To Bed a Beauty (Courtship Wars 2)
No, honesty was his best course. Yet he would not only have to convince her of the benefits of marrying him, he would have to overcome her refusal to marry without love.
Turning abruptly, Drew made his way through the dark gardens to return to the ball. He could persuade her to his way of thinking, he felt confident, but he would have to give careful thought to his campaign.
He had never purposely set out to win a woman, but he didn’t doubt he could win Roslyn if he truly set his mind to it.
Chapter Ten
Devil take the duke! He has completely spoiled my desire to seduce Lord Haviland.
– Roslyn to Fanny
“Woolgathering, Miss Loring?” the Earl of Haviland said mildly as he slowed his pair of spirited bays to a walk.
Slanting a guilty look at the handsome nobleman in the phaeton’s seat beside her, Roslyn shook herself from her brooding reverie. Her thoughts had been so distracted, she’d completely lost track of the conversation.
“I beg your pardon, my lord,” she said, her face warming with embarrassment. “What were you saying?”
Haviland’s wry smile held a great charm. “Nothing of much import. But you are obviously stewing over some problem. I trust it isn’t too serious?”
Not gravely serious, Roslyn thought ironically. It is only that the plan I so carefully made for my future has splintered in a dozen fragments.
“Is there anything I may do to help?” Haviland added solicitously.
“Thank you, no. I am just poor company this morning.” That much was true, certainly. Her mood matched the weather, which during the night had turned cold and dreary. Casting a glance at the over
cast sky, Roslyn drew her pelisse more closely around her.
“Perhaps I should take you home,” the earl offered.
She made a determined effort to smile. “No, no, there is no need. Doubtless the brisk air will chase the cobwebs from my brain soon.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes, my lord.” She made her smile genuine. “I didn’t mean to spoil our outing. This is actually a delightful treat for me.”
Haviland was silent for a moment as he directed his horses around a sharp bend in the country lane. “Your preoccupation wouldn’t have anything to do with Arden, would it?”
Roslyn tried to conceal her dismay. “Why would you think so?”
“I couldn’t help noticing last night that there seemed to be some tension between the two of you. You didn’t appear eager to dance with him.”
“Because he only asked me under duress.”
“Ah, so Lady Freemantle is throwing you together,” Haviland observed shrewdly. “She does have a lamentable tendency to play matchmaker.”
“Indeed,” Roslyn agreed, her tone tart. “It is driving me to distraction-and the duke as well.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. I don’t expect Arden enjoys being the target of her machinations, but I would say he is interested in you for your own sake. And I think perhaps you are not indifferent to him.”
Roslyn couldn’t bring herself to lie, so she remained silent. She could feel Haviland’s gaze measuring her.
“If you need me to intervene with Lady Freemantle,” he finally said, “just say the word.”
“Thank you, my lord,” Roslyn replied, warmed by his protectiveness.
But her problem was not one Haviland could help her with. She had to deal with this on her own-and she was doing a deplorable job thus far. Her passionate encounter with Arden in the moonlight last night had thrown all her emotions into utter confusion, along with all her best-laid plans.
To begin with, she’d been shocked by his proposal of marriage, even though she couldn’t put any real store in it. The duke couldn’t possibly want to marry her. And even if he did, she wasn’t about to accept. He had proposed for all the wrong reasons-because she would do better than anyone else. What sort of justification was that for marriage? Roslyn reflected with disgust.