She sent him a smile instead, and gestured to the chair she’d placed on the opposite side of the desk. “Welcome to Wansford House. I was told the eighth duke rarely stayed here, but I’ve made a few improvements since I moved in. Including having this room redecorated. Of course, since the house is yours now, you may wish to change it again.”
Thornton looked around with interest. “I applaud your taste. And you won’t need to vacate the premises if you say yes to my proposal.”
Ah. There was that directness she’d come to expect from him. Tess decided to respond in kind.
“About that. I have some questions.”
He flicked back the tails of his jacket and sat, so she did the same.
“Of course. Business before pleasure. Go ahead.”
Tess had memorized her list. “First of all, if I were to agree to marry you, what living arrangements would you propose?”
“We would live here, together, until I return to Bristol. And we should visit Wansford Hall, too. I need to see the state of it and meet the tenants, and since you already know them, you can ease the introductions.”
“Very well.” She steeled herself for the next question. “Secondly, since you’re suggesting a physical relationship, would there be any stipulations or expectations in that regard?”
Heat rose in her cheeks. How could they be discussing something so intimate in so formal a setting? Thankfully, he didn’t seem surprised by her directness, although the corners of his lips curled up.
“Of course there would be stipulations. We should bothknow where we stand, going into the agreement.” His gray gaze held hers and her stomach did a nervous little flip. “The physical part of our relationship will be limited to a maximum of three months, to prevent either of us from getting bored, and to avoid either party developing deeper feelings which might complicate the situation.”
Tess raised her brows. He clearly didn’t believe in love at first sight. She wasn’t sure she did, either, but did he really think himself immune to it within the next twelve weeks? That was a little disheartening.
He spoke again before she could ask.
“As tofrequency…” His eyes flicked to her mouth, as if he were already imagining kissing her. “You’re an incredibly desirable woman. I would hope to make love to you at least three times a week.”
Now Tess was sure her cheeks were aflame. Still, she lifted her chin and returned his stare, determined to pretend she was used to discussing such brazen topics. If she’d truly spent the last few months enjoying a string of lovers, as he believed, then she would know how to negotiate an agreement of amorous intent.
She inclined her head like a queen bestowing a great gift. “Agreed. Three days a week.”
He nodded. “Except when you’re having your monthly courses. I would leave you alone for that week, naturally.”
Was it possible to flush even more? Tess doubted it.
“I will, of course, expect you to not take a lover, other than myself, for the time we are together,” he said.
“And I would expect the same courtesy from you. I disapprove of infidelity.”
His gaze dropped to her mouth again, and lingered. Just to be perverse, Tess bit her lower lip, to see if she could get a reaction out of him, and when he shifted slightly in his chair, she felt a heady rush of power.
She cleared her throat, and his attention snapped back to her eyes.
“Regarding a marriage settlement,” she said, injecting some authority into her tone, “I require the same terms as were agreed with the previous duke. Should you predecease me, I would like one-third of the income from the estate, to do with as I wish, and the right to live in the dower house at Wansford for the rest of my life.”
“That sounds reasonable. In fact, you can live in WansfordHallfor the rest of your life, if that’s what you prefer. Once our time together is done, we’ll live separate lives. I’ll spend most of my time in Bristol. You can have the use of this house, too. I have my own, on Curzon Street, should I ever come to town.”
He tilted his head and studied her neck and the skin of her décolletage with slow deliberation. Memories of his mouth there, the faint scrape of his evening stubble, made her shiver.
“You should have a monthly personal allowance, too.”
Tess nodded, a little dazed. Ellie had suggested three hundred pounds a year for clothing and other necessities.
“Do you think five hundred pounds a year is reasonable?” he asked.
She couldn’t prevent her eyebrows from rising in shock. “Five hundred pounds?”
Her voice came out as an astonished squeak, which he misread as outrage. He shook his head, as if annoyed with himself.
