Page 30 of His Unwanted Duchess

“Most of them.”

“I don’t particularly like the idea of being with child or childbirth as you can probably tell. I am quite happy not to have children. Next rule.”

He cleared his throat, a little taken aback.

I certainly thought we’d argue more over that one. Never mind.

“Rule number two. I am free to pursue what life I see fit. And so are you, for that matter. If I choose to spend my time with opera girls or cavorting around the country doing heaven knows what, you are not to say a single word about it. You, naturally, are free to do the same.”

“You want to live the life of a bachelor,” Miss Haversham mused. “As if you were free.”

“I intend tobefree, Miss Haversham. I am not a loyal little dog for you to keep at your heels, I am afraid. I have never been one for sitting quietly at home.”

“I assume,” she murmured, “that this applies to my studies? You won’t start complaining about having a bluestocking for a wife or any such nonsense?”

“I shall not be able to complain,” he said, smiling wryly, “not under these rules.”

“I see. But won’t we be the laughingstock of the ton if we go on like this? People will notice.”

“That brings me nicely to rule number three. Discretion. Discretion in all things. If you know I am cavorting with opera girls, you won’t share this information. I will do my best not to humiliate you, and that is where discretion comes into it. It will do you no good if all of London knows that I am a feckless, disloyal husband, so I shall make sure they do not find out. Naturally, it applies to you too. Let us suppose that you take a lover…”

“I won’t.”

“Let us suppose that you did,” he said, with a hint of annoyance. “As per our rules, I cannot say a thing about it, and frankly, I cannot imagine that I care. However, you must be discreet about it. You cannot get with child—or if you do, you had better handle it. Because I will not be presented with a bastard, do you understand me?”

She paled a little, and Stephen wondered if he had been too harsh.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “I understand.”

“Good.” He cleared his throat, briefly slurping down the rest of his tea before continuing. “Rule number four. You may make yourself at home here and change whatever you like, except the conservatory and the observatory. They are my domains and mine alone, and nothing there belongs to you. Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

“Rule number five—the final one. These rules cannot be changed or dropped unless we both agree. Also, you cannot mention these rules to anybody, even our dear Anna. They are between you and me. Do you understand?”

She thought for a moment, then nodded slowly. “I understand. I have a question, though.”

“In a moment. Firstly, do you have any rules of your own to add?”

She perked up, just a little.

This is going to work,Stephen thought, with a rush of something that felt too much like excitement.My little marriage of convenience is really going to work.

Farewell, pushy Society mamas, with your stale breaths and your dull daughters.

“I do, actually. First, I want a monthly allowance. I’m sure you already intended to take care of that, but I want it to be in writing. I want to be financially independent. I want to be able to travel wherever I like and buy whatever I want without having to ask you for money or permission.”

He nodded, scribbling down a sixth rule. “Will this amount suit you?”

He showed her the number written on the paper and felt a moment’s satisfaction when her eyes widened.

“Ahem. Yes, that should do it,” she mumbled. “And another thing. Wherever we are, I want to have access to a full library. You must never keep me from my books.”

“I would not dream of it,” he said, smiling wryly. “That is, however, covered in rule two, in which we can both act as we please. Now, you had a question, yes?”

She cleared her throat, shifting slightly. He waited patiently for her to speak.

“You said that we will not produce an heir,” she said carefully. “But you might cavort with your opera girls, and?—”

---