Page 56 of Road Trip With a Rogue
Daisy’s spirits plummeted. Oh God. Her father would be livid. He didn’t care what she got up to in private, but he’d abhor having the whole world gossiping about her. What if this proved the final straw and he forced her to marry some doddery old letch just to salvage her ruined reputation? She could end up with someone as dreadful as Letty’s husband.
And what about Tess and Ellie? Wordwouldcome out if she returned to London, even if she waited a whole year, and she’d rather live in seclusion forever than have the business they’d all worked so hard on sullied by her involvement, or her friends shunned because of their continued association with her.
Bloody Vaughan.
The man in question tilted his head and the thoughtful, calculating expression on his face made her pause.
“What?” she demanded.
“Is it really that bad an idea? Getting married, I mean. Socially we’re equal. I’m a duke, you’re a duke’s daughter.”
It was Daisy’s turn to gape at him. “Of course it’s a bad idea. The worst.”
“It would save both our reputations.”
Disbelief and humiliation roiled inside her. God, was there anything worse than his pity? “I’m not entering a marriage of convenience just so you can be seen to be doing the honorable thing, Vaughan.”
“It’s not just that. I have to marry sometime. I’m expected to make an effort to keep the ducal line going.” His dark gaze burned into hers, and she ignored the little frisson of awareness his attention always produced. “I honestly don’t care about producing an heir, but I’mmore than willing to enjoy the attempts to make one with you.”
Her stomach somersaulted at the tantalizing thought of making love with him again—multiple times, over several months, years possibly—but she ignored it. She had too much to lose.
“I’m not denying the physical chemistry between us,” she said, as calmly as she could. “But passion like that doesn’t last. There needs to be something more. A deeper respect and enjoyment of the other person’s company. Shared humor and interests. If I’m going to marry and have children it will be because I love the other person, and know that they love me. Not because society demands it.”
Vaughan let out a frustrated sigh, but he clearly realized further argument was futile. “Fine. But let me escort you back to Wansford Hall. It’s not safe for you to travel alone with just Finch, even with all of your knives.”
He was right, curse him, and he must have sensed her indecision, because he pressed home the advantage.
“At the very least, come with Perry, Violet, and me to Carisbrooke Hall and stay there tonight,” he coaxed. “I’ll ask one of the female servants to accompany you as a chaperone for the rest of the journey, and provide an extra coachman and outriders for protection.”
She frowned, but was secretly glad of his offer. And since they wouldn’t be alone together, she wouldn’t be tempted to change her mind.
“I’ll even give you back your knives,” he said, before she could refuse. He reached into his jacket and withdrew the two he’d confiscated, holding them out with the handles facing her like a peace offering.
Daisy raised her brows. “Brave of you. You must be very sure I’m not going to stab you.”
His lips twitched. “If you’re going to do it, you shouldmarry me first. That way, you’ll be a duchess as well as a widow, and I’ll die with the satisfaction that at least you’re protected by my name and fortune.”
She scowled at his levity. Tess had become a widowed duchess on the night of her first wedding when the old duke had cocked up his toes, but she hadn’t been the one to kill him. He’d died of natural causes.
“I don’t want to kill you, Vaughan. Just stab you somewhere painful.”
“My death could be your freedom.”
“You’re too wicked to oblige me by dying early. You’d live to be a hundred, just to annoy me.”
He chuckled. “Same goes for you. You’re too stubborn to die first. Maybe we should marry just to see which one of us wins?”
Daisy shook her head. Despite the fact that he didn’t love her, there were undeniable advantages to marrying him, not least his sense of humor.
The problem was, she’d probably end up falling in love with him, which would only lead to misery when he inevitably lost interest in her and took his attentions elsewhere. Even the position of duchess, and the possibility of having children to love, wouldn’t make up for the heartache. Her mother had discovered that. A gilded cage was still a cage.
She took the knives. Since she wasn’t wearing her holsters, she tucked them into her jacket pockets, one on each side, and the finality of the gesture made her heart sink. Vaughan had no excuse to seek her out now that he’d returned them.
“Thank you,” she said stiffly. “And I’ll accept your hospitality at Carisbrooke Hall. But only because I want a nice hot bath and a clean bed, neither of which I imagine this place can provide. I amnotforgiving you.”
“Understood.” He nodded, once, then stepped past her and approached one of the stable hands who’d been forking hay in one of the stalls. “You, there. Can you ready two carriage horses and take them about five miles back along the road to Carlisle? You’ll find my driver and carriage waiting for a new pair.”
“’Course I can, milord.”