The Perfect Arrangement (The Not So Saintly Sisters #4) - Annabelle Anders Page 0,22
the compliment. But it was the truth.
She nodded, more subdued than she’d even been on that first day when she’d responded to the ad.
“How are you feeling?” She accepted his assistance and lowered herself to sit across from him.
He grimaced, wanting to get back to the comfortable place they’d been before the attack.
He ought not to have sequestered himself without some sort of explanation. But it seemed foolish, and cowardly. “It’s better.”
“No fever then?” The concern in her voice pricked his conscience.
“No. Will you accept my apology?” But for what? For suggesting that he could court her, that he would attempt to garner her affection? For almost kissing her?
Or for getting her caught up in all of this to begin with?
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
A manservant entered carrying a bottle of wine and a second with two bowls. From the aroma that entered with them, it seemed that their entourage had stumbled upon an inn with a cook who could actually… cook. Although they’d stayed at the very best of inns available, there often wasn’t a good deal that separated the better known stops from the cheaper establishments.
Wine was poured, food placed before them, and then they were alone again.
“We aren’t far from Gretna Green. We’ve made excellent time and should arrive before noon tomorrow.” He lifted his fork, watching to see if she made any expression that might indicate reluctance to go ahead with their plan.
She wasn’t looking back at him, however. Instead she dug into the stew as though it was the most fascinating dish she’d ever seen.
“Lillian,” he spoke softly. “Have you changed your mind?” He’d callously left her alone, and when she’d offered to comfort him, to sit with him and read, he’d sent her away.
She took a long time chewing.
“I wondered if you had. I wondered if you regretted what happened before the boar came along.” When she finally met his gaze, it was with more than a hint of uncertainty.
He would be honest with her. At the very least, she deserved that.
“It reminded me why we are doing this. It reminded me that my time is short. And of all the reasons I hadn’t planned on marrying before… I don’t want to hurt you Lillian.”
“I wondered...” But she was shaking her head, as much to herself as to his words. “We get along well enough. And we are going to be intimate soon.” She lifted her chin. “I made this decision knowing full well what I am getting myself into. Please, don’t concern yourself with protecting me—not from my own feelings, anyway.”
“So you wish to go through with it still?”
“Of course.” Her gaze wavered for a moment but then she lifted her lashes and held his once again. “All of it. We mustn’t wait.”
“You are not obligated. As I promised earlier—“ he began.
“All of it,” she interrupted him. “I am fully prepared to do everything I can to uphold my end of the bargain. To delay would likely only cause both of us unnecessary anxiety.”
This wasn’t at all what he expected. And although she was saying all the things he needed to hear, the distance between them persisted.
His inclination was to say something to make her laugh. And normally he could summon something insignificant. So intent on searching for something to break through the tension, he hadn’t realized she was staring at him, pinching her mouth together. And then glancing pointedly at her glass of wine, where the red liquid that had been poured into it was jumping. The glass was trembling.
“You are nervous too,” she said.
Oh, hell. He dropped his hand to his knee in an effort to stop the bouncing.
But she was smiling now. And that smile. How had he missed it when he’d known her for less than a week?
“It seems I can’t keep anything from you.” It was a foolish thing to say. But it also seemed to be what she needed to hear.
They were not strangers.
She dipped her head and dug back into her stew. And then she met his gaze with a blush.
“You’d best eat up tonight.” A deep flush crept up her neck and into her cheeks. “I understand that siring sons requires tremendous energy.”
He stared at her, momentarily shocked that the daughter of a duke would dare to utter such a comment. But when she met his gaze, her eyes warm, humor dancing in their depths, Christian burst out laughing.
Chapter 7
The Ceremony
They had decided the night before that they would go straight to the blacksmith