To Bed a Beauty (Courtship Wars 2)

Swallowing the dryness in her throat, Roslyn clasped her hands before her as she politely replied, “I am very honored by your offer, my lord, but I fear I must decline.”

He hesitated a long moment. “I suppose it would be rude to ask the reason for your refusal. Do you have an objection to me personally?”

“No…of course not.”

“Then why?”

Roslyn found it hard to meet his searching gaze. She couldn’t bring herself to come right out and baldly confess losing her innocence to Drew, but she couldn’t marry Haviland without telling him about it. And even if he was willing to accept an unchaste bride, she didn’t love him-and she was now less willing than ever to settle for a loveless marriage.

Before she could form a reply, though, Haviland went on. “I think we would deal well together, Miss Loring. We could have very comfortable union of convenience.”

“But you see, my lord,” Roslyn finally said, “I have never been a fan of convenient marriages. On the contrary, I always hoped I would make a love match someday.”

Haviland took a step closer to her. His look was surprisingly gentle, almost tender. “We don’t love each other now, true, but there is always the possibility love will grow between us.”

“No. I don’t believe it is possible.”

“Because your affections are still engaged by Arden?”

Roslyn found herself flushing. “Why would they be? I was the one who broke our engagement.”

“Which seems a very good reason to consider my offer. If you accept, you will have the protection of my name. You know the way of the world as well as I do. A broken engagement to a duke will not be easy for you to overcome.”

Roslyn felt herself warm at Lord Haviland’s generosity. “I am honored, truly, but I cannot marry you.”

“Because you have feelings for Arden,” he pressed.

Mutely, Roslyn glanced down at her clasped fingers, not wanting to answer. For days now she’d struggled to deny the truth to herself. She’d tried desperately to keep her heart safe from Drew, to no avail. She did harbor feelings for him. Powerful, fervent, irrefutable feelings. She loved him.

A wave of despair washed over her as she acknowledged how utterly foolish she’d been. She loved Drew.

Which made agreeing to Haviland’s proposal of marriage impossible. She couldn’t marry one man when she loved another.

Her fingers clenched even more tightly. She couldn’t pinpoint the first moment when her heart had been irrevocably captured. Perhaps it was at Arden Castle, when she’d seen Drew’s devotion to his old governess. Or perhaps it was before that, when he’d shown her the kind of passion most women could only dream of.

Or perhaps even sooner, when he first began instructing her in how to kindle a man’s ardor. At the start of their lessons, she had never dreamed she would be opening her heart to unexpected love with her arousing tutor.

“Yes,” she murmured finally. “I have feelings for him.”

“If so, then why did you end your engagement?”

“Because he could never love me in return.”

Haviland gave her an odd look. “Are you sure about that?”

“Quite sure.”

“Does Arden know how you feel about him?”

“No,” she said despondently.

“Then you should tell him.”

Roslyn shook her head. “There would be no point.”

“Loath as I am to aid a rival,” Haviland said, an edge of amusement lacing his voice, “I suppose I must. I think you’re gravely mistaken about Arden’s feelings for you, Miss Loring. In fact, I would guess that he loves you a good deal.”

She jerked her head up again. “Why would you think so?”