Page 94 of In the Prince's Bed

“Why not? You and I could simply marry at your estate. You want a small wedding, and Mama and I need a quick one, no matter what she thinks. There is Mr. Byrne to consider, after all. If we marry at Edenmore, that would all be settled. And we wouldn’t have to be parted.”

No, the parting would come when she saw the condition of his estate, and they wouldn’t even make it to the wedding.

Not good, not good at all. He served himself some cold roast beef, though he’d suddenly lost his appetite. “It’s not practical for us to marry in Suffolk. We’d have to return to London anyway to pay off your debt to Mr. Byrne, and there’s the solicitor to talk to—”

“Surely you could do that tomorrow morning, before you leave. And you said you already got the special license. So why not have the wedding atyourhome?”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but Edenmore is in no condition right now for a wedding. And I don’t have time to meet with the solicitor before I leave.”

“All right then, let us go with you for a visit. Then we’ll return to London for the wedding when you’ve finished your business. Mama and I could see your estate and meet your servants—”

“No,” he said quickly. Too quickly, judging from the suspicion flaring in her face.

He gritted his teeth. Her request was perfectly logical, so he must give her an irreproachable answer. “I won’t be able to spend any time entertaining you—”

“You needn’t worry about us—we’ll fend for ourselves.”

He averted his gaze, unsettled by the disappointment in her face. Mechanically, he heaped food on his plate, hardly noticing what he put there. It got harder by the moment to deceive her.

Yet deceive her he must. “I’m sorry, but it would be too much a distraction for me.Youcan take care of yourself, but your mother would be bored. And I must focus on dealing with the spring planting. I can’t manage guests right now.”

A heavy silence fell. After a few moments, he could stand it no longer. Setting down his plate, he faced her. “You do understand, don’t you?”

Her eyes were unnaturally bright. “Alec, I know you said there should be no rules between us, but I wish you’d agree to at least one rule.”

The abrupt change of subject set off alarm bells. “And what might that be?”

“That we are always honest with each other.”

Blast. “Iambeing honest with you.”

With an arch of one brow, she searched his face, and he forced himself to meet her gaze boldly. Hewasbeing honest, at least about this. She and her mother would be a distraction, and he wouldn’t be able to entertain them.

And they’d find out that you have no money.

Perhaps he should tell her the truth. He grew tired of the lies and evasions, of trying to think one step ahead of her clever mind. Perhaps if he laid the situation out for her, she’d accept he had no choice, and the deception would all be over.

Or she would refuse to marry him.

He dared not take that chance. “You’ll see Edenmore soon enough, you know. There’s no need to rush.”

A stubborn look spread over her face. “Alec, I need your promise. Can you swear to be honest with me and never hide anything from me after we’re married?”

Thathe could promise. Because after they married, there’d be no reason to hide anything—although he wasn’t looking forward to the storm that would follow all his revelations.

“Yes, I promise,” he said solemnly. “I swear on my mother’s grave that once we’re married, I’ll always be honest with you and not hide anything.”

Some of the stiffness left her posture. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Why did he suspect that his answer hadn’t completely satisfied her? “Any other rules you wish to foist on me? An agreement not to wear fustian at dinner, a promise never to smoke in bed, that sort of thing?”

A smile tugged at her lips. “No, I think the honesty thing will be quite enough.” She glanced away. “And as long as we’re being honest, I suppose I should tell you that Sydney proposed marriage to me this evening. He promised to tell his mother and everything if I would only agree to marry him.”

His gut twisted into a knot. “Did he?”

“Yes. Before you arrived at the party.”

He chose his words carefully. “And what answer did you give him?”