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Authors: Elyzabeth M. VaLey
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her
frayed nerves. He was a man like all the rest. Nothing different.
Nothing special. Simply a man.
“ Mr. Dalton?” she said as coldly as possible, setting her
features into a mask of calm.
“ I do not wish to see your parents, not now at least. I’ve
come to see you, Ms. Bunsbury. I must speak to you about some
matters.”
Emily’s heart fluttered against her ribcage. She didn’t like
the sound of his words. Casually, she took a few steps away from
him and leaned against the door. If anything happened she could
run.
“ Well, what is it? Do not keep me waiting, I beseech
you.”
Chapter Ten
William
smiled, this time the gesture reaching his eyes. “Always so direct,
Ms.Bunsbury. It is one of the many things I like about
you.”
Emily’s
eyebrows rose as her distrustful nature kicked in. Where was he
going with this?
“ I asked you the other night, yet your answer did not please
me. It was, I believe, one of the rare instances where you were not
so direct. I have tried to glimpse the truth from our letters, but
to no avail. Why do you not believe in love, Ms.
Bunsbury?”
Emily frowned. “I thought I had made myself clear, Mr. Dalton.
Love is a fairy tale told to keep women at a man’s feet. I pity you
for believing otherwise.”
William crossed his arms over his chest and she could not but
help notice the way his attire stretched over the powerful
muscles.
“ Be direct with me, Ms. Bunsbury. I want to
know the real reason. You must have another reason for having no
interest in marriage. Something must have … happened to you.”
“That is of no consequence to you, Sir. Now, I would appreciate it
if you left.”
She glared at him, her desire for him quickly lessening with
his inquisitive questions and demands. She was in a way thankful
that he was unwittingly massacring any chances he had ever had with
her.
William shook his head and chuckled.
“ I am not leaving, Ms. Bunsbury. There are matters we must
discuss … and love and marriage is one of them.”
“ Mr. Dalton.” She was several inches shorter than he, head
lying just below his chin, yet she forced herself to stand up to
him. She would not be bullied and cajoled by another man. Ever. “I
thought I had made myself quite clear the other night. Clearly, I
am mistaken. I do not wish to marry. You might believe yourself to
be in love with me. You might have the noble intention of making me
your wife but I am not interested. Let me repeat this slowly so
that it can enter that large head you sport over your shoulders. I.
Am. Not. Interested.”
Abruptly, William burst out laughing. The sound as always,
caught her by surprise. He always seemed too serious, his eyes so
sad and thoughtful, yet he managed to burst into gales of extremely
boisterous laughter. It was a rich sound, one that made her heart
contract. She willed the emotion away. She would have none of that.
Not anymore.
“ It is no laughing matter. I do not fancy being tied down to a
man, sitting at his home bearing children like a dog while he is
out and about enjoying life, the gentlemen’s club, the other women,
the society.”
His lips parted in surprise and he leaned forward as if to
speak, Emily raised her hand, silencing him.
“ I chose not to marry. If you really must know I was betrothed
once, and I chose not to be any man’s brooding mare. Though dancing
might not be one of my favorite past times, I enjoy seeing my
friends, laughing, reading, writing, playing music. I enjoy a good
conversation, intellectual stimuli. I am not a doll. I am not a
plaything to be played with and cast away as soon as another
prettier version comes along. I know I am going against all
societal standards and I couldn’t care less. I…”
Suddenly, William Dalton grasped her arm. Emily gasped in surprise, a
prickle of awareness crossing from her arm across her flesh at
surprising speed. Her feet slid across the floor effortlessly as
William drew her flush against him. Her hands flailed
frayed nerves. He was a man like all the rest. Nothing different.
Nothing special. Simply a man.
“ Mr. Dalton?” she said as coldly as possible, setting her
features into a mask of calm.
“ I do not wish to see your parents, not now at least. I’ve
come to see you, Ms. Bunsbury. I must speak to you about some
matters.”
Emily’s heart fluttered against her ribcage. She didn’t like
the sound of his words. Casually, she took a few steps away from
him and leaned against the door. If anything happened she could
run.
“ Well, what is it? Do not keep me waiting, I beseech
you.”
Chapter Ten
William
smiled, this time the gesture reaching his eyes. “Always so direct,
Ms.Bunsbury. It is one of the many things I like about
you.”
Emily’s
eyebrows rose as her distrustful nature kicked in. Where was he
going with this?
“ I asked you the other night, yet your answer did not please
me. It was, I believe, one of the rare instances where you were not
so direct. I have tried to glimpse the truth from our letters, but
to no avail. Why do you not believe in love, Ms.
Bunsbury?”
Emily frowned. “I thought I had made myself clear, Mr. Dalton.
Love is a fairy tale told to keep women at a man’s feet. I pity you
for believing otherwise.”
William crossed his arms over his chest and she could not but
help notice the way his attire stretched over the powerful
muscles.
“ Be direct with me, Ms. Bunsbury. I want to
know the real reason. You must have another reason for having no
interest in marriage. Something must have … happened to you.”
“That is of no consequence to you, Sir. Now, I would appreciate it
if you left.”
She glared at him, her desire for him quickly lessening with
his inquisitive questions and demands. She was in a way thankful
that he was unwittingly massacring any chances he had ever had with
her.
William shook his head and chuckled.
“ I am not leaving, Ms. Bunsbury. There are matters we must
discuss … and love and marriage is one of them.”
“ Mr. Dalton.” She was several inches shorter than he, head
lying just below his chin, yet she forced herself to stand up to
him. She would not be bullied and cajoled by another man. Ever. “I
thought I had made myself quite clear the other night. Clearly, I
am mistaken. I do not wish to marry. You might believe yourself to
be in love with me. You might have the noble intention of making me
your wife but I am not interested. Let me repeat this slowly so
that it can enter that large head you sport over your shoulders. I.
Am. Not. Interested.”
Abruptly, William burst out laughing. The sound as always,
caught her by surprise. He always seemed too serious, his eyes so
sad and thoughtful, yet he managed to burst into gales of extremely
boisterous laughter. It was a rich sound, one that made her heart
contract. She willed the emotion away. She would have none of that.
Not anymore.
“ It is no laughing matter. I do not fancy being tied down to a
man, sitting at his home bearing children like a dog while he is
out and about enjoying life, the gentlemen’s club, the other women,
the society.”
His lips parted in surprise and he leaned forward as if to
speak, Emily raised her hand, silencing him.
“ I chose not to marry. If you really must know I was betrothed
once, and I chose not to be any man’s brooding mare. Though dancing
might not be one of my favorite past times, I enjoy seeing my
friends, laughing, reading, writing, playing music. I enjoy a good
conversation, intellectual stimuli. I am not a doll. I am not a
plaything to be played with and cast away as soon as another
prettier version comes along. I know I am going against all
societal standards and I couldn’t care less. I…”
Suddenly, William Dalton grasped her arm. Emily gasped in surprise, a
prickle of awareness crossing from her arm across her flesh at
surprising speed. Her feet slid across the floor effortlessly as
William drew her flush against him. Her hands flailed
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