Page 74 of Road Trip With a Rogue
He sent her an amused, ironic look. “What do you think?”
“You’re right. Nobody would believe it.”
She quashed an irrational sense of disappointment. Of course it was too much. She’d never inspire such passionin a man like Vaughan. That fact that he’d even desired heroncewas a miracle.
“What’s option two?” he asked.
“We let everyone think Iagreedto an affair with you, and Letty caught us.”
“That’s a terrible idea. Not only would you be ruined socially, but every unscrupulous cad in London would start pestering you in the hopes of making you their mistress once I’d finished with you.”
“I think you’re overestimating my appeal,” Daisy scoffed.
“And I think you’reunderestimatingit. Even in a dress as hideous as that.” His eyes flashed.
“Either way,” she said, ignoring the way her stupid heart gave an irregular little thump, “if I’m thought to be a lightskirt, Ellie and Tess will suffer by association, and so will King and Company. I don’t want that.”
“So what’s option three?”
She huffed out a breath. “We say wewereengaged, like you told Letty, but that I changed my mind when we got to Gretna. That’s not much better than the other two options, really, except that people might give me the benefit of the doubt and think I’m still a virgin, despite being unchaperoned with you for several days.”
“You’re clutching at straws. Society gives women far less leeway than men. You’ll still be seen as soiled goods. But you might still find a man willing to overlook the fact that you’re not a virgin and marry you.”
“I’m not interested, if it still affects my friends and my business.” Daisy took another sip of her coffee. Her nerves were jittery, her thoughts spinning with the ramifications of every possibility.
“Can’t we just agree that marrying me is your best option?” Vaughan said irritably. “If we say we were marriedat Gretna, there’ll be a bit of scandal, but people will forgive it as the impetuosity of two people in love.”
“Again, straining the bounds of credibility. And wearen’tmarried,” Daisy said stubbornly. “Are you saying we should pretend that we are?”
“No. How would that work? If we say we’re married, you’ll have to come and live with me at Cranford House. We’ll have to act as man and wife in public.”
“I could do that without actually marrying you,” Daisy said, just to be pedantic.
“No, you couldn’t. Your father is going to demand proof of a wedding. He’ll want to see a copy of the register, and he’ll expect to discuss settlements and negotiate a dowry.”
Daisy bit her lip. He was right, damn it. There was no way she could lie about something so monumental to her father. The truth would come out.
Vaughan placed his cup carefully back into its saucer. “We have to get married. Properly. It’s the only solution that stops you from being an outcast and protects your business and friends. You’ll have all the social and legal benefits of being the Duchess of Cranford.”
And all the heartache of being married to a man who doesn’t love me.
“A marriage of convenience,” she said hollowly. “Which you’re only suggesting because of what happened all those years ago, with Elaine. You feel guilty because you didn’t save her by offering to marry her, and now you see a way to redeem yourself. You can save my reputation by marrying me, and while that’s a very noble sentiment, I don’t want to marry someone because of a sense of duty or guilt.”
He opened his mouth to argue, but she shook her head. “Have you ever listened to the actual marriage vows? Thegroom has to promise to ‘forsake all others… as long as ye both shall live.’ Do you honestly think you could be faithful to just one woman for the rest of your life?”
“Is that your only objection?” His brows lifted, as if her answer intrigued him. “That you don’t think I could be faithful?”
“That, and the fact that you don’t love me,” she said, with brutal honesty.
“Interesting.”
She started to ask what he meant by that, but it was his turn to interrupt her.
“You know, the bitIremember is the groom saying, ‘with my body I thee worship.’” His dark gaze bored into hers. “Just so you know, Hamilton, I ammorethan willing to worship you with my body at any time of the day or night.” His eyes held hers. “As many times as you like.” His lips quirked and she ignored the corresponding tug in her belly. “As hard and as fast, or as soft and as slow as you like.”
Daisy rolled her eyes, banishing the wicked enticements he painted with his words.
“You’ve already ‘worshipped’ me, Vaughan. And as fun as it was, I’m sure the novelty will soon wear off. You’ll lose interest, and then we’ll both be trapped.”