And to top it all, Miss Waverley would be beside herself with envy, for both of the men on whom she’d set her sights were fighting over Henrietta.
But had he really thought about what would happen if she accepted his proposal? Because he’d made it in public, he wouldn’t be able to back out, as Richard had warned him.
Though he really didn’t look as if he cared.
Perhaps he didn’t.
And that was where her deliberations came full circle. He had to marry someone and so it might as well be her.
Well, she didn’t want revenge. Not on anyone. She wasn’t a vengeful person.
But she would like to marry Lord Deben.
If only...no, she thrust aside the little voice that clamoured if only he loved me. A girl who waited for Lord Deben to fall in love before accepting a proposal would wait for ever. If she was going to marry him, she had to take him exactly as he was and hope that, over time, her love for him would melt away one or two layers of cynicism.
But she was not going to let him walk all over her in the meantime.
‘My lord,’ she began tremulously, ‘I am well aware that you do me great honour by proposing to me. And I thank you for it.’
‘Henrietta,’ said Richard. ‘I’m warning you...’
‘And, upon certain conditions,’ she said, blocking him out by keeping her eyes fixed on Lord Deben’s wicked smile, ‘I rather think I might accept.’
‘Name them,’ said Lord Deben swiftly.
‘Hold hard, Hen,’ said Richard, at the exact same moment.
‘Speak your mind, my angel,’ said Lord Deben. ‘Tell me what conditions I must meet to win your approval and your hand.’
Taking her courage in both hands, she said, ‘If I agree to become your wife, I shall expect you to be completely faithful to me. If I ever discover you have broken your marriage vows, I shall...I shall...’ The thought was so appalling that she found her eyes sting with tears.
‘Break my nose?’ he supplied helpfully.
‘Oh, for heaven’s sake! A man like him will never be faithful to you! Look at him. He appears to think this is funny. When it’s my whole future at stake.’
‘Not yours, Richard,’ she said firmly. ‘Mine. For I must tell you that whether I choose to accept this proposal from Lord Deben or not, nothing on earth would ever induce me to make the monumental mistake of becoming your wife. Should you ever,’ she said pointedly, ‘get round to asking me.’
‘What?’
‘You heard her, Bishop,’ drawled Lord Deben with a smug smile. ‘She has far too much intelligence to throw herself away on a country bumpkin like you.’
Hearing someone fling the words Richard had used to belittle her right back at him made her want to cover his face with kisses.
‘She was born,’ said Lord Deben with a touch of hauteur, ‘to preside over the houses of a man of influence in this country. To act as his hostess whether he invites politicians or peers, foreign ambassadors or tenants to his table.’
A sudden qualm struck her. ‘Oh, no, I couldn’t. I’d be rude to them. You know how outspoken I can be...’
‘When you are a countess,’ he countered smoothly, ‘you can be as rude as you like to people and they will just say you are charmingly eccentric.’
‘No, but I wouldn’t want to let you down.’
‘You could never do that. And I will endeavour never to betray your trust in me by giving you cause for jealousy.’
‘Really?’ Hope timidly tried to push aside her doubts.
It didn’t quite succeed. He was not exactly saying he would be faithful. Only that if he strayed, he would be discreet about it.
She supposed that was quite a concession, from a man like him.
His face softened. ‘Unlike your country swain,’ he told her, ‘I will not regard marrying you as settling for anything. There is nobody else I could consider trusting with my future. My children. My heart.’
She looked at him. There was a pulse beating at his temple. It was beating very fast. His eyes were so intent upon her that she felt as though he was willing her, with every fibre of his being, to accept.
But then, if she didn’t, he was going to look perfectly ridiculous.