Led Astray by a Rake (The Husband Hunters Club 1)

“I’ve never been notorious before,” she went on. “It isn’t very pleasant. I can understand why women go off and live in seclusion.”

“Yes, I can see you hiding yourself away in a small cottage on a windswept coast, wearing a veil and standing mysteriously on the cliff top.” He sounded sarcastic, and she turned her head and narrowed her eyes at him.

“Why have you come, Nic?”

“You know why.”

She tightened her grip on the sides of the swing. “If you’ve come to ask me again if I’ll marry you, then yes, I will.”

He snorted. “You don’t sound very happy about it.”

“I…It’s just that this isn’t how I envisaged it would be. I feel as if I’ve forced you to make a decision rather than coming around to it on your own. I’ve always known we would be a perfect match, but you didn’t. Now you might never discover it. You might feel resentful.”

He came up close behind her and she tilted her head back toward him. “Very resentful,” he murmured, and bent to kiss her lips.

He tasted wonderful and she felt her body grow warm and languorous, eager for more of his kisses. But Nic was already putting distance between them. She watched him through her lashes as he moved around to stand in front of her.

“You told me you wanted to live your life in your own way. I accept that. I won’t demand an accounting for your spending and I won’t ask where you’ve been and with whom. As my wife you will have that freedom.”

His expression was intent, watchful, and she wondered what he expected her to say. Olivia knew he was being very generous. Such a life as he described would be free indeed in comparison with that of most married women, and yet…Was she very ungrateful? Or just perverse? She must be, because she would have preferred him to tell her he wanted her at his side, under his eye, for the next twenty years, and that he would become unbearably jealous if she even looked at another man.

That he was offering to allow her to go where and with whom she pleased meant she could hardly object if he allowed himself the same freedom.

Olivia smiled her polite smile. “Thank you, Nic.”

“There’s just one thing,” he added quietly. “My mother has informed me I must provide her with a grandson and myself with an heir.”

“Your mother…?”

“Yes, she is speaking to me again.”

“Well, that is a good thing, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is a good thing.” He stretched out his hand toward her, and when she clasped his fingers, helped her down from the swing. “I mention the heir because I do have one stipulation, Olivia. Any child you provide must be mine. Unquestionably mine. Other than that, you can live, and do, as you wish.”

Again Olivia felt that ache in her heart. No, no, that’s not what I want. I want you, only you, and I want you to want me. But of course she said nothing of the sort. Who would have thought the freedom she’d longed for could feel like a small, dark prison cell?

“Of course. I agree.” She smiled, her calm mask firmly in place.

There was no hint of triumph in his smile. “Then come. We will return to your house and I will speak with your father.”

Olivia slipped her hand into his arm. She knew she wanted to be with Nic, whatever happened, whatever the future held. She’d always wanted to be with him. And she still believed that she could win him to her, bind his heart to hers, no matter how unlikely it seemed to everyone else.

Nic was with her father for more than an hour, and when he’d gone, Mr. Monteith seemed rather bemused by the whole matter. “Lord Lacey was very generous,” he admitted.

“I won’t bother your head with the details, Olivia, but he made no argument with anything I suggested. I must say I was surprised. I thought a man like that would drive a harder bargain.”

Mrs. Monteith wasn’t happy. “You should have refused him. You know his reputation. He can never make Olivia happy. I can hardly bear to think of it.”

They exchanged a meaningful look.

“Well, she has accepted him,” her husband said, “and in the circumstances, I think marriage is the best solution. A scandal like this will not go away, and despite his reputation, Lord Lacey is a good catch. A very good catch. I expect my credit in London will rise tenfold when they hear Lacey is to be my son-in-law. And in time the past difficulties will all be forgotten, you’ll see.”

Mrs. Monteith looked at him as if he were insane. “‘Past difficulties,’” she repeated in a shaky voice. “Is that what you call them? How can you talk about—about ‘credit’ and ‘good catches’ when we are selling our daughter to the man who—”

“Mrs. Monteith, remember what you’re saying,” he said sharply, glancing at Olivia.

She swallowed, shook her head. “He will take her away from us.”