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He regarded her with a raised eyebrow. “I seem to have underestimated your unbridled imagination, my dear, but I am sorry to disappoint you on that account as well.”

Trying to fight against him was just about as effective as railing against a brick wall.

“So your solution for all this is marriage?” she demanded.

“What I am proposing is what the French would call amariage blanc.”

Scarlett stilled. “What?”

“You heard me. I said?—”

“I know whatmariage blancmeans, Your Grace. I am not an idiot.”

“I never said you were. I would not have even considered marrying you if you were.”

She glared up at him. How could he make jokes right now?

“You will have everything you will ever need,” he reassured her gently. “Everything that my wealth and title can offer. As my Duchess, you will gain entry into the highest echelons of Society. You will have more pin money than you can ever spend, and all my estates and servants will be at your disposal.”

“Except you.”

He nodded. “Naturally.” His hand rubbed soothing circles on her back, as if he was reassuring a frightened colt who might bolt at any given moment. “As my Duchess, you can do whatever you want, and no one will ever say anything against you.”

She looked up at him. “I can do whatever I want?”

“Whatever pleases you, little cat.”

She spread her hands on his chest. “And what if I wantyou?”

He released a shuddering breath. “I thought you said that you knew what amariage blancis,” he pointed out. “That means I will not be touching you.”

So, she was supposed to live out the rest of her life never knowing his touch again? After he had shown her such pleasure, he truly meant todepriveher. Did he expect her to live out the rest of her existence in misery?

“And if that is the case…” she trailed off, lowering her gaze. “Does that mean that I can have other men touch me?”

He stiffened, his arms holding her tighter as a low growl rumbled in his chest. Scarlett could not help but smile at that. So, he still found the thought of her with other men abhorrent?

“I believe that it is only normal for married couples to… pursue their interests separately,” she continued. “And since you have assured me of your unavailability in this matter, am I to assume that I am free to seek the company of others?”

“Careful, little cat,” he growled at her in warning. “You do not want to push me too far.”

Oh yes, how could she forget? He might not want to consummate their marriage, but he did not want her welcoming other men in her bed either—not that she would evenconsiderit. The thought of another man’s hands on her body where Hudson’s had been earlier made her shudder in disgust.

“Do you remember the rumors?” he asked her softly.

She looked up at him in confusion. “What rumors?”

“The ones you heard the kitchen staff talking about.” He smirked, but it did not possess the wicked edge it usually did. “When you were eavesdropping.”

Scarlett narrowed her eyes at him. “Eavesdropping is beneath me, Your Grace. They were simply talking too loudly while I was at the door.”

He raised an eyebrow at her in response.

“All right.” She rolled her eyes. “Let us pretend that I was eavesdropping and I did hear the rumors about you.”

“They are true,” he admitted. “I did take a life, and not in the war, as you might have believed.”

Scarlett looked at him in shock. Hudson was many things, but a cold-blooded killer was most definitely not one of them.