"Why is that?" He thought he'd done an excellent job of being convincing.
The truth was like that.
"I can't believe that he accepted the faradiddle about you controlling my share of the company once we were married. Mr. Merewether and I are not totally unknown to each other, though we have never met. We have been corresponding since he took over the London office. He must realize that I would never give up my role in Merewether Shipping—even if I were foolish enough to marry."
Drake disliked the comment about being foolish enough to marry, but understood her other concern. Anyone who knew Thea at all would realize she was not the type to give her company over to her husband's care.
"He believed it because that is what most women of his acquaintance would do."
"Is that what you would expect from your wife?"
Drake sensed the deeper meaning behind her words and hesitated before answering. "I would not expect you to give up all interest in your shipping company, but you must realize that as my wife and the mother of our children, you could not spend your days at Merewether Shipping."
"I could do a great deal of business from our home." She cleared her throat. "I mean to say, your wife could."
"Yes, you could. It pleases my family for me to conduct most of my business that way as well."
"It would not be the usual sort of marriage."
Drawing the horses to a stop in front of his aunt's town house for the second time that day, he formulated his response in his mind. Once he'd secured the reins, he took her chin in his hand and turned her face toward him. "We are not the usual gentleman and lady. We are both different, made that way by the circumstances of our births and upbringing. I don't want to marry a lady who has no interest in her business. I want to marry you. I would only ask that for the sake of our families and children, you be circumspect in your business dealings. There is nothing like the hint of trade to tarnish your standing among the ton."
Her brow furrowed. "Don't you think one must spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about what is and is not acceptable to Society when one lives in England? I can assure you that back on my island I did not worry overmuch about what others would think of my actions."
He grinned. "I have no doubt."
The footman came out to take charge of the curricle. Drake swung down and went around to collect Thea. Once he had her on the ground, he tucked her arm into his and gave instructions for the ledgers to be delivered to his aunt's library. "Shall we tell my aunt our happy news?"
"I suppose." She did not look overjoyed at the prospect. "Will she be very angry with you when you tell her it was all a sham?"
"I won't tell her."
"Oh." She stopped to think. "We could fabricate an argument and add a pretend crying off to our pretend engagement."
He gripped her arm more tightly, wanting to anchor her to himself. "Let's not plan that far into the future."
If he had anything to say about it, their very real
engagement would be followed by an even realer marriage. An unconventional one, perhaps, but real nonetheless.
Thea followed Drake into his aunt's drawing room, still uncertain about the false engagement deception he was set on perpetrating.
She wasn't such a fool that she didn't realize he'd prefer it to be a real one, but she was at a loss as to how to convince him that his honor would not be tarnished by not marrying her. She understood his concern for her aunt, but surely Thea's actions would not have such an impact on her aunt's standing among the ton. Back home on her island, one would never be ostracized simply for being related to an unsavory character.
Not that she was unsavory, but she did seem to have a difficult time adhering to the ways of the Polite World every moment of every day.
"Mama, this is a pleasing surprise."
Thea's thoughts scattered to the four winds at Drake's words. His mother had come to London? She was sure Lady Boyle had told her that Lady Noreen was not expected in Town for the Season. Thea had been disappointed, for she had wanted to meet a lady of the ton with the courage to bear an illegitimate child and raise him as her own.
But now the thought of meeting more of Drake's family gave Thea heart palpitations. What would Lady Noreen do when she heard of the supposed engagement?
She was a duke's daughter; she would want more for her son.
Thea's gaze flew with trepidation to the beautiful, petite woman Drake had spoken to. Lady Noreen shared Drake's dark hair and brown eyes, as well as a feminine version of his perfectly formed features, but she was tiny beside her tall son.
"Pierson." Smiling, Lady Noreen reached her hands out toward him.
He crossed the room with rapid strides and took her hands in his, leaning his big body down so he could kiss her cheek. "It is good to see you."