of romance. People wrote poems to men who fought duels over a lady’s honor. To her mind, it was all nonsense. “How does killing each other do anything to compensate the woman they’re fighting over? How does that help a woman’s honor?”
A reluctant smile curved his lips. “It doesn’t, of course. But it does relieve the temper.” He came to her, but she backed away. He halted. “Why didn’t you tell me that he’d proposed?”
“Because it was none of your business. You didn’t intend to, so what do you care?”
His eyes widened. “What are you talking about? Why would you think that?”
“I’d have thought that was obvious. You’re a lord and I’m a servant. You’re marrying the general’s daughter and the position of mistress is vacant.”
He groaned, and wiped his hand across his forehead. “That’s not at all what I meant.”
“Because it was irrelevant in our case.” Lords did not marry servants. Or if they did, they were ostracized. They both knew that.
“How irrelevant? What does your current position have to do with us?” He stopped, paused, stared at the painting of his grandfather as if he could find answers there. With a cry, he returned his attention to her. “Did you think I would use you like that? You did, didn’t you? Oh, Rhona!”
At the mention of her name, she nearly ran to him. Her stupid instincts urged her on, but she could not. This had to end. “I will stay here. I will not marry Mr. Ruthven, nor will I go away with you. I won’t be any man’s mistress, however much I love you.”
“You do? You haven’t said, you know.”
“Well I have now,” she said crossly. “You knew, didn’t you?”
“I knew you did, once. I came back because I couldn’t stop thinking about you, Rhona. Do you think I would hide you in a corner, not share my life with you? How could you think that?”
He sounded hurt. Well, she couldn’t help that. “You mean you were going to ask me to marry you?” She gave a harsh, painful laugh. “And undo all the good work your brother has done? He has risked his neck to restore your family this last fifteen years! He was barely grown when he inherited your father’s title, and he’s worked ever since. How could you take that from him?”
He sighed. “You do understand that he married a woman who is called Cit in some quarters? That his brother-in-law married a City merchant? A widow with two sons?”
“But your sister-in-law is a Dersingham, and her brother’s wife has never been anyone’s servant.” The barrier between servant and master could not be crossed. Could not. But the notion of marrying him, that he had considered it, crept through to warm her blood.
“I want a wife, not a mistress. No, sweetheart, don’t even think that.”
“But what if I want to be your mistress?” She knew now that if that was what it took to stay with him, she would do it. It had taken seeing the two men together to force the realization into her. All her indecision melted away. If she couldn’t have Frederick, she would have nobody.
“You don’t. I know you. No, I want marriage.”
“We can’t!” Startled, she sprang to her feet. “We talked about that before, long ago. When you joined the army rather than bring disgrace to your people.”
He caught her hands, his thumb caressing the inside of her wrist. Shivers went up her spine. “We couldn’t do it then. My family was in disgrace. We had no money, I could offer you nothing. But now—we’re respected members of society. And hear me now. Because of what I did for the government in Rome, I’m owed a favor, and they know it. The king will ease our way. He’ll receive you at court.”
“But I’m a housekeeper!”
“You’re a daughter of the manse,” he countered. “Your father was the minister here. You were not the housekeeper here, a paid servant, but a caretaker.”
She grimaced, her mouth setting in a hard line. “They’ll find out. You saw how fast word spreads. The kitchen maid only had to open her mouth and everyone knew.”
He shook his head. “We can contradict any gossip. People here love you. They will band together to support you. I’ve seen it, and I have no doubts. Rhona, you deserve happiness. So do I.”
She couldn’t deny she was tempted.
Diving into his coat pocket, Frederick came out with a small box, like the ones he’d given her on the last two