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My, my…she is becoming even more interesting.
Emily swept into the room and sat down without even deigning to look at him which surprised him yet again. It would seem that the timid Lady Emily Montgomery was well past the stage of treating him with fake cordiality.
“You know this cannot go on, my dear,” he continued. “Sooner or later, you and I will be man and wife. Surely, you would wish for a better relationship between us?”
Women were all the same—they either wanted money, status, affection, or all of them. His own mother had not been different and hoisted all her dreams on one single man, who took all she gave and never gave her anything back in return.
Save, perhaps, for a few paltry jewels that she eventually managed to pawn off to sustain the lifestyle she was accustomed to, he thought in derision.
With the example of the Dowager Viscountess of Caney before him, he did not have a very high opinion of the fairer sex and thought them weak, miserable creatures, unable to aspire for anything more than what was accorded to them by society. Oh, there were some who managed to amuse him, but only for briefly. Looking at Lady Emily Montgomery right now, it would appear that she might be worth all this trouble he was going to even without his dearest wish to see Gilleton miserable.
“Since you and I are to become man and wife, sooner or later,” she repeated calmly. “I should think that we might as well become accustomed to this. After all, is this not what all marriages in the Ton are like?”
The words were spoken softly but scathingly. Indeed, this particular bud had finally blossomed into a rose, but she was not without her thorns. Very well, he would enjoy picking them off one by one.
Gregory smiled at her. “We can be so much more than the rest of them, Lady Emily,” he coaxed her. “I can be a generous husband to you.” His voice dropped lower. “A generouslover.”
He grinned when he saw the twin spots of pink appear on her fair cheeks before she glared icily at him. “I would ask you to behave appropriately, My Lord, and restrain your more wayward urges. Might I remind you that my father has yet to accept your suit?”
“But he will accept. After all, I do not see good, old Gilleton beating a path down to the Marquess of Rutbridge’s study.”
He leaned in closer to her, close enough to make out the soft scent that she wore—so distinctly different from all the cloying perfumes other ladies loved to wear. He laughed to himself when she pulled away, clearly uncomfortable in his presence. Her maid inched closer to her side protectively, glaring at him.
As spirited as her mistress, he smiled.Maybe I can…enjoy her along with lovely Emily.
In all honesty, he had feared that Daniel just might man up and snatch away this prize before him once more. Apparently, the Duke of Gilleton liked to make himself much more miserable than he needed to be, and Gregory was only too happy to help him in his endeavors.
“Lord Caney, the Marquess of Rutbridge will see you now in his study.”
He saw Emily sit up at the announcement of the footman and slide her glance at him, apparently relieved at the interruption.
He sighed despondently and stood up. “Please excuse me for a bit, sweet Emily.”
“Oh. Do take your time, My Lord. I do not mind in the least.” Her tone contained a hint of dismissal as if he barely entered into her notice.
Lord Caney bowed mockingly at her before sweeping out of the room with a sinister smile on his features. He already had a good idea what the Marquess wanted to talk about.
Victory was in his grasp.
* * *
“Thatman!”
Emily tilted her head in Jenny’s direction and smiled wanly. “Can you not think of a better term? I do not think he is deserving of being remotely human.”
She already had a good idea of what Lord Caney was like after he had lured her out in the garden. If he was already like this before their betrothal could be announced, she knew he could only be more dissolute once they were formally betrothed.
“Do ye really have to marry that—that scoundrel?”
The woeful expression on Jenny’s face was almost comical, and Emily could not help but giggle.
“I’m afraid so,” she replied with a soft sigh. “If I did not, he would only make a bigger fuss, and I would be ruined.”
Not only that, but she would also bring the entire family down with her. In retrospect, Emily realized that spinsterhood would have been a more pleasant option.
Maybe if I didn’t accept His Grace’s offer in the first place, then I would not be dealing with this particular dilemma.
But as much as she wanted to feel regret for every decision she made that led up to her situation, she could not regret knowing and loving the Duke of Gilleton—and that was the greatest tragedy in her life.
