Anne Gracie – Tallie's Knight (страница 9)

Tallie looked up, puzzled. A faint warning bell sounded in her mind as she saw the purposeful look in his cold grey eyes, but she quashed it immediately. No doubt he had some complaint about a servant, or a message he wished her to carry to her cousin. Outwardly calm, she allowed herself to be seated a second time, folded her hands demurely in her lap and waited.

Magnus noted the quiet way she folded her hands. It seemed to him a pleasantly womanly gesture. Her whole demeanour pleased him. Clearly Laetitia had told her of his decision, and, whilst he wished she had not, this girl’s reactions bore out the soundness of his choice. She was neither filled with vulgar excitement nor coy flutterings. Yes, she would do nicely. He took a deep breath, surprised at how unexpectedly nervous he suddenly felt.

‘You said you had spoken with Laetitia?’

The cold knot in the pit of Tallie’s stomach grew. Wordlessly she nodded.

‘Yes, I should have expected she could not keep it to herself.’ Without waiting for her reply, Lord d’Arenville began to explain. ‘It would be best if the wedding took place almost immediately—it takes three weeks for the banns to be called. We would be married from this house and my cousin’s husband George would give you away. I would prefer a small affair, just my immediate family—Laetitia and her husband—and of course any friends or relations you wish to invite…’

It could not be true. She was not sitting here listening to this cold, proud man elaborate on the arrangements for his wedding. Her wedding! His wedding to Tallie Robinson! A girl to whom he had scarcely spoken two words.

But his cool, indifferent demeanour, his very seriousness convinced her. It was not a joke, not a malicious trick to make sport of the poor relation.

But he hadn’t even asked her if she wanted to marry him!

After a time, Tallie’s shock wore off, and she realised she was furious. And utterly mortified. She had known the likelihood of her ever marrying was slim. Living in the country as Laetitia’s unpaid governess, she came into contact with few eligible men, and with neither looks nor fortune to recommend her, her prospects were few and far between. But it was one thing to face the prospect of a lonely and loveless future, and another to be so little regarded that she did not even merit the appearance of a courtship. Were her feelings and desires of so little significance to him?

Tallie stared down at her knees, flushed and fuming, biting her lip to prevent her rage from spilling out. Her hands shook, itching to slap the smug condescension off his face. She clenched them into fists, dwelling on how pleasant it would be to box his arrogant ears! She took in very little of what he was saying!

Lord d’Arenville rose from his seat and paced up and down before her, explaining the arrangements. He noted his bride’s delicate blush, her modestly bowed head, and congratulated himself again on the excellent choice he had made. No pampered miss, this. She sat there, meekly listening to his plans for her future. Quiet, submissive, delightful!

How could he ever have been so foolish as to consider a sophisticated woman of the ton as the mother of his children? Laetitia’s candidates had been self-centred, selfish, and far too sure of themselves. Much better to have chosen this sweetly shy girl with her modest, downcast eyes. Thalia Robinson would be grateful for his offer—she had no worldly ambition, no highly strung temperament.

His eyes ran over her figure. It was difficult to tell in that frightful dress she wore, but she seemed sturdy—certainly robust enough to survive the rigours of childbirth. And this girl, he believed, had the capacity to love, and he needed that—for his children. He recalled the tender way her hands had caressed young Georgie. He wanted that for his child…yes, for his child…

Her hands were trembling, he realised. Magnus watched approvingly as she clenched her fingers tightly together in an effort to control her emotions. Excellent. Self-control was a good thing in a wife.

He gentled his voice. Doubtless such disparity in their respective stations in life made her a little nervous, a little eager to oblige. The thought did not displease Magnus. He intended to treat her kindly—her nervousness would pass with time and she would no doubt be grateful for his forbearance. It would be a start…She would find him a good husband, he hoped. He would look after her, protect her, take care of all her needs. He continued to pace the floor, describing d’Arenville, the family seat, and how much she would like living there.

Tallie fumed silently, letting his words wash over her. So she was to be his quiet, compliant little brood mare, was she? The wife he intended to keep immured in his beastly d’Arenville for ten years or more!

In a pig’s eye she was!

The nerve, the arrogance, the presumption of the man! He must have decided a plain, poor woman would give him the least trouble, a woman without prospects but with the hips and teeth and bloodlines to bear his heirs! A sturdy woman!

She longed to leap up, to fling his proposal of mar…No—Tallie Robinson, poor relation, did not merit a proposal, for he had not even waited for her reply. He’d presented his prospective brood mare with an assumption of marriage!

Well, whichever it was, she would fling it in his teeth! That would bring a shocked look to that insufferably complacent face. And how she would enjoy snapping her fingers under that long, proud nose! She would wait until he had finished describing the wonderful treats that marriage to him would bring her! What was he talking about now? The view of the lake from the summerhouse at sunset? Hah!

I’m sooo sorry, Lord d’Arenville, she would tell him, but even the delightful prospect of viewing the d’Arenville duck pond at dawn cannot tempt me to marry you. I would much prefer to remain unwed. Sooo sorry to disappoint you. And she would sail out of the room, head held high, leaving him stunned, furious, gnashing his teeth with chagrin.

No, she decided. Too tame, too straightforward. He deserved a taste of his own medicine. He hadn’t even bothered to speak to her! He’d merely informed Laetitia, no doubt offering to take a poor relation off her hands. Tallie had been scalded and abused and accused of outright immorality. And all because of his arrogance. He needed to be taken down a peg or two! Or three!

Tallie smiled to herself, planning her revenge—she’d keep him guessing. A man of his pride and consequence would loathe being kept waiting. Especially by a little nobody from nowhere! A sturdy little nobody at that!

Laetitia’s guests obviously knew of Lord d’Arenville’s choice. They would be waiting for the announcement. And Laetitia—what would it do to her pride to have the despised poor relation keeping the head of the family dangling?

The thought filled Tallie with glee—she would let them all wait…and wait…and wait. And they would marvel at her temerity in making her future husband wait, for of course it would never occur to any of them that she could be so foolish as to refuse such a prize!

A prize indeed, Tallie thought scornfully, glancing up at him from under her lashes. As if a handsome face and figure and a wealthy purse were everything!

Yes, she would make him, and everyone else, wait. And then, just when everyone was starting to wonder how much longer Lord d’Arenville’s temper would stand it, Tallie would carelessly decline his offer. That would serve him right! How his pride would suffer—the great Lord d’Arenville, prize of the marriage mart, courted and pursued by every matchmaking mama in the country, rejected by the plain and insignificant poor relation!

‘The banns would be called immediately and the wedding set for three weeks from now. Would that be enough time for you to organise your bride clothes?’ said Lord d’Arenville.

Tallie blinked up at him in mocking surprise. Was that a question he was asking? Something he didn’t know? An arrangement he hadn’t made? Something for her to comment on? Amazing.

She stood up. ‘Lord d’Arenville. I thank you for your very…surprising…offer of marriage. May I consider my reply?’ Without waiting for his response, Tallie hurried on, ‘Thank you. I will let you know my answer as soon as is convenient.’

Magnus’s jaw dropped.

She walked to the door, opened it, paused, turned back to face him and smiled sweetly. ‘Until then, may I suggest you make no irrevocable arrangements?’

Chapter Three

‘Well, what did he say? It was a hum, was it not?’ Laetitia dragged Tallie into a nearby anteroom.

‘No, I am afraid it was not,’ said Tallie reluctantly. ‘You were perfectly correct, Cousin, he thought to marry me.’

Laetitia caught the tense Tallie used and pounced eagerly. ‘But he has changed his mind?’

Tallie knew she had to choose her words carefully, so as not to exacerbate her cousin’s volatile temper any further. She was skating on very thin ice as it was. ‘No, not exactly.’

‘I knew it!’ Laetitia stamped her foot. ‘He is such a selfish wretch! How could he put me in such a position? Each girl out there was in daily expectation of being made an offer!’ She glared at Tallie. ‘Each one a diamond of the first water, an heiress or a duke’s relative—and he chooses you!’