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“Pretty much.” Eleanor shook her head. “Don’t ask me who this friend is or how it was managed, because I don’t know. I can’t even get it out of my father who was dealing with this all. But he’s been desperate to have me married to a respectable gentleman for a while now, and my prospects had faded over the years. I didn’t want to marry.” She winced and glanced at him. “No offence.”
“None taken.”
Nathan could see things a little more clearly now. It didn’t matter who had arranged this match, he and Eleanor had set things in motion. They were stuck in this together.
“I know we could break this off amicably, go our separate ways, but then Father’s debts wouldn’t be paid and we…” Eleanor swallowed. “We would be destitute. God only knows where we would go.”
More than likely in the workhouse if it was that bad, or they would be exiled to a tiny plot of land elsewhere in the country. Nathan didn’t like the idea of that. Although he liked the idea of living in a small cottage in the countryside, away from the grime and stench of London, if Eleanor was with him. They could make that work.
Seriously? You’re thinking about that right now? Focus, you fool.
Nathan cleared his throat and shifted on the couch.
“I’m not going to break it off, Eleanor. While I’m not happy about it, I do understand. Besides,” he added with a sly smile, “I would like someone interesting to talk to when I’m home on leave. You would keep me on my toes.”
“You make that sound like a bad thing.”
Nathan winced. “My apologies. But I would rather have a wife with a light in her eyes. A fire lit beneath her who isn’t prepared to sit there looking pretty. She wants to go out and do something. Not that you’re not pretty,” he added hurriedly, his cheeks burning, “but I’m sure you know…”
“I know what you mean.” Eleanor looked at him and smiled. This one made her eyes flicker, and Nathan felt it slam into him. She really was a beautiful woman. “I’m not offended. Not many men would want a woman with a mind of her own.”
“That’s not me. If I must be married, I would want a wife who was interesting.”
“And you think I’m interesting?”
Nathan nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Even with my steadfast opinions?”
“I’m sure I can wear those down.”
Eleanor stared at him. Then she threw her head back and laughed. That had a shiver going down Nathan’s spine. Whoa, Eleanor Heavenly was more dangerous to him emotionally than he expected. How no one had snapped her up as a wife years ago still eluded him? Men would have been queuing up for her attention, surely?
“Not a chance,” Eleanor declared. “I’m not getting worn down. Compromise, maybe, in the smallest of things. But I’m not going to be worn down.”
“I’m stubborn as well. I can push back.”
“And you’ve been in the army too long, Captain Reynolds. I’m not one of your soldiers who’s going to bend to what you want.”
“I’ve noticed. They’re not as pretty as you.”
Nathan looked away with a groan. He was not good at talking to women. He thought he was, but Eleanor was just throwing all of that out of the window. She could make him relaxed about her one moment, and then nervous the next. Nathan felt like he was eighteen years old again.
Maybe he did need a break from the army. It hadn’t done much for his social interactions.
He swallowed and squared his shoulders, looking back at Eleanor. She was staring at him with a curious expression. It was like she was studying him. Then Nathan realized that he was still holding her hand. He hadn’t noticed, but holding her hand felt almost natural. He liked it. And Eleanor wasn’t complaining. She had made no effort to pull away.
Clearing his throat, Nathan eased his hand away and rose to his feet. He needed to give himself some distance or he was going to forget himself.
“Can I ask you a question, Lady Eleanor?”
“You can.” Eleanor sat up, resting her hands in her lap as she straightened up. Her expression switched to cool, almost blank. Nathan wanted her fire back again. “Whether I’ll answer it is another matter.”
“How is it that you’ve never married? I mean, you’re a very attractive woman.” Nathan could feel his face getting warm again. “I’m sure you had men clambering over each other for your attention when you had your first season.”
Eleanor winced. “I initially did, but then there was one man who chased everyone else away. He wanted me for himself, and he didn’t like the attention I got from others. All the potential suitors I might have had were threatened and then they gave me a wide berth. My first season simply ended in disaster.”
“You didn’t care for him, then?”
