserve better, just as your father said about your sister.”

She pulled back. “That was very different. Papa did not want Chastity to marry a man who didn’t care about her. And none of this is your fault. I am sorry your father—” She broke off.

“Ruined his life and almost lost Baldain?” Patrick finished. He took her hand and brushed his lips against her knuckles. A shiver raced down her arms. “Never worry about speaking plainly, love. I wouldn’t want it otherwise.” He released her hand. “Baldain House isn’t ancient like your Gledstone. It was built by my great-grandfather, a wealthy merchant, in 1726. The house is young, as such estates go. But it represents everything and means even more to me.” He shrugged. “I would have sold my soul to keep it.”

Jessica smiled. “Thankfully, you didn’t have to go that far. You only had to accept the Marriage Maker’s offer.”

Patrick laughed. “Is that what you call him? The Marriage Maker?” His handsome face lit as his eyes crinkled at the edges. It was a transformation that did funny things to her stomach—and her heart.

She beamed. “He did find excellent husbands for two of my sisters. Though I didn’t think it possible for him to marry me off.” She leaned toward him and his cock tightened when she whispered in a conspiratorial tone, “I promised him I would make any man he chose dislike me.”

“Nae,” he said in exaggerated tones.

She looked up at him through her lashes and a primal need to claim her ripped through him. “But I do not want you to dislike me.” He froze when she reached up and tugged lightly at his cravat, “I will endeavor to be good, but I fear it will not be easy.” She lifted on tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his jaw.

Patrick closed his eyes and willed his lust into submission.

“I may not always act properly—as you just saw,” she said. “But I will do my best to make sure you aren’t sorry you married me.” He opened his eyes and cursed his timing. She stood so close and stared up at him with such open honesty that it took his breath. “Are you sorry?” she asked in a quiet voice.

He touched a faint mud-smudge on his topcoat. “Only that I was unable to completely clean my clothes after catching you.”

She laughed with such delight that it seemed Baldain House leapt to life before his eyes. “I am sure Baldain will soon hum with many more servants than Cobbs, so any future mishaps can be nipped in the bud.” She took a step back and he resisted the urge to drag her to him. “Is that really your only regret?” she asked.