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“Jenny is a lovely lady but I cannot marry her. I cannot marry anyone.” He tilted his head and asked Nicholas, “Why does the prospect of marrying her torment you so?”
Now, Nicholas couldn’t answer that question with complete honesty. He had known this girl his entire life, played with her every day, despite the six years difference in their age, in Norfolk. Now suddenly, he was expected to marry her and she’d grown into such a…
He raked his finger through his sandy hair. She had grown to become a very provocative, very tempting woman. “I cannot,” he said. “She is my friend.”
Ernest looked thoughtful for a moment. “This is more reason why you should marry her. You have known each other all your lives. You can still be friends in marriage.”
“I doubt she regards me as her friend now. Not after what she has overheard of my conversation with grandmother this evening in the library.”
Ernest let out a low whistle. “How come?”
“She was in there, likely running away from society, and hid when she heard our approach. She heard everything that was said, including my rejection.”
Ernest grimaced. “I feel sorry for you, man. My advice is, apologize to her and ask for her hand. Grandmother would never let you get out of this.”
“But I don’t want to marry her,” he argued.
“Oh, but you do.” Ernest’s eyes gleamed as though he knew something Nicholas didn’t. “You’re a man, Nicky. Youdowant to marry her. Besides, a marriage of convenience never killed anyone and you would be doing her father a great favor. He appears to be neck-deep in debt and suitors are avoiding Jenny for that particular reason.”
Nicholas began to look at the situation from a different perspective. Hecouldbe helping Jenny by marrying. He would be securing her future. Within moments, Nicholas found his mind changed and he rose to his feet.
“Ernest, you have earned yourself a—”
The study door swung open, cutting him off, and his grandmother’s angry face appeared.
