Page 28 of The Duke's Daring Bride

Drat.

She was going to have to extra-confirm it, right now. Could she see him, before the wedding?

Wait, did that mean she was planning on marrying him?

You were willing to be intimate with him just to save your paper. Is becoming his duchess that much more of a step?

Well…yes. It was her entire life.

But it didn’t have to be. He’d said he expected intimacy from her, but that wasn’t going to be much of a hardship. She’d wanted him from the moment she’d stepped into his study.

But marriage? And children?

Unbidden, Olivia’s hand dropped to her stomach.

Children?

Oh, they’d always been part of her plan, in a far-off, nebulous sort of way. She’d known she wanted children to whom she could leave her paper, and educate in her passion for social causes. But they were far in the future.

If you marry the Duke, he’ll expect you to get started on those children right away. Tomorrow.

She swallowed.

Did that make her a brood mare? A whore?

Trading your body to keep your dream alive? Many women have made that decision over the years, haven’t they? And you get to be a duchess. A reporter with rubies.

Imagine the change she could foster as a duchess.

The thought made her catch her breath.

Yes.

Yes.

For that reason alone, she would do it. She would marry the Duke of Effinghell.

Alistair.

Whatever his name actually was.

Assuming he agreed to her terms.

“Olivia?” Amelia was watching her. “We apologize for our rudeness.”

Olivia shook her head, brushing away the apology. “No, I—” Her voice caught, and she had to swallow. “I was merely thinking. I know I’m not your mother’s first choice for your brother—or at least, I can assume she wanted someone more refined. Polished.” Someone with breeding.

But Amanda snorted. “If that is the truth, it would be hypocrisy. Alistair is not refined or polished.”

“But he’s a duke.”

Hamish squawked, “Fooking duke! Fooking duchess!”

All three women blinked at one another, then dissolved into giggles.

“I suppose your grandfather had a plenty to say about his wife and responsibilities?” Olivia managed to gasp.

“If he repeated it enough that was what Hamish learned…!” Amelia stroked the bird. “Such a smart lad!”

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