Page 29 of The Highlander’s Unexpected Wife

“You would be a fool to refuse,” he said.

She knew he was right, but the thought galled her.

“There will be no announcements of our engagement,” she said.

He shook his head. “I am sorry, but that is not possible. You know as well as I that without a formal announcement, everyone will believe you are my mistress.”

“He is right about that, ma’am,” Mrs. Cummings said. “It seems to me that is the very thing you are trying to avoid.”

Alison released a frustrated breath. “I will go along with this scheme on one condition.” The viscount lifted a brow and she wanted to box his ears. “You will not visit me even once in this country home.”

He flashed white teeth. “Done.”

She gave him a disgruntled look. “Just as I thought. You are glad to be rid of me.”

His eyes darkened and she started at the somersault her stomach turned when he said, “Make no mistake, my lady, nothing would please me more than to take you this very moment to the parson’s, then home to begin our lives as man and wife.”

“With a long wedding night, no doubt,” she said.

“My father instructed me well on a husband’s duty, and I wouldn’t think of shirking that duty.”

“Duty—” Alison stopped short at the memory of the night she’d been in his home. “I was wrong. I cannot marry you.”

He frowned. “We aren’t getting married.”

She shook her head. “I will not betroth myself to a man who kidnaps women and sells them as prostitutes.”

Mrs. Cummings gasped. The viscount stared and a deadly silence reigned. Alison’s heart began to beat fast. Had she made a mistake in speaking so freely in front of Mrs. Cummings? Now he might kill them both.

“I do not kidnap anyone,” the viscount said.

“You kidnapped me,” Alison said.

He angled his head in ascent. “Touché, madam. However, I offered to marry you. That is no’ quite the same thing as kidnapping a woman with the intent to prostitute her out.”

“I heard you—”

“You heard part of a conversation. That is all.”

She clenched her fists. “I am not stupid, sir. You were talking about kidnapping women, girls between the ages of thirteen and sixteen.”

Something flickered in his eye.

“Ah ha!” she cried. “It is true.”

“What you heard, Alison, was me discussing the fact that there is a man who wants those women.”

“What is your part in this?” she demanded.

He glanced at Mrs. Cummings then drew a breath. “I can only tell you that I am not a kidnapper. I need one week. Then I can explain everything.”

“One week?”

“My lady, in this I must ask for your trust. Go to the country with Mrs. Cummings and leave me to my business. Consider, if I am lying, I would have simply left you with your cousin and not have bothered to help you.”

“Perhaps you brought me to your home with other intentions.”

“I would not take you from your home, along with Mrs. Cummings as a witness. I simply would have someone kill you.”

Alison drew a sharp breath.

He looked at Mrs. Cummings.

The housekeeper gave him an assessing look, then nodded. “I will come.”

He returned his attention to Alison, and said, “I can say no more until this business is finished.”