Blame It on Bath Page 0,8

And I don’t think war heroes make the best husbands in any event.”

She gave him a quelling look, as if he were a naughty schoolboy for contradicting her. “If you wish to hear my explanation, perhaps you could keep silent long enough for me to give it.”

Gerard grinned, perversely amused at her prissy manner. “Of course. Go on, my dear.”

A flicker of discomfort crossed her face at the endearment. Interesting, he thought, but she didn’t say anything about it. “As I was saying,” she continued acidly, “I believe you to be an honorable man. I did not choose you at random but based on your family and your personal merit. Whatever else you might think of my request, please don’t think it hasty or ill considered.”

“As you wish.” He sipped some more wine. “You’ve set forth a persuasive case for you to marry me, illustrious, dashing fellow that I am. Now tell me why I should marry you.”

Mrs. Dennis stirred, her face pinched up in disapproval. “No!” Katherine Howe turned her head sharply toward her servant. “It is a fair question.” She faced Gerard again, and took a deep breath. “Rumor holds that you are about to lose your entire inheritance. If you are stripped of your birthright and pronounced a bastard, as whispers in London indicate, you won’t be an eligible husband for any young lady, let alone one of good family and fortune. You hold a captaincy, but you’re ambitious; it will be expensive to rise to higher rank. In addition, I imagine it would be quite difficult to adjust to life without a fortune when you’ve been raised as a son of immense wealth and privilege. In your place, any clever man would look around at once for an heiress to marry, while the scandalous rumors are still just rumor and not known fact. If the rumors are disproved, you would still be a third son, who no doubt would have wanted an heiress anyway. If the rumors stand . . .” She shrugged, a very slight movement. “Your chances of finding a wealthy wife are at their best right now.”

“Hmm.” Right in every particular, to Gerard’s disgust. She might look as plain as boiled pudding, but there was nothing lacking in her brain. “But why you in particular?”

“My fortune is over one hundred thousand pounds, including the loan Lucien still owes.”

Indeed. That was far more than he had expected, and Gerard had to work hard to keep his astonishment from showing. He could tell from her face that the sum was her trump card, that she expected him to be bowled over by the amount and fall to his knees, stammering acceptance. And damn it all, it was a near call. Many men would have, even those not caught in the coils of his present situation. Gerard hated to admit it, but part of him wanted to do it. He’d wanted to find a wealthy bride, and here was one presenting herself to him without any effort on his part—yet—and with a larger fortune than he’d even hoped for. All he had to say was yes.

But the other, more cynical, part of him wasn’t about to be bought that easily. Marriage was forever, as his father had demonstrated all too well, and the only thing worse than not being able to find a wife was having one he would give anything to be rid of. Gerard had seen men who had sold themselves for a fortune and spent the rest of their lives repenting the poor bargain. Katherine Howe didn’t look intimidating, but he’d seen enough steel in her to know she wasn’t going to be a quiet, biddable wife who never troubled him. Not even for a hundred thousand pounds would Gerard let himself be tied to her apron strings or kept under her thumb, and she might as well realize that now.

“Impressive,” he said carelessly. “What else? There’s more to marriage than money.”

For the first time a spot of color came into her cheeks. “I won’t be a demanding wife, Captain, but I will be a loyal one. I shall do my utmost not to impose on you. I know I’m not a beauty, and I am old, past the usual age for bearing children. But in every other respect I shall give you no reason to regret wedding me.”

“Then you don’t intend this to be a sterile marriage of convenience?”

The color in her face grew brighter. “I would be satisfied with one. But