The Convenient Felstone Marriage (Whitby Weddings 1)

‘Yes.’ Her answer came too quickly, and he sighed, unconvinced.

‘In that case, I’ll have my housekeeper make preparations for your arrival. If you wish to prepare a trousseau, you can charge any items you require to my account.’

‘No! That is...you’ve spent enough on my family.’ Her face took on an apologetic expression. ‘I heard what happened last night. When I asked for your help with Percy, I never imagined that it would cost you so dearly. I’m sorry.’

‘You didn’t ask me. I offered.’

‘I’m still indebted.’

Indebted? A muscle jumped in his jaw. Was that the reason she’d agreed to marry him then, because of the money he’d ‘lost’ to her brother? He probably should have expected this, though he’d hoped she wouldn’t hear about any of it before giving him her answer. Two hundred pounds was a considerable amount, not enough to cause him undue concern, but hopefully sufficient to get the youth out of debt. It hadn’t been easy losing convincingly to such a poor player, but he’d been reasonably satisfied with his performance. He certainly hadn’t expected it to backfire on him like this...

‘There’s no debt, Ianthe, I was happy to help. I don’t want you to marry me out of gratitude.’

‘I’m not!’ She seemed shocked by the very idea.

‘Good. Apart from anything else, you might find your brother more reasonable now that his finances are in better order. You might not have to marry anyone.’

She lifted her head, looking at him intently for a long, searching moment before her mouth dropped open. ‘You lost deliberately?’

‘I didn’t say that.’

‘But you did!’ Her voice held a note of conviction. ‘And the ball gown...it wasn’t Kitty’s, was it?’

‘It is now.’

‘But...I don’t understand.’ Her expression shifted to one of bewilderment. ‘Why are you doing all this? Why are you helping me?’

He hesitated. It was a good question, one that he wasn’t sure he knew how to answer. Why was he so intent upon helping her? Somehow his plans for expanding the shipyard didn’t seem convincing enough reasons any more, but how could he explain what he hardly understood himself? All he knew was that he felt a strange desire to protect her, to keep her safe from her brother and Sir Charles, to save her from a marriage she didn’t want, to hold her tight in his arms and not let go...

He shook his head. Where had that idea come from?

‘I told you last night, Ianthe, I think you’re a risk worth taking.’ The words were out of his mouth before he knew what he was saying.

‘I will be.’ Her face took on a strangely determined expression.

‘Good. Then if you still wish to go ahead, I’ll arrange for the banns to be read at once. We can be married in six months.’

‘Six months?’ She rounded on him as they reached her aunt’s doorstep. ‘I thought you wanted to be married as soon as possible!’

‘I do, but unless we elope to Scotland, I think that’s the quickest it can be arranged—Ianthe?’ He reached a hand out as her face blanched so quickly he was afraid she was going to faint. ‘That wa

s a joke. Are you all right?’

‘Yes.’ She put a hand to her head, half-covering her face. ‘It’s just...it’s too long.’

‘What is? Six months?’

‘Yes. I don’t want to wait.’

He hesitated, dropping his gaze to her stomach suspiciously. There was only one reason he could think of why she might want to marry in a hurry, though he found it almost impossible to believe. But why else? A respectable woman would never ask to marry in such haste, at least not without some kind of explanation. And an unwanted pregnancy would certainly explain her panicky behaviour that morning, especially if she’d only just realised... Not that it was the kind of thing he could just ask her about. If he was wrong, she’d probably hurl the ring back in his face...

‘It might look improper to marry any sooner,’ he ventured.

‘Why? If this is supposed to be a long-distance courtship, then who’s to know if we marry quickly? It can still look respectable.’ She sounded defensive again. ‘Besides, my aunt can’t afford to support me for so long. And you know what my brother wants. I doubt he’ll give up on that idea no matter how much money he wins.’

‘Surely he won’t try to make you marry Sir Charles once we’re engaged?’

‘I don’t know.’ A tremor seemed to run through her body as he mentioned the Baronet’s name. ‘But I can’t trust him, not while he’s under that man’s influence. I have to get away, Robert, please.’