Page 361 of From Rakes to Riches

And again, David found himself experiencing a passing feeling of worry about Victoria, but he pushed it ruthlessly away. The earldom needed an heir.

“Did you negotiate the terms with her father?” the earl demanded.

“He died ten months ago. I negotiated with the bride herself.”

“Unheard of!”

“But necessary. I’ll speak to my lawyer about the papers tomorrow.”

“Who is this girl?”

“Miss Victoria Shelby.”

“I know that name,” the earl said, his brows lowered in rising anger.

“You should. The family has been our next-door neighbors my entire life.”The people you insisted we ignore socially, because you said they weren’t good enough.

“One of the Shelby girls?” his father cried.

“Victoria.”

“But their father was in trade!”

“He was a wealthy banker, Father. You yourself did business with him.”

“But he was not a gentleman!”

“Perhaps not by your definition. But his daughter has been raised well. I’ve already asked her to marry me.”

“She will bring nothing to this family in politics or land. If you would have consulted me, I could have told you?—”

“It’s interesting how you follow the dictates of society only when it pleases you. Regardless, there is nothing you could have said to change my mind.”

“Tell me you’re not inlovewith this girl!”

David was about to make a disparaging comment—their arguments followed such a predictable pattern—but something in his father’s face stopped him. It wasn’t anger there now but despair, as if he’d thought love was a tragedy not to be experienced because of the pain.

David’s mother knew all about that.

But he couldn’t say the words that would hurt the old man, not when he already looked so devastated. Did the earl stare out over his garden and remember all his mistakes, the way he’d treated his wife?

David didn’t want to feel sympathy for him.

“Father, in one month, Miss Shelby will be living here, as the new lady of the house. You will conduct yourself properly.”

“I am the earl!” his father thundered. “She will have to?—”

But David had already walked out of the room.

Night after night,Victoria lay sleepless in bed and stared at the shadows on the ceiling, wondering if Tom was still there somewhere inside Lord Thurlow. Or was she being naive? Her underlying sorrow wouldn’t go away. Except for her sisters, Tom had been her closest companion, her staunch ally, a sounding board when times were difficult. But to remember those times now only made his betrayal sharper, sadder. She finally resolved the Tom debate in her mind by putting it aside for now, pretending that she was just like every other woman about to marry a stranger.

Two weeks before their wedding, her future husband surprised her by coming to call on her unannounced. Mrs. Wayneflete came to find Victoria, who was sorting through her belongings for the move. Victoria followed the housekeeper down through the house, asking twice if her hair looked presentable.

“Surely I have cobwebs orsomethingin it!” Victoria said with exasperation.

Mrs. Wayneflete patted her trembling hands. “You look fine, miss.”

And then they were in the drawing room, andhewas standing there, so tall and very foreign in such a feminine room. His gaze swept over her, making her wonder what he thought about her appearance. She should not care, because their bargain had already been made. But…he smelled of fresh air and cologne, a masculine mixture, and it made her shiver, though she was not cold. The engagement—the very thought of marriage—still seemed so unreal.

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