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Her brow furrowed slightly. ‘He once told me that art led my mother astray, not that I knew what he meant.’
‘In that case, you may stray as far as you wish. Within reason, of course.’
‘So it would be a strictly business arrangement?’
She bit her lip and his gaze followed the movement. Funny, he hadn’t noticed how full her lips were before, probably because she pursed them so often. Now they looked luscious and moist and surprisingly tempting, as red as the cheeks that seemed to be darkening even as he watched.
‘Robert?’
‘Mmm?’ He forced his gaze back up.
‘I asked if it would be strictly a business arrangement.’
‘As I said.’
‘Entirely?’
‘Ah.’ He lifted an eyebrow as he realised what she was really asking him. Truly, she was full of surprises. ‘You mean would it be a real marriage?’
‘Yes.’ She dropped her eyes to the table, blushing furiously as she trailed a pattern along the wood with her fingertip. ‘I mean...I understand that most men want heirs?’
He raised his cup and drained the remainder of his punch in one mouthful. Generally, he preferred to keep that part of his life separate from his day-to-day existence, visiting a certain discreet lady in Malton whenever the need arose, though he supposed such visits would have to stop once he was married. In truth, he hadn’t given the possibility of a physical relationship with her any thought. He’d proposed largely because he hadn’t been attracted to her, however ridiculous that idea seemed to him now. He certainly hadn’t expected such thoughts to cross her mind, though her anxious expression told him everything he needed to know about her own feelings on the subject.
The realisation was unexpectedly disappointing, though at least he could ease her fears on that score.
‘I already have a ward, a boy I’m raising as my heir. I’m teaching him business, though it occurs to me that you might be able to fill in the gaps in his education. Poetry and history, for example.’
‘Oh.’ Her eyes flew to his with a look of surprise. ‘So you do want a governess?’
‘I suppose so, if that idea’s more agreeable to you.’
She didn’t answer, resting her elbows on the table and tapping her fingers together with a contemplative expression.
‘Is there something else worrying you?’ Odd that he actually enjoyed studying her face now. She really was far prettier than he’d first given her credit for.
‘No. Yes.’ She took a deep breath and then let it out again slowly. ‘It’s just so...final.’
‘Marriage?’ He laughed. ‘I believe it’s supposed to be.’
‘Yes, but to do it for business. It just doesn’t seem a good enough reason.’
‘It seems as good as any to me.’
‘But what if...?’ She hesitated, as if reluctant to voice her thoughts aloud.
‘What if...?’
‘What about love?’ She dropped her hands, fixing him with a serious stare. ‘You say you’re not capable of it, but what if you just haven’t met the right person yet? What if you meet them later? Then I’ll be in the way. It could all be such a dreadful mistake.’
He gave a shout of laughter, so loud that at least twenty heads swivelled towards them.
‘It’s not funny!’ she hissed across the table.
‘It is.’
‘I don’t see why. People fall in love every day.’
‘Some of them even believe it, too.’
