Page 38 of Road Trip With a Rogue (Her Majesty’s Rebels #3)
“Why on earth would she refuse to marry you?” Justin potted the green ball in the middle pocket of the billiard table, then glanced at Lucien. “You’re a better catch than half the royal dukes. You’re solvent, sober—most of the time—and you’re not entirely hideous to look at.”
Lucien shrugged and took a sip of his brandy. “She doesn’t care about being a duchess. Or for my fortune. The only reason she’d consider it is to salvage her reputation—and even that doesn’t seem to be a strong enough factor.”
Harry sent him a sidelong glance. “Is that why you want to marry her? To prevent her from being ruined?”
“It’s one factor,” Lucien said slowly. “But not the main one.” He twisted the chalk on the end of his cue and frowned at the table, then waited until Justin was about to pot the blue. “I want to marry her because I can’t imagine marrying anyone else.”
Justin missed the cue ball entirely. He straightened. “Are you serious?”
“Absolutely.”
“Are you in love with her?”
Lucien bent over the table and casually potted a ball in the corner pocket. “I am. I’ve been in love with her for years, only I was too pigheaded to admit it.”
“Have you told her that?” Harry demanded.
Lucien potted another ball. “God, no. She wouldn’t believe me, even if I did. She thinks I’ve only asked her out of some misguided sense of guilt.”
Harry and Justin both nodded, as if this made perfect sense.
“Does she love you?” Justin asked.
“I doubt it,” Lucien said, a faint smile toying about his mouth. “But I fully intend to remedy that.”
“Do you think you can?” Harry raised his brows. “Because from what I know about Daisy, she’s not easily swayed. Once she’s made her mind up about something, there’s no stopping her.”
“I stopped her,” Lucien said mildly. “She was all set on ruining Peregrine’s wedding, but I managed to get the better of her.”
“How, exactly?”
Lucien grinned. “A gentleman never tells. Needless to say, our marriage will not be lacking in passion.”
“I’m amazed she didn’t stab you with one of those knives of hers,” Harry chuckled.
Lucien’s fingers touched the side of his throat, just below his jaw. “Oh, she tried.”
“So, you want to marry her, even though she’s said no,” Harry said. “Fair enough. Have you considered kidnapping? Forcing her in front of a vicar? Better to ask for forgiveness than permission, and all that.”
“You should know,” Justin said wryly.
Harry gave an ironic bow.
“She’s already been kidnapped once this past week,” Lucien said. “Twice, if you count me spiriting her up North. I don’t want to force her into anything. If she truly doesn’t want to marry me, then I’ll accept her decision. Even if it’s a stupid, wrong decision.”
“Really?” Justin drawled. “You’ll let her walk away? Be ruined. Marry someone else?”
Lucien growled, annoyed at how well his friend knew him.
“No, damn it, of course not. She needs my protection, whether she admits it or not. She’s not going to be someone’s mistress, or relegated to the demimonde, or turn into some sad, neglected spinster.
I’ll accept her decision temporarily . I’m going to marry her.
Even if I have to spend the next fifty years convincing her that I’m serious. ”
“Actions speak louder than words,” Justin said.
“How about a grand gesture? I bought a washed-up racehorse and tried to lose a fortune, just to prove to Tess that I loved her more than money. It was a bloody disaster, because the stupid thing ended up winning by mistake, but it all worked out in the end. It was the gesture that counted.”
“I didn’t steal the crown jewels.” Harry nodded. “Despite having the perfect opportunity. Not one single piece. In fact, I didn’t steal anything from anyone—unless it was on behalf of King and Company—to show Ellie I was serious about leaving my old life of crime behind.”
“Daisy isn’t the sort of woman who appreciates dresses and jewels,” Lucien said. “She’d prefer a small arsenal of sharp weapons. But I didn’t survive three years of Frenchmen trying to kill me just to get stabbed by an angry female in my own drawing room. Arming her would be a stupid idea.”
Justin glanced at the mantel clock and put down his cue. “We’ll have to think about this later. It’s time to get ready for dinner.”