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As he opened the paper, his jaw tightened. “This is not legal in any sense of the word.”
“Legal?” That was his thought process now? She took his attitude as a challenge, refusing to back down and tell him her real reason for being here. “Perhaps not, but it does clearly state that if I reached the age of twenty-five and you thirty, we would marry if we had not already done so. It is more a matter of honor than legalities.”
She watched as his fists clenched tightly, and his lips pressed together as if holding back his rage.
“We were drunk,” he bit out.
“Yes, I had imbibed a bit too much that afternoon. While you had barely touched your second brandy, so I doubt you were foxed. And if my alcohol-soaked memory serves me, you wrote the pact. I only signed it.”
She still remembered that day like it happened yesterday. After lamenting her sister’s upcoming engagement—and drinking far too much brandy—they’d struck their agreement. Both assuming they would be long married when the time came. When she’d found the paper before she departed town, she thought it might remind him of all the lovely times they’d shared, not infuriate him.
“I won’t be thirty for a few months yet.” He stared down at the paper again.
“But I turned twenty-five two months ago.” She supposed the time had come to confess her motive.
Harry blew out a long sigh. “Did you do this on purpose?”
“Do what?”
“Attempt to compromise yourself?”
“Compromise...?” Louisa’s mouth fell open. “How can you ask such a thing of me?”
“You arrived so conveniently before the Gringhams. No chaperone in tow. And when I requested you remain in your room last night, you defied me. You gave Lady Gringham an incorrect chaperone name. Then, you hurl a paper at me demanding marriage.”
Stunned, she could only stare at him for a long moment with her mouth agape. How could her dearest friend believe such a thing? “You are truly mad, Harry,” she whispered.
“Am I? You are the one who stated you needed my help.”
“Yes, with marriage.” Well, that didn’t come out exactly as she’d hoped, but before she could clarify, he rose to his full height.
Leaning over the desk, he stared down at her until she looked away from his hard glare. “Do I need to remind you of all the complications between our families?”
Nothing that happened was his or her fault. Her ire rose as she jumped out of her seat, slapped her hands down on the desk, and leaned across until they were only a few inches apart. She could feel his heated breath on her cheek.
“I hardly think you need to remind me that your father murdered three of my sister’s husbands and your wife before cowardly committing suicide to avoid the repercussions of his actions.”
A low hiss escaped his mouth as they glared at each other for a long moment. Her gaze slid to his lips. Were they always so perfect for kissing? Louisa’s heart pounded in her chest as she stared at him. It would only take a slight movement to reach his lips. With that thought, she jolted back as if burned from the scorching heat of his gaze.
What just happened?
She didn’t desire Harry! If she hadn’t wanted him when he was a light-hearted young man, she couldn’t possibly desire him now. He was so different. Darker. Colder. Handsome. Intriguing.
No!
“Harry, I want to be married,” she whispered, easing herself back into her seat as her anger dissipated. “I want children.”
Why did everything she say come out wrong today?
“You came all this way to get me to marry you?” He slowly returned to his seat with a long sigh.
“I did not expect you to run into my arms and propose when I gave you that paper. Five years ago, if I had tossed that paper at you, you would have laughed and teased me until I gave you the real reason. What happened?”
“I inherited a dukedom with responsibilities. I do not have time for amusements any longer.” He folded his arms over his chest and stared at her. “So, if you haven’t come here to demand marriage of me, why are you here...alone?”
“As I said, I need your help, but you haven’t returned a letter to me in years. I felt I had no choice but to come out here.” She shrugged. “And who would I have coerced into coming with me? Tessa is with child and Emma is about to plan her life with Bolton.”
“A friend?” he suggested. “A maid?”
