“And in the meantime, Lily must simply endure being gossiped about until it dies down? Not acceptable.” He folded his arms. “Besides, there was a witness, one that the ton will not doubt. Lady Ampleforth saw us traveling together.”
Cal swore. His wife glanced at him. “Lady Ampleforth?”
“Aunt Agatha’s greatest rival.”
“I confronted her earlier,” Ned said. “She has seized on it as a way of paying your aunt back for some ancient insult and is, quite gleefully, doing her best to keep the rumor alive. Short of a bullet, you won’t shut her up.” He rose to his feet. “So enough of this nonsense. Perhaps you would allow me to speak to Lily now.” Lady Ashendon opened her mouth to speak and he held up a hand. “I don’t need you to tell me I’m not worthy of her—believe me, I know it—butI can and will protect her from a scandal she does not deserve.”
“And after that?” Lady Ashendon asked. “When you are husband and wife?”
“After that...” He wasn’t prepared to give false assurances. He swallowed. “After that I shall support her as any man does his wife.”
There was a short silence as everyone in the room considered the inadequacy of that statement. Lady Ashendon spoke first. “And what if she refuses you?”
“It is her right. I won’t try to force her. But whether her answer is yea or nay, know this—I won’t walk away and leave her to face the scandal alone.”
Lady Ashendon regarded him thoughtfully for a long moment. Then she gave a brisk nod. “Very well, Mr. Galbraith, Lily will be down in a moment.” She put her hand out and Cal helped her to rise. As she did, her dress pulled briefly tight across her belly.
She was in the family way, Ned saw. Probably why Cal allowed his wife so much license.
As Cal opened the door for her, Ned thought of something. “Cal, before you go—”
Cal turned.
“Any news of Nixon?”
Cal shook his head. “But I’ll get him, don’t you worry.” The door closed quietly behind him.
• • •
Ned paced back and forth in front of the fireplace. For the second time in his life he was about to offer marriage. He wished now that he’d accepted that drink from Cal. He was ridiculously nervous.
He went over in his mind the words he would use to make the offer. He wanted her to be clear what he was offering—no false promises, no raising of impossible and unlikely expectations.
A girl who’d always wanted to marry for love. A dreamer. And himself a cold, hard cynic.
Love was an ephemeral thing, impossible to pin down, impossible to promise.
Lily was a girl who treasured illusions, about life, about love. About him.
Dangerous things, illusions.
He swallowed. He would have to shatter her expectations immediately, before her illusions about him could grow any further. Small illusions, nipped early in the bud, would be much less painful for a girl who dreamed.
He was determined that if she accepted him—and her sister-in-law had planted doubts in him now, that she might refuse, and if so—no, he would not consider that possibility. If she accepted him, she needed to understand that the marriage was for purely practical reasons—a marriage of convenience—to stop scandal, to protect her reputation. And for an heir.
After the wedding, they would continue on in the same vein—in a practical marriage. He would take good care of her and support her in the manner to which she was accustomed, and that would be that.
Footsteps sounded on the floor outside and he turned to face the door. She entered, dressed in a soft yellow dress. Her hair was clustered in artless curls held back from her face by a band of yellow gauze. A breath of spring.
“Mr. Galbraith.” A delicate flush rose in her cheeks.
“Lady Lily.” He scanned her face. No sign of bruises or sleepless nights. “You’re looking very well.” She looked lovely, but... expectations.
He waited, leashing his impatience while she seated herself, smoothed out her dress and then folded her hands in her lap like an obedient schoolgirl. “Did your brother explain why I’ve asked to speak to you?”
Her blush deepened. She nodded.
“Good. Now, before we get to that, that question, there are a few things I need to make clear to you. There are—”
