“Your little spinster disguise.” He tossed the spectacles back to her and was pleased by her quick agility in catching them. “It won’t work.”
“That’s only because you know my plan.” She did not don the spectacles again, however, but fiddled with them in her palm. “I had no idea you were the Duke of Woodborough the other night.”
“I figured as much. But does your knowing who I am change what happened between us?”
She gave him a sharp look and changed the subject. “I thought you were supposed to marry Lady Madeline.”
He sighed heavily and directed his gaze at her. “This is very ungentlemanly of me to say, but I would prefer to be honest with you. I never had any intention of marrying Madeline Maxwell.”
“But everyone said that you—”
“No,” Alex interrupted her, “Madeline led everyone to believe that I was going to propose to her, when I never indicated anything of the sort.”
“Oh,” she murmured, her green eyes wide. “So what are you doing here?”
There was a long pause as his little plan took its final shape in his mind. “I’ve been considering our secrets, and I thought we might be able to help each other.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking. Since neither of us wishes to marry at the moment, for whatever reasons…” He glanced at her meaningfully. “And since everyone expects us to get married, I thought that maybe we could let everyone assume we are going to marry each other and then the pressure would be off both of us.”
Caroline stared at him, a puzzled expression on her face. “What are you saying?”
“What I’m saying is that both of us are presently under some pressure from our families to marry someone soon, correct?”
“Yes.”
“And neither of us particularly wishes to marry for the time being, correct?”
“Yes…” Caroline’s green eyes were riveted to him.
“Here comes the part where we can help each other out a bit. We like each other and can be friends, can’t we?” he asked, luring her in.
She nodded at him, her beautiful face looking intent.
“Well, if everyone thought you were engaged to me, you wouldn’t have to attend the rest of the parties and balls pretending to be a dull spinster to ward off unwanted suitors. On the other hand, it would also work to my benefit, for if everyone thought I was engaged to you, I would be free of matchmaking mothers and other female maneuverings, à la Madeline Maxwell. If she could so readily lead the ton into thinking that I was about to propose, why couldn’t I do the same thing to my own advantage? Why not let everyone assume that you and I are going to be engaged, and then we could do what we like and enjoy ourselves instead of hiding on dark balconies? It could work out very nicely for us and buy us both some time. What do you think?”
“I think you are positively mad.”
Alex laughed at her astonished expression. “You’re a smart girl, Caroline. Think about it.” He smiled mischievously. “It could work.”
Her delicate brow furrowed. “We pretend to be courting and then betrothed? Fooling everyone?”
“Yes, more or less.”
“But wouldn’t our families expect us to marry each other eventually?” she asked.
“We wouldn’t have to worry about that for months. We could start slowly, being seen together at parties and balls. The gossip would start and everyone would know I was courting you. Eventually, we could announce an engagement, which we could make as long or as short a time as we wanted. Then we could break off amicably, declaring that we discovered that we do not suit one another well, and part as dear friends. What do you think?” When she didn’t respond, he perceptively added, “I know you are waiting for someone, Caroline…You can end our arrangement whenever you wish.”
Their eyes locked for some minutes. His heart pounded.
“We don’t even know each other,” she said at last.
“I disagree. I think we already know each other better than most people do. We can certainly converse easily enough, and I appreciate your wit and intelligence. I believe we can be good friends and enjoy each other’s company.” He arched one black eyebrow as he stared at her. “And we can get to know each other better in the meantime.” He grinned playfully, and she laughed a little. Feeling he was making a good case, he continued, “We wouldn’t be hurting anyone. It only concerns the two of us, and no one has to know about it. It would be our little secret.”
She glanced uncertainly toward him, her gorgeous eyes wide.
Alex smiled at her. He couldn’t help but smile at her. She was so incredibly beautiful. As he watched the play of emotions across her face, he knew he was slowly winning her over, and it made him irrationally happy to think that she would agree to his little plan. A part of him still wondered what the hell he was doing here and just what he was getting himself into, knowing only that he wanted this woman more than any woman he had met in his life and this was the only way he could think of to get her. He was also supremely confident that he could make her forget this other man, whoever he was, and he could marry her. “Well?” he prompted her suggestively.
She sat still, staring at him, her face serious. “You know that I cannot marry you and that this pretense would be only for our mutual convenience?”
“Of course.”
“I can end this arrangement whenever I wish?”
“Yes,” he agreed, still smiling into her green eyes.
Unable to resist his smile, she grinned back at him. “I cannot believe that I’m saying this, but I will agree to this unusual arrangement with you.”
“I knew you were an intelligent young lady.” He leaned closer to her, inhaling the sweet scent of her, and murmured, “Shall we seal our new secret with another kiss?”
“Oh no.” She shook her head violently. “We will have no more of that. If you want me to agree to this, then you have to agree there will be no more kissing.”
“But you want to kiss me,” he laughed. He knew she did. He just wanted to tempt her.
“No kisses or no deal.” Her sensuous mouth was set in a line of determination.
“Deal.” He agreed, and smiled at the look of surprise on her face.
CHAPTER 5
The afternoon following the duke’s visit to Caroline, Lady Weatherby celebrated her seventy-first birthday by having an intimate tea with forty of her closest friends and family. As the guests assembled in the main salon of her townhouse, Lady Weatherby sat like a benevolent queen holding court, where she welcomed everyone with a smile and commanded them to have refreshments. She was a kindly woman who loved parties and gossips. Olivia Fairchild
