Read Online In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams by Karen Ranney - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Karen Ranney
Ads: Link
him.
They’d been in Alexandra’s garden, a tiny but perfect spot behind her English cousin’s town house.
She couldn’t imagine a more unassuming man. If the aim of the diplomatic service was to employ only males of a certain conformable appearance, Mr. Smythe was a perfect employee. Of short stature, he had auburn hair, brown eyes, and a narrow face hekept expressionless. One could not tell if Mr. Smythe was excited, amused, or irritated. Instead, he was an island of nothingness in a sea of emotion.
He was the antithesis of Lennox Cameron.
Mr. Smythe did not make her feel anything at all.
He’d begun to walk, his hands clasped behind him.
“It has been brought to my attention that my career would advance more quickly if I were married.” He glanced at her. “I haven’t the temperament to go courting, Miss MacIain.”
He stopped in front of the bench where she sat and regarded her intently.
A slight frisson of curiosity pierced her misery.
“Nor do I have the time, having been sent my new assignment.” He cleared his throat. “I have found you to be a very personable young woman. Although a Scot, you’re related to Lady Alexandra.”
“She’s my cousin,” Glynis had said, wondering where he was going with his speech.
“I would then like to propose something to you. A match between you and me. Not one of love, Miss MacIain, as much as expediency. A business arrangement, if you will. I can offer you a position as my wife. You will meet important people and be present when history is made. My wife, of course, would be called upon to represent the Empire as well as myself. If you agree, you will need to learn certain things, and I will avail myself of the finest teachers for you.”
She didn’t dissuade him from continuing. Instead, she listened.
“I can guarantee you my future is a bright one. It has been hinted that if I conduct myself well in Cairo, my next assignment will be to one of the British legations.”
He began to walk again, a jaunt of four feet one way, a turn and four feet the other.
“Would this arrangement suit you?”
“You want me to marry you, Mr. Smythe?”
“I do, Miss MacIain.”
Her mother’s letters had been filled with speculation about Lennox and Lidia Bobrova. Glasgow was rife with rumors about the joining of the two families that had been so close in business.
How could she bear returning to Glasgow? How could she tolerate seeing him every day? Or worse, having to socialize with his wife?
“If I marry you, would we be returning to Scotland?” she’d asked.
He frowned. “No, Miss MacIain. I see no reason to do so. Do you have an excessive fondness for your homeland, one that would prevent you from considering my offer?”
“I love my family, Mr. Smythe. I would miss them.”
“Perhaps they could visit us occasionally,” he said.
She wouldn’t have to see Lennox again. Nor affect a nonchalance when he married.
“I realize we have only known each other a few weeks.”
“Three weeks to be exact,” she said.
“Which means this is a precipitous offer. I am due in Egypt in a month. Therefore, our wedding would have to take place within days.”
Enough time to send for her parents and Duncan to attend the ceremony.
What did it matter who she married now, she’d asked herself, especially if Lennox was marrying that Russian girl? All she cared about was that she didn’t have to return to Glasgow.
“Yes, Mr. Smythe,” she said, standing. “I will marry you.”
She allowed him to kiss her on the cheek. On their wedding night she allowed him into her bed. Shedidn’t even try to pretend Lennox held her and kissed her perfunctorily.
Lennox wouldn’t have made her want to bathe after her marriage was consummated.
Richard’s career had been hampered by his personality. He didn’t want to speak to women or servants, since each class—as he’d said on many occasions—was given to extreme emotionality. He never realized some men respected
They’d been in Alexandra’s garden, a tiny but perfect spot behind her English cousin’s town house.
She couldn’t imagine a more unassuming man. If the aim of the diplomatic service was to employ only males of a certain conformable appearance, Mr. Smythe was a perfect employee. Of short stature, he had auburn hair, brown eyes, and a narrow face hekept expressionless. One could not tell if Mr. Smythe was excited, amused, or irritated. Instead, he was an island of nothingness in a sea of emotion.
He was the antithesis of Lennox Cameron.
Mr. Smythe did not make her feel anything at all.
He’d begun to walk, his hands clasped behind him.
“It has been brought to my attention that my career would advance more quickly if I were married.” He glanced at her. “I haven’t the temperament to go courting, Miss MacIain.”
He stopped in front of the bench where she sat and regarded her intently.
A slight frisson of curiosity pierced her misery.
“Nor do I have the time, having been sent my new assignment.” He cleared his throat. “I have found you to be a very personable young woman. Although a Scot, you’re related to Lady Alexandra.”
“She’s my cousin,” Glynis had said, wondering where he was going with his speech.
“I would then like to propose something to you. A match between you and me. Not one of love, Miss MacIain, as much as expediency. A business arrangement, if you will. I can offer you a position as my wife. You will meet important people and be present when history is made. My wife, of course, would be called upon to represent the Empire as well as myself. If you agree, you will need to learn certain things, and I will avail myself of the finest teachers for you.”
She didn’t dissuade him from continuing. Instead, she listened.
“I can guarantee you my future is a bright one. It has been hinted that if I conduct myself well in Cairo, my next assignment will be to one of the British legations.”
He began to walk again, a jaunt of four feet one way, a turn and four feet the other.
“Would this arrangement suit you?”
“You want me to marry you, Mr. Smythe?”
“I do, Miss MacIain.”
Her mother’s letters had been filled with speculation about Lennox and Lidia Bobrova. Glasgow was rife with rumors about the joining of the two families that had been so close in business.
How could she bear returning to Glasgow? How could she tolerate seeing him every day? Or worse, having to socialize with his wife?
“If I marry you, would we be returning to Scotland?” she’d asked.
He frowned. “No, Miss MacIain. I see no reason to do so. Do you have an excessive fondness for your homeland, one that would prevent you from considering my offer?”
“I love my family, Mr. Smythe. I would miss them.”
“Perhaps they could visit us occasionally,” he said.
She wouldn’t have to see Lennox again. Nor affect a nonchalance when he married.
“I realize we have only known each other a few weeks.”
“Three weeks to be exact,” she said.
“Which means this is a precipitous offer. I am due in Egypt in a month. Therefore, our wedding would have to take place within days.”
Enough time to send for her parents and Duncan to attend the ceremony.
What did it matter who she married now, she’d asked herself, especially if Lennox was marrying that Russian girl? All she cared about was that she didn’t have to return to Glasgow.
“Yes, Mr. Smythe,” she said, standing. “I will marry you.”
She allowed him to kiss her on the cheek. On their wedding night she allowed him into her bed. Shedidn’t even try to pretend Lennox held her and kissed her perfunctorily.
Lennox wouldn’t have made her want to bathe after her marriage was consummated.
Richard’s career had been hampered by his personality. He didn’t want to speak to women or servants, since each class—as he’d said on many occasions—was given to extreme emotionality. He never realized some men respected
Similar Books
