to be.”
“Why would I think that?”
She held her breath, suddenly afraid she’d revealed too much.
His expression turned serious as he studied her with an intensity that sent a shiver through her. But his look was not frightening in the least. Quite the opposite, he was tugging at her heart, offering comfort and safety. How could this be?
“Let me see if I can help you along. You are Lady Genalynn who recently lost her father...dare I hazard a guess? Was your father Viscount Winthrop? And now your uncle is the new viscount and you’re doing your best to keep away from him because he’s into some very bad things, is he not? There are no servants other than Throck because you don’t trust anyone else. You fear they will spy on you and report back to your uncle. You think by disappearing into this little used dower house he’ll forget about you. I can assure you, he will not. As soon as he solidifies his power, he’ll make plans for you, probably to marry you off advantageously. And by that, I mean advantageous to him. He doesn’t care about you.”
She silently chided herself when her hand shook. “I could deny all of it.”
“You could, but you won’t because it isn’t in your nature to lie. I’ve been watching him.”
She set down the bowl and folded her hands on her lap. “Have you been watching me?”
“Not on purpose. I’ve seen you though, on your daily walks into Clovelly. You’re the sort of woman a man never forgets.”
“Please stop talking like that.” She frowned at him. “You’re only making me angry. I do not need your insincere professions of love.”
“Very well. I’ll let my actions speak for me. Thank you for the broth. It was delicious.” He leaned back and closed his eyes, but only for a moment. He soon opened them again and his expression melted her heart. “I’ll protect you, Genalynn. When he comes for you, I won’t let him take you. I promise you.”
“Be quiet, Mr. Croft. If he’s coming after anyone, it will be you.”
“Call me Gideon.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to marry you. Husbands and wives are permitted such familiarity. Indeed, the Church encourages it. You know, be fruitful and multiply.”
“Put it out of you head at once. I am not marrying a delusional idiot.”
He smiled at her. “I am neither delusional nor an idiot.”
She rose and took the empty bowl in hand. “Neither am I, Mr. Croft. Which is why I am refusing you. Go to sleep and I beg you not to offer for Throck’s hand in marriage when it’s his turn to watch over you. He will hit you.”
“I shall never confuse you for Throck, I can assure you. And why won’t you marry me? I’m quite an excellent catch.”
“Then I pity the London debutantes. They must have quite meager pickings if you’re considered a catch.”
“Insult me all you like,” he said, attempting to raise his arms to cup his hands behind his head, but he found it too painful so he left them resting at his side. “But I’m going to marry you.”
She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Why don’t you try something simpler first? Try pissing into the chamber pot without falling flat on your face...or without spraying onto the floor. We’ll talk seriously once you’ve mastered that hurdle.”
He called to her when she reached the door. “Genalynn,” he said in a rich and resonant voice, “if you won’t marry me, would you consider becoming my mistress?”
She hurled the spoon at him, immediately remorseful when she caught him right between the eyes and he howled.
But she wasn’t all that remorseful.
The fiend!
The wretch!
How dare he proposition her so outlandishly? And why was her body now in fiery tingles and approving of the notion?
Chapter 4
Gideon knew he deserved getting hit between the eyes for his outlandish statement. Perhaps he was delirious. Genalynn was quality, the sort of woman a man married, which is why he was seriously offering for her hand. That idiotic remark about making her his mistress? That had to be him speaking in a moment of madness, unwilling to let this girl go. More to the point, wanting to be with her on whatever terms she proposed.
Only, he’d been stupid enough to suggest relations outside of marriage. He ought to have known better and waited for her to propose it. But she was quality and never would.
He groaned.
His mind was going in circles.
He knew better than to think at all while in this condition.