Her Wicked Proposal novel Chapter 28

Jonathan tossed the pillow over his shoulder, and it landed on the snoozing foxhound, Penelope. The dog let out a yip of surprise, then sniffed the pillow with suspicion.

Cedric cleared his throat. "Speaking of Audrey, I thought I should have a word with you, Jonathan. I promised her that I would have a husband waiting for her when she returned from her European tour."

"You, er...mean she wants to marry me?" Jonathan's voice rose up in the way a man's voice only could when threatened with marriage.

"She mentioned an interest in you. You do not have to accept, and I intend to have other prospects ready as well. I only want you to consider it if you know you could be a good husband to her."

"I am flattered, of course..." Jonathan managed. "But I shall have to think on it."

"No rush. She won't be back until June." Cedric wished he could have seen Jonathan's face. He could almost picture the young man's terror. Jonathan was as much of a rogue as his brother, but he did not have the same desire to pursue ladies of quality, at least not with any sense of permanence in mind.

"Cedric, permit me a question?" Godric asked in a low tone to prevent being overheard by the ladies.

"Ask away, old boy."

"Is Anne aware that you marked her during your...private dinner this evening?"

Cedric's face flushed. Dear God, he hadn't thought that everyone would see his rough love bites. He no longer thought much about what was visible and what wasn't.

"Are they that noticeable?" Cedric asked.

"It appears that either she fell on her fork or you had a nice couple of nibbles on her neck." Lucien's tone dripped with devious amusement. "Your lack of sight is making you a sloppy seducer, Cedric. I've never known you to leave a woman so clearly tumbled."

"I didn't tumble her..." At least not fully, he silently amended.

"So she did fall on her fork then?" Lucien supplied.

Cedric groaned, slapping his palm over his forehead in resignation.

"If she doesn't notice the marks, then I'm sure Emily and Horatia won't mention it," Godric attempted to reassure him. "Well, probably."

Ashton returned to a safer topic. "So things are going well between you?"

Cedric hesitated, too ashamed to admit how off balance he felt around his future wife. Seduction had never been a problem before. Now, though, he questioned his every move and wondered if he was moving things too fast or not fast enough.

"I am not sure if marriage is what she wants. I desire it, as foolish as that sounds, but she tries to keep her distance, as though she fears I'll wound her." Cedric let out his breath in a long sigh. "I cannot see how. I'm only capable of hurting myself these days."

"She may fear a wound of the heart, rather than that of the body," Godric suggested. "Emily fought me off in part because she believed that if she fell in love, I would eventually cease to want her and would move on to the next challenge. With any other woman I might have, but not Emily."

"A wound of the heart?" Cedric repeated curiously. "I suppose that would explain her guarded exterior. Is there no way I can convince her that I would not throw her over for another woman? I mean, I've had my fun as a rake, but my life has changed, and marriage is a serious business. I would not enter into that particular contract so lightly with just anyone."

Emily straightened in her seat. "You have met her personally, Anne? Could you arrange for me to meet her?"

"I suppose. Why the sudden interest in Lady Melbourne?"

Emily smiled. "I've never seen Ashton's feathers ruffled before. And a woman capable of doing that to a man like him intrigues me. Ashton certainly needs his feathers ruffled."

"I could certainly agree with that. Even when he was wounded from that gunshot, he maintained a disturbing level of civility while your husband tried to stem the flow of his blood. Lord Lennox's self-control is unnatural."

"So you will introduce me to this Lady Melbourne?" Emily was almost vibrating with energy.

"Of course. I believe she likes to attend the opera. We could arrange for all of us to go and I will introduce you if she is there."

"Oh, I do love the opera." Horatia smiled, her warm eyes so much like her brother's, lit with joy at the prospect of an evening of musical delight.

"Lady Rochester," Anne began.

"Anne, please call me Horatia. We are to be sisters soon. I want no titles to stand between us."

Anne shyly corrected herself. "Horatia."