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Miles felt a bolt of guilt. Damn it, he felt as if he were bullying her. He had an irrational urge to take his fiancée into his arms and comfort her.

He’d never been fool enough to imagine his marriage as a great love affair. At least he knew that his future wife was fertile. Was that too cynical?

“I should return home and speak to my mother,” Daisy said. Her silvery hair had fallen from its pins and was spilling down over her shoulders. Her snub nose was red.

The urge to comfort her turned to an ache, so he drew Daisy across the room and sat down, pulling her onto his lap. It felt absurdly right when she curled against his shoulder.

“Don’t worry,” Miles said, aware that Daisy was having the precise effect on him offered by so-called aphrodisiacs. Her hair smelled like apple blossoms and sunshine. He’d always scoffed at the idea that a medical drug could invigorate a man’s desire … but if you bottled that perfume?

He wound his arms around her, aware that his tool was thickening under her arse. No need to worry about whether he would shock her. No wonder she had leaned back against him at the ball; she knew how a woman pleasures a man. Remembering that moment sent more sensual hunger surging through his body.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

“What are you apologizing for? I’m the one …” Daisy’s chin quivered as she looked up at him. “I’m the one who came to you as if I were a homing pigeon. Except I was a pigeon bringing the plague because now you have to marry me, and you don’t want to, and you’ll have to dowry Belle, and—”

“You did not bring the plague,” Miles interrupted, registering that his voice had dropped into a husky tone that he only used in the bedroom.

“You’re angry. Justly angry,” she gulped. More tears slide down her cheeks.

He tightened his embrace. “I was angry, but now I’m getting used to the idea. After all, I had already decided to take a wife. Why not you? You get along with Clementine. I’m sure my other sisters will love you.”

She huddled a little closer, only one wet cheek visible.

“You’ll do.”

It occurred to him that “You’ll do” wasn’t exactly romantic.

“You’re beautiful. And experienced,” he added with sudden energy. “Why would a man want to bed a lady who knows nothing in bed? It must be tedious. Boring. Painful for her, I understand. Was it painful for you?”

“Was what painful for me?” Daisy asked, wiping away more tears.

She probably thought he was talking about giving birth. His mind instinctively veered away from the fact that she had given birth to another man’s child.

Miles handed her his handkerchief. “Nothing important. My point was that I do well to marry you.” Satisfaction spread through him, the kind of feeling a man has after he endows an orphanage. He was doing the right thing, the kindly thing. “It will save your reputation and allow Belle to be introduced to society.”

He kissed the top of her silky head. “We will have an excellent marriage.” The words rumbled in his chest like a promise.

“Perhaps,” Daisy said, shaking out his handkerchief. She didn’t sound as convinced as he was. “Didn’t you hope to fall in love before you agreed to marry?”

“No,” Miles said without hesitation. “I’ve never been in love. It looks like a very uncomfortable state, not to mention temporary.”

Daisy sighed. “I think you know this already, but I might as well admit that I’m in love with you.”

At first Miles thought he hadn’t heard her correctly. But as the words sunk in, he realized that if she was in love with him, she couldn’t be in love with the baby’s father.

That was excellent.

He cleared his throat, trying to think how to respond. “I’m honored by your affection,” he said, knowing he sounded like an awkward ass.

Daisy pushed a cloud of hair away from her eyes. “Don’t worry. I understand that you don’t feel the same. It’s been terribly uncomfortable, so hopefully it is temporary. Ever since the evening when my gown fell to the floor, I can’t stop looking for you everywhere.” She blew her nose and then added, “It’s been so humiliating. At least when we’re married, I’ll know where you are.”

She gave him a watery smile. “I’m sure I’ll quickly grow tired of having you around.”

Miles generally looked for her as well, but only because Daisy was so much more interesting than the other young women he was courting. Not that he had been courting her. But he had kept an eye on her, just in case she experienced another problem with her clothing.

“In fact, once we’re married, I expect the feeling will quickly wane,” she continued, sounding slightly more cheerful. “I don’t know any married couples who voluntarily spend time together, other than my cousin Livie and her husband.”

“My best friend Jonah and his wife Bea,” Miles put in. “He scarcely comes to London now that they have a son, William.”