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“You are bold!”
“Not as bold as you.” His wit had her groaning in frustration. Once more, he made a move to climb into the saddle, but she placed her hand on the saddle, stopping him. “That is not boldness but control, My Lady.”
“Perhaps a little.” She didn’t move her hand though, determined to have his attention. “If you and I are to be wed, Your Grace, should we not at least know one another better? An hour or so in conversation would be something. I’d like to know the gentleman I am to meet at the altar.”
“You would?” A smile curled his lip, revealing something mischievous. “I rather suspect you were not fond of the last man you expected to meet at the altar.”
“Baron Rutherford.” Marina uttered his name with contempt that made the syllables harsh. “He is hardly a good man.”
“With as much good in him as a bee has in his sting.” His wit brought the smallest of smiles from Marina.
“What do you know of him then? You intimated before you had no great admiration for him.”
“Put it like this.” The Duke tipped his head back as if deep in thought. “When I heard he was your betrothed, I suddenly knew why a woman would be willing to cast her name into the ditches just to escape marrying him.” He nodded slowly in her direction. “I don’t accept what you did last night. In a way, I cannot forgive you for it.” The insult made her hand tense on the leather saddle. “Yet I understand what you did now, if nothing else.”
“Stay a little while. You know something of me now, is it not right I know something of you?” she asked, but her hand did not remain on the saddle. To her surprise, the man before her lost his temper. He took her wrist, gently, but with a firmness that brooked no refusal. He didn’t hurt her as the Baron had hurt her, but he moved her hand away, giving himself space.
“You were out to trap someone in marriage last night. You think I wish to stand and talk merrily with a woman who would be so manipulative?” he asked, shaking his head.
“You presume me capable of evil more so than I am.”
“No, I do not. I was there. I know what you did.” He scoffed at her, revealing such derision that Marina backed up. Any hope she might have had that the Duke of Curton would make a better husband than Lord Rutherford was beginning to slip away. The one thing the Duke had in his favor at the moment was that she was attracted to him, but there was nothing more than that.
“You will not entertain the notion that my motivation was to destroy me alone, not to ensnare another?”
“No.” He didn’t look at her as he set the reins straight. “A weaker man might have let you fall. God knows, I do not even think my own brother would have wedded you had he found you there.”
“Goodness,” she murmured, watching the Duke carefully. It sounded like an insult, but there was no great venom in his words as he spoke of his brother.
“Many men would save themselves rather than a lady. I have too much discipline to allow such a thing to happen.” He paused with the reins and turned back toward her, his heavy breaths revealing just how angry he really was. “You wish me to speak to know me better? Very well, then know this. I am proposing a marriage of convenience, nothing more.”
“You speak like a lover,” she said sarcastically.
“Oh, the most ardent one.” He continued the sarcasm and shook his head. “I will continue my life as I see fit, and if lovers are a part of that, so be it. You can have your own lovers, for all I care, as long as you do not parade them around the ton so much that the scandal sheets learn of them.”
With these words, he stepped up into the stirrups and pulled himself into the saddle. Marina stepped forward, so she could still look him in the eye. He was already a tall man, but on the horse, he seemed higher still, out of reach.
“I was proposing we could be friends, Your Grace. A marriage of convenience does not require us to be enemies.” She said the words with her chin tilted high.
“You have defiance in you.” It could have almost been a compliment if his eyes hadn’t narrowed on her. “I wonder if you will be a difficult wife.”
“We could be more than acquaintances. Is it so wrong to at least wish to like my future husband? To be his friend?” she asked, trying to provoke a reaction from him.
“Do not mistake this arrangement.” He shook his head. “My opinion of you was set last night when I caught you trying to trap my brother in marriage –”
“That was not exactly my intention –”
“Argue it all you wish, but I know the truth.” He waved a hand, clearly pleading with her to stop talking. “As I said to your father, I will apply for the special license. My advice to you is, for the next couple of days, keep your head down and stay home. Do not visit friends or family, but stay quiet. It might keep you safe from some of the whispers.”
“You confuse me.” Marina stepped in front of the horse and patted the animal’s muzzle. At once, the steed responded to her, snorting and pushing his nose further into her hand, wanting attention.
“Gabriel doesn’t usually like other people,” the Duke said suddenly, eying his horse.
“Perhaps he’s a good judge of character,” she mused, continuing to stroke him. “You have confused me greatly, Your Grace. How can you in one breath deny any wish to be my friend then in the next breath, issue an instruction you hope will protect me?” Her question deadened the air between them.
Suddenly, the Duke was silent. He didn’t argue, he just stared at her, his breathing fast and heavy.
“Can you answer me that?” she provoked him. Still, there was no answer. In the end, he jerked the reins of the horse, pulling him back from her stroking. When they were far enough away, he turned the horse’s back toward her.
