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“Worse. My mother. She was desperate to see Susan properly married, to someone whom she deemed appropriate for the daughter of the Duke of Hamilton. There was a parade of rich Scotsmen until she determined which would suit her. I always thought it was a bit like choosing a new milk cow.”
In spite of herself, Justine laughed. “And what about you, Lord Douglas? Surely, your mother is just as desperate to see you properly married. You’ll provide the heirs, after all.”
“It is mentioned frequently,” he said with a smile.
“Then why haven’t you married? I seem to recall everyone talking about your supposed interests when I was in London before. I saw with my own eyes the number of young ladies interested in you.”
“Did you?” He looked pleased by that. “Canna say I recall.”
The self-confidence of gentlemen never ceased to amaze her. “Why haven’t you married?”
“Och,”he said congenially. “There are issues that complicate a marriage for me, lass. I am the heir, like you.”
Meaning, she thought, that the woman who would bear his offspring and hopefully produce a future duke would have to meet all the necessary requirements for mergers of powerful families.
“No one has ever caught your eye?”
He smiled lopsidedly. “I didna say that. There was one, many years ago. Alas, someone else had caught her eye. And you? Is there a certain gentleman who has your heart?”
She immediately thought of Aldabert, and the painful memory pierced her heart. How easily and quickly she’d fallen in love. How she’d believed him, trusted him. Amelia said it was because no man had ever paid attention to her in that way, and she was inexperienced. “There was someone who held it in his hands,” she said truthfully. “But he smashed it.”
William’s brows knit. “It pains me to hear that.”
Justine waved a hand to dismiss it. “It’s done. Perhaps now you understand why my mother insisted on a matchmaker. She doesn’t trust me.”
“Sounds a wee bit like my mother,” he said. “Perhaps you and I are more alike than we know?”
“Oh, I don’t think so,” she said, but she was smiling. “For example, you are bothersome and I am not.”
“Aye, I canna deny it. But I should like to at least be considered a friend.”
“Hmm... I’ll think about it.”
“Donna trust me?”
She laughed. “Not in theleast.”
He grinned. “Nevertheless, there is something else we should address.”
“Is there?”
“It is the small matter of a wager fairly made.”
In the chaos, she’d forgotten about her ridiculous bet. William hadn’t, and he obviously liked the surprise on her face, because his grin turned into a smile that made her feel a little warm.
“I didn’t...” Her voice trailed away. She honored her word, and she’d meant that bet in the heat of the moment, of course...but she’d assumed she’d win. Handily.
“You seem confused, Your Royal Highness. You made a wager and I would like to collect.”
“You can’t just demand it.”
“I’m no’ demanding it. I am reminding you. Aggiani was unsuitable—do you disagree?”
“No! He was unsuitable in every possible way.”
“Then if you concede that I wasright,and you werewrong, you should honor your bet.”
His gray eyes were sparkling with merriment and a bit of heat, and Justine felt that sparkle sizzle all the way down to her belly. “There you go again, telling me what to do. And I don’t really care for the way you emphasizerightandwrong.”
