Read Online Lord Stillwell's Excellent Engagements by Victoria Alexander - Free Book Online

mean?”
    “Well, I’m not sure exactly.” He leaned forward in an earnest manner. “I wasn’t thinking
     clearly. The words just came out of their accord. It did seem the right thing to say
     at the time. You understand.”
    “No, I don’t.”
    “You never said something to a woman in the heat of the moment that wasn’t quite what
     you meant?”
    “I never asked one to marry me!”
    “You did ask a few others,” Lawrence said under his breath.
    “Two others and neither of those proposals were impulsive.” Win glared. “They were
     both well thought out.” He paused. “Well, perhaps not the first. I was, oh, infatuated
     I would say and marriage seemed like an excellent idea. The second, however, was extremely
     well thought out. In hindsight, perhaps too well thought out. It was a rational, sensible
     decision and that itself was probably a mistake.”
    “Was asking Caroline to marry you a mistake as well?”
    “I didn’t think so at the time, but then I didn’t know she was in love with someone
     else.” He paused. “No, it was not a mistake. She is a lovely woman, the kind of woman
     one could easily spend the rest of one’s days with. She is amusing and clever and
     knows her own mind. Caroline is a woman one could easily love.” Too easily.
    “Yes, she is.” Lawrence stared. “Do you love her then?”
    “I am extremely fond of her,” he said staunchly. “But I cannot marry a woman who is
     in love with someone else.”
    “Well, then there’s nothing more to talk about is there?” Lawrence grinned and got
     to his feet.
    “Sit down!”
    Lawrence plopped back down.
    “Perhaps you did not give this due consideration, but if this wedding is cancelled,
     Caroline and I will be thrust into scandal. We will be the center of gossip. Speculation
     will be rampant. People will say the most unkind things about the two of us. But,
     as is the way of such things, she will bear the brunt of it. Her reputation will be
     in question if not ruined. Scandal does not particularly concern me. But I suspect
     it concerns her.” Win narrowed his eye. “I will not permit that.”
    “Oh?” Lawrence squirmed in his seat.
    “There is only one way to avoid scandal.”
    “There is?”
    “I have no intention of cancelling yet another wedding.”
    “You don’t?” Lawrence said weakly.
    “I do not.” Win sighed. “Mr. Royce, let me ask you this. Did you or did you not come
     here to stop this wedding?”
    He nodded. “I did.”
    “Because you love her.”
    “I do.”
    “And can you imagine your life without her in it?”
    “No, of course not, I . . .” Lawrence paused. “I do want to marry her, don’t I?”
    “So it would appear.”
    “There really isn’t any other choice, is there? It’s the only way to keep her with
     me for the rest of my days.” He thought for a moment. “It doesn’t sound quite as dire
     as it did a moment ago. Indeed, the more I think about it, the more delightful it
     sounds.” He grinned. “You know, on occasion one says things in the heat of the moment
     one truly means. By God, I shall marry Caroline!”
    “Excellent.” Win nodded. “Then I suggest you send word to your family. They will want
     to be here. There are any number of arrangements that need to be made as well. Special
     licenses and all that.”
    Lawrence’s brow furrowed. “What?”
    “Mr. Royce, I am beginning to think you are not as intelligent as I had hoped you
     were.” Win leaned forward. “In order to avoid scandal, the wedding will proceed as
     scheduled. However, I will not be the groom.”
    “Then . . .” Realization dawned on the younger man’s face. “Me?”
    Win nodded. “You.”
    “Oh.” Lawrence stared for a long moment, a stunned look on his face. At last he smiled.
     “Oh.”
    “One does hope there is more to your repertoire than oh .” Win resisted the urge to once more roll his eyes toward the ceiling. “Now, I suggest
     you find your bride and deliver her the