Page 68 of The Duke and the Unwanted Bride

It sounded like a lie, said to appease him.

“So, the fact that I have no interest in starting a family with you does not upset you? You are perfectly at ease with such an arrangement?”

“I would not say that I am at ease.”

“So, you do wish to start a family?”

“Well…” She clicked her tongue. “It is not that simple.”

“It should be. It is a yes or no answer, is it not? You either do or you do not.”

She pushed herself up again and looked at him, the expression on her face betraying her inner conflict. “When we first spoke about this, I did not consider starting a family with you. And I was fine with that…” An awkward chuckle. “You may remember that when we had that conversation, you had just told me that you would never touch me.”

“I remember.”

“So…” Another awkward chuckle. “There was no reason for me to think that it would ever be a problem. But things have changed since then.”

“Some things have,” he agreed carefully, making sure to not look away from her. He needed to be strong in this, give no sense that he was hesitant. “But my opinion on this has not changed.”

“That is what you said about the touching.” She tried for a coy smile, but it fell at his somber expression.

This was not a personal slight against her, and she needed to know that.

“That was different.”

“I don’t see how.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “My refusal to touch you… that was never personal?—”

“So, this is?” She leaned back as if he had struck her.

“No,” he said quickly, half-moving as if to comfort her, but stopping himself because he needed to stay strong and emotionless. “My meaning is, I opted for a marriage of convenience specifically because I did not wish to start a family. As you well know, marriages among our class are arranged almost exclusively to produce heirs, and I wanted to make sure it was known that there would be no such expectation in our marriage.”

“By refusing to touch me?”

“It seemed the safest course.”

“And now that you have touched me…” she trailed off, looking away as if ashamed.

Again, he made to reach for her but then held back.

“This marriage has grown into something that even I could not have foreseen, and I need you to know that I do not regret anything that has happened between us. I relish it, in fact.”

She scoffed softly. “That is lovely to hear.”

“What I wanted was a mother for Amelia, a role model, and you are that. The fact that the two of you had bonded the way you have is everything I could have hoped for. I could not be happier about it. However…” He swallowed past the lump in his throat. “When it comes to starting a family of our own, that is an option I cannot consider.”

“And an heir?” she asked, still not looking at him. “What about your need to produce an heir?”

“I have already decided that my brother, William, will be my heir.”

“It seems you have thought of everything,” she said coldly, shifting further down the sofa and away from him.

Frederick hated that he had to have this conversation right here and now, but he felt it was the right move. With how upset Hannah was, it was best to get it out of the way and pray that she not only forgave him but was able to see his side. That she might accept it.

“You are upset…” He reached for her, and she moved out of the way.

“What do you think?”

---