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Bee only nodded. “Cool.”
For a few moments, there was only silence between them, both girls aware of how everyone kept glancing their way – their own professor included.
As the lecture dragged on, Mary debated whether to say something else. In the end, she did, unable to help it, not wanting her newfound friend to have any mistaken assumptions.
“Bee?”
“Yeah?”
“It’s n-not like w-what they say, t-though.” She took a deep breath. “T-there’s nothing lewd o-or obscene about us. I d-didn’t choose to be with h-him because of m-money or w-whatever.” Looking at Bee, Mary whispered, “I love him. I’m with him because I love him.”
****
Afew miles away, alonein a vast bedroom decorated in understated elegance, Rathe slowly lowered his iPad on the bedside table. The words Mary spoke with such quiet dignity rang in his mind.
I love him. I’m with him because I love him.
He quelled the urge to smash something, knowing that unleashing his rage would not help the situation. It wouldn’t make the tabloids stop spreading lies about him, wouldn’t stop the masses from talking trash about the most important woman in his life.
How could someone so young be so damn strong,Rathe thought bleakly. Even though Mary had switched her iPad’s display off, Rathe had still been able to hear what everyone was saying about them. Abouther.Even hearing all that, how could she still love him?
The betrothal ring inside his pocket suddenly weighed like a ton. He had taken it out of the safe the first night they came back to England, but he had never gotten around to giving it to Mary.
Rathe’s lips twisted.
No, that wasn’t quite right. The damn truth was, he still wasn’t sure if it was right to tie Mary to him that way.
His hand slipped inside his pocket, his fingers tightening around the ring. What the fuck was the right thing to do? Chain her to him...or let her go?
Chapter Two
Eldrige and MeredithTownsend, the Viscount and Viscountess of Waverly.She closed her eyes, repeating the names and title several times in her mind while trying to commit their faces to memory. Bald guy, woman with a mole on the right cheek.
Mary moved to the next name, her brows furrowing when she realized how far she still had to go. The sun was setting down, the sky already a dark shade of orange but she was nowhere near to clearing her list halfway. It was unfortunate, the way her mind appeared to have more difficulties remembering the names and titles of the peerage compared to memorizing the periodic table.
Forcing herself to concentrate, she brought her list up to her eyes.
