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Addie sighed. “I was afraid you were going to say that.” She turned so she could look into his fa
ce. “We don’t live in London. We live in Bath. No one there will care that we were caught in the Stevenson’s library.”
He peered down at her, the amusement in his eyes visible from the lantern alongside the wall of the carriage. “Your reputation is at risk here, Addie. No matter where we live, the scandal will follow. And what of your parents? Do you think your father will allow this to pass?
“Do you believe your mother won’t be planning the wedding breakfast the minute one of her cohorts calls on her tomorrow to tell them of tonight’s titillating saga? And you can count on any number of women arriving for tea tomorrow.”
Addie slumped. “You are right.”
Grayson placed his knuckle under her chin and lifted her head. “Is marriage to me so very off-putting?” Even though his tone was light, the quick flash of pain in his eyes startled her. In fact, it was so quick she wasn’t quite sure she’d seen it.
“No. I think we might get on fairly well. I already love Michael.” The question was, of course, could she love Michael’s father? Did she want to? When she was younger, before the experience of the marriage mart had dampened her enthusiasm for the married state, she had expected to fall in love with the man she married.
She believed in romance and expected to live happily ever after with her chosen spouse. They would have a nursery full of children, laugh a great deal, and grow old together. Then reality set in. Seeing so many unhappy couples and numerous spouses switching beds after a short period of time, she’d grown cynical.
Were all marriages like that? Her parents’ marriage was certainly not full of passion and love, but she was as certain as one could be that neither one of them had been unfaithful.
There were many things about Grayson that appealed to her. He was a loving and caring father, he was handsome, and he made her shiver inside when he kissed her. Even if the last kiss ended in disaster.
“And Michael already loves you,” Grayson said in response to her statement.
Grayson considered his words. His son had indeed developed a strong attachment to Addie. He had no doubt that she would be a good mother to the boy. He snorted, thinking she would be a much better one than the woman who had given him life.
But what about Addie as a wife? As his wife?
He had no doubt that bedding her would be a delight. Truth be told, his hands itched to run over those curves and feel her soft skin. He could just imagine her plump breasts, wide hips, and well-rounded buttocks. When it came to Miss Addie Mallory, there was a lot for a man to enjoy.
The couple of kisses they’d shared told him there was passion in her just waiting to be unleashed, and he was the man to do it. His biggest concern was the fear of caring too much.
It was not a long ride to the Mallory townhouse, and Grayson was determined to do this proposal business the right way. It was what Addie deserved. He tapped on the ceiling of the coach and instructed the driver to keep driving until he told him to stop.
Addie looked at him, her brows raised. “What are you doing?”
Grayson turned so he faced her. She looked so forlorn, buried as she was in her wool coat pulled high on her chin with the blanket surrounding her. Like a lost waif. All he could see were her eyes, but at least she had stopped shaking.
“I’m sorry that you were forced into this engagement, but I must tell you I am not at all sorry.” He smiled when she opened her mouth to form a circle and frowned.
“I believe given enough time I would have proposed marriage to you eventually. We do get along quite well, and you are everything any man could want in a wife.”
She snorted but didn’t say anything.
He slid to one knee and fumbled in the blanket to take both her hands in his. Even though she no longer shook, her hands remained cold as ice. He could feel it even with both of them wearing gloves.
“Miss Mallory, would you do me the great honor of consenting to be my wife? Not because we have to, but because I want and desire you, and I hope you would want to freely accept me as your husband.”
She hesitated so long he thought she would say no, that she preferred disgrace to marriage with him. Given the way his last marriage went on, he would not be surprised. Perhaps he was simply not a marital prize.
But a slow smile spread over her face and she nodded. “Yes. I accept your proposal, my lord.”
He surprised himself at the sense of relief that raced through his body. When had he decided that marriage with Addie was right? But it was. It felt right, even more so than when he proposed to Margaret.
That was a good sign.
“I believe a kiss is in order.” He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close. She eagerly parted her lips for him, and his tongue swept in, touching all the sensitive parts of her mouth. The slight moan coming from her raised the temperature in his body. Yes, this was a good decision. They would have friendship and passion. That was enough for him.
But is it enough for Addie?
The next morning, Grayson stood on the top step of the Mallory townhouse, straightened his ascot and pulled on his jacket sleeves before dropping the comical knocker on the front door. When he left Addie the night before she had indicated that she would wait for him to speak to her father before telling her parents about their betrothal.
