Read Online Rebecca's Refusal by Amanda Grange - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amanda Grange
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Regency, Large Type Books, London (England), Large Print Books, Luddites, Cotton manufacture
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Now that you have inherited half the mill, I am sure you will want to be attending to business.'
Trying to get rid of me, Becky?' he asked, an amused twinkle in his eye.
'No, of course not,' she said uncomfortably.
That's good,' he said. But then he became serious. 'Rebecca, I was wrong to let you go last night. I shouldn't have let you return to the ballroom after our meeting in the morning-room until things had been settled between us.'
Rebecca felt her pulse begin to quicken. Until things had been settled between them? What did he mean?
Joshua was continuing. 1 should have realized when it happened that we might have been seen together at The Nag's Head, and as soon as I met you again I should have taken the necessary steps to protect your reputation and keep you free of the interference of people like George Lacy. However, what's done is done. What matters now is not the past but the present. We must salvage the situation, and marry without delay.'
We must. . . ?' gasped Rebecca. She had not known where Joshua's conversation was leading, but she had never expected this. In her astonishment she dug her toes instinctively into the ice and came to a swift halt, leaving Joshua to come to a sharp stop beside her.
'Marry,' said Joshua, turning to face her, his eyes boring into her own. Without delay.'
'Have you run mad?' asked Rebecca. We scarcely know each other, and yet -'
1 can assure you I have never been more sane.'
He spoke sharply, and she was surprised at the harshness of his tone. A moment's reflection, however, told her that he had expected her to fall in with his plans - although knowing her stubborn nature he should have been prepared for her to have her own opinion on the matter - and she realized that her reaction had shocked him.
1 have no more wish to be leg-shackled than you,' he went on, 'but as I have compromised you we must marry as soon as the banns have been read.'
You have run mad,' said Rebecca determinedly.
You think we should have some pretence of a courtship?' he asked.
She gasped. How could he have so misunderstood her refusal to fall in with his plans, thinking she objected only to the speed at which they were to be carried out?
Yes, you are right,' he said thoughtfully. If we marry too quickly tongues will be sure to wag, and it's no use our marrying in order to scotch one kind of rumour if all we do is succeed in creating another. We will take our time, then, and have a three-month engagement period. That should be long enough to silence the gossips, and convince them you are not. . . '
With child?' she demanded.
He gave a wicked smile. 1 was going to say, enceinte,' he remarked.
Which is simply society's word for the same condition,' she returned. 'However, you misunderstand me entirely if you think I object to the length of the engagement. I object to the whole idea. I have no intention of marrying you, either with or without a pretence of courtship. I have seen you but three times before today, and yet you propose that I should spend the rest of my life with you. I would not -'
Would not what?' he demanded, his eyes beginning to spark. 'Save your reputation?'
'My reputation?' she demanded. What, pray, makes you think it needs saving? No one saw us together that night save for George Lacy, and he will not say anything. I will certainly not tell anyone. Will you?' she challenged him.
'No, of course not,' he said angrily. But the fact remains -'
The fact remains that you must have taken leave of your senses. Marty you, indeed!'
It seems a bad bargain to you?' he demanded, catching hold of her wrist.
Looking at him then, with his dark blond hair and burning eyes, his firm chin and square-cut jaw, his broad shoulders and muscular physique, she had the insane feeling that it might not be such a bad bargain after all.
But what was she thinking? Of course it would be a bad bargain. The whole idea was ridiculous! She barely knew him. And from her grandfather's tales about his
Trying to get rid of me, Becky?' he asked, an amused twinkle in his eye.
'No, of course not,' she said uncomfortably.
That's good,' he said. But then he became serious. 'Rebecca, I was wrong to let you go last night. I shouldn't have let you return to the ballroom after our meeting in the morning-room until things had been settled between us.'
Rebecca felt her pulse begin to quicken. Until things had been settled between them? What did he mean?
Joshua was continuing. 1 should have realized when it happened that we might have been seen together at The Nag's Head, and as soon as I met you again I should have taken the necessary steps to protect your reputation and keep you free of the interference of people like George Lacy. However, what's done is done. What matters now is not the past but the present. We must salvage the situation, and marry without delay.'
We must. . . ?' gasped Rebecca. She had not known where Joshua's conversation was leading, but she had never expected this. In her astonishment she dug her toes instinctively into the ice and came to a swift halt, leaving Joshua to come to a sharp stop beside her.
'Marry,' said Joshua, turning to face her, his eyes boring into her own. Without delay.'
'Have you run mad?' asked Rebecca. We scarcely know each other, and yet -'
1 can assure you I have never been more sane.'
He spoke sharply, and she was surprised at the harshness of his tone. A moment's reflection, however, told her that he had expected her to fall in with his plans - although knowing her stubborn nature he should have been prepared for her to have her own opinion on the matter - and she realized that her reaction had shocked him.
1 have no more wish to be leg-shackled than you,' he went on, 'but as I have compromised you we must marry as soon as the banns have been read.'
You have run mad,' said Rebecca determinedly.
You think we should have some pretence of a courtship?' he asked.
She gasped. How could he have so misunderstood her refusal to fall in with his plans, thinking she objected only to the speed at which they were to be carried out?
Yes, you are right,' he said thoughtfully. If we marry too quickly tongues will be sure to wag, and it's no use our marrying in order to scotch one kind of rumour if all we do is succeed in creating another. We will take our time, then, and have a three-month engagement period. That should be long enough to silence the gossips, and convince them you are not. . . '
With child?' she demanded.
He gave a wicked smile. 1 was going to say, enceinte,' he remarked.
Which is simply society's word for the same condition,' she returned. 'However, you misunderstand me entirely if you think I object to the length of the engagement. I object to the whole idea. I have no intention of marrying you, either with or without a pretence of courtship. I have seen you but three times before today, and yet you propose that I should spend the rest of my life with you. I would not -'
Would not what?' he demanded, his eyes beginning to spark. 'Save your reputation?'
'My reputation?' she demanded. What, pray, makes you think it needs saving? No one saw us together that night save for George Lacy, and he will not say anything. I will certainly not tell anyone. Will you?' she challenged him.
'No, of course not,' he said angrily. But the fact remains -'
The fact remains that you must have taken leave of your senses. Marty you, indeed!'
It seems a bad bargain to you?' he demanded, catching hold of her wrist.
Looking at him then, with his dark blond hair and burning eyes, his firm chin and square-cut jaw, his broad shoulders and muscular physique, she had the insane feeling that it might not be such a bad bargain after all.
But what was she thinking? Of course it would be a bad bargain. The whole idea was ridiculous! She barely knew him. And from her grandfather's tales about his
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