Reckless - By Anne Stuart Page 0,104

him to fall in love. He could lie to her, though she tended to see through his prevarications even more quickly than his father did. But he imagined he could do a pretty good approximation of a man besotted. The kind of man who'd wake his godfather up in the middle of the night, demanding a special license. The kind of man who'd then jump on a horse and ride all night after her, ignoring the fact that he'd just been bashed in the head and leg and couldn't walk without limping. The kind of man who'd drag a woman off and shag her senseless in the middle of the day in an abandoned nursery.

The kind of man who wouldn't admit how much he needed her.

Simon Pagett was coming out the front door just as Adrian was about to enter. He had a troubled expression on his face, and when he spied Adrian he didn't look particularly pleased.

"You really are a vicar?" Adrian demanded abruptly.

“No, I wear the collar because it limits my fashion choices," he replied icily. "What do you want, Rohan?"

Adrian reached in his pocket and pulled out the crumpled license, handing it to him. Pagett frowned, looking it over. "How did you manage this?" he said finally.

“He's my godfather."

"It's dated today."

"I know when it's dated, man," Rohan said irritably. "I went and woke the old man up right after you left me. He wasn't best pleased with me—I'm not expecting much of a wedding present."

Pagett surveyed him for a long moment. "I didn't realize you knew she was pregnant."

"Bloody hell, did everyone know she was pregnant but me?" he exploded.

"If you didn't know she was pregnant why did you get the special license?"

Adrian said nothing.

"If I'm going to marry you I'll need an answer."

"You know, you're a pain in the arse," Rohan shot back. "You'd think you'd spent your life being

“You're never too old to change your ways," he said. "Why?"

“It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"And Miss Spenser agreed?"

"Miss Spenser is refusing to marry me," he said in a cranky voice. "I expect you to show her the error of her ways."

"I'm afraid I can't do that I want what's best for her, and I doubt you're it."

"For God's sake! " Adrian shouted, goaded to distraction. "What the hell do you want from me?"

"When you figure it out, lei me know. In the meantime I have things to do." He was about to walk past Rohan, when Lina appeared at the door, her black hair coming undone, a look of wrath on her perfect face.

"I'm going to kill you," she said. Pagett paused, looking back. "No, you're not. Leave him alone, Lady Whitmore. He needs to figure this out on his own.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do!" Her fury at Pagett seemed oddly misplaced. "This is between me and Lord Rohan."

"No, it's between Charlotte and Lord Rohan. It's none of your business," Pagett returned. "This is your fault, for taking Miss Spenser to the Revels in the first place, for someone like Lord Rohan to prey upon."

"Excuse me!" Adrian protested, but the two were facing off against each other, and he was forgotten.

"I brought her here to show her just how worthless men are. She was curious, and I thought she'd be better off knowing that she wasn't missing anything," Lina said furiously.

"How very altruistic of you. Lady Whitmore. Had I known you were capable of such charitable gestures I could have come up with a number of ways you could better use your misguided energy."

"I can think of any number of ways..."

Adrian slipped into the house, going in search of Charlotte once more. Their angry voices carried after him, and he stopped, glancing back at them.

"Why did you kiss me?" Lina was saying, glaring at him.

The unruffled vicar was looking ruffled indeed. "I believe you were the one who kissed me.

Inappropriately, I might point out."

"I started it, you finished it."

"I thought you needed a lesson," he said stiffly.

"A lesson in what? Kissing? I assure you I've kissed a great many men."

"I know your reputation. Lady Whitmore. I'm certain you've lost count of how many men you've...

kissed."

"And what business is it of yours?" she demanded,

“Absolutely none."

Idiots, Adrian thought, taking the marble stairs two at a time. When he slammed open Charlotte's door she was alone in the bed.

He came and stood over the bed. "You're marrying me. I'm not giving you a choice in the matter. I won't have my child born