Read Online Surrender Becomes Her by Shirlee Busbee - Free Book Online

live very far away so that he could see his grandson whenever he wanted.”
    He almost said “really” again, but caught himself in time; instead, he said, “I had no idea that Manning wished for you to marry again.” Frowning, he added, “I would have thought marriage would be the last thing he’d want for you.”
    “It may have escaped your notice, but this past year or so,” she began tartly, “my father-in-law and Mrs. Appleton have been coyly circling each other. You’d have noticed if you didn’t always disappear into the card room.”
    Marcus was acquainted with Clara Appleton. A plump,easy-going matron his mother’s age, she was also one of his mother’s circle of friends and a frequent guest at Sherbrook Hall. Mrs. Appleton’s husband, a retired admiral, had died five years ago and had left her comfortably situated and Marcus hadn’t been aware that the lady had been looking to marry again. Certainly his mother had never mentioned it, or that the baron was thinking of marriage. But it wasn’t his business, so he shrugged and said, “If he wants to marry her, why doesn’t he? What does your marriage have to do with it?”
    “He hasn’t discussed it with me,” Isabel explained, “but I think he’s hesitant to ask her to marry him while Edmund and I are living at Manning Court. He doesn’t want me to feel pushed aside, nor does he want his new wife to have to deal with another woman in the house. If I were to marry you, it would solve all his problems. He could marry Mrs. Appleton and yet Edmund and I would be living right next door.”
    Something occurred to Marcus. “Does my mother know all this?”
    “I assume so. She and Mrs. Appleton are great friends and your mother and my father-in-law have always been neighbors as well as friends. I’d be surprised if she didn’t know.”
    “Er, do you think your father-in-law has mentioned to her his hopes for you and me?”
    “Probably,” she admitted with a faint smile. “I often find them with their heads together and yet the moment I come up to them, the conversation stops.” She eyed him curiously. “Why do you ask?”
    Marcus rubbed his jaw. “Before my mother left for London she seemed mightily concerned about the state of my life. Now I know why.”
    “She said something about it to you?” Isabel asked, astonished.
    Marcus shook his head. “No.” Grinning, he added, “She just seemed fixated on the idea that I couldn’t possibly be happy doing just as I pleased. Thought I needed a little excitement or some such.”
    “So that’s why you acted so outrageously!” exclaimed Isabel, her eyes darkening with temper. “You thought you’d liven up your existence by destroying mine.”
    “No, it ain’t!” protested Marcus, although now that he thought of it, he did wonder if that hadn’t been part of the reason. Had his mother’s words been at the back of his mind? He considered it, then dismissed it. No, his announcement had had nothing to do with his mother’s concerns and everything to do with the need to spike Whitley’s guns and provide cover for Isabel.
    For a moment they regarded each other, and then Isabel asked miserably, “What are we going to do?”
    Marcus shrugged. “I’ve given you our options, unpleasant though they may be.”
    She leaned forward intently and said, “You do understand that marriage between us is out of the question?” Her gaze dropped and she said thickly, “After Hugh died…” She swallowed. “After Hugh died I swore that I would never marry again. It has nothing to do with you. It is just that there are…reasons why marriage to you or anyone is impossible. I will not marry again.”
    Studying the top of her down-bent head, Marcus scowled. Upon Hugh’s death, Isabel had taken a vow of chastity? Now that was just plain silly. She was a lovely young woman. She had much to offer a man and there was no earthly reason for her to lock herself away like a novice in a nunnery. The more he