Page 39 of Marigold and the Marquess
She thought he would become angry and put an end to their wedding plans, but he merely cast her a wry smile. “For a sweet thing, you certainly know how to be sarcastic.”
“I am going to fight for our marriage, Leo. I give you fair warning. If you wish to back out of marrying me, now is your chance.”
He gave a curt, bitter laugh. “Back out? I have no intention of it.”
She shook her head in confusion. “Why go to the bother if you are going to destroy everything in thirty days’ time?”
He sank back in his chair and cast her a piercing look. “Because I shall be married to you and those are going to be the best thirty days of my life.”
Best? How can he possibly be serious?
And now, how can she not rise to the challenge? He believed marriage to her would be bliss? Well, it could be if he would leave the hunt for the traitor to the Crown agents. But he was too stubborn and impatient to let the investigation play out. “Lord Cummings is the name of your cousin, is it not?”
He nodded.
“Who is Lord Denby?”
“Why do you wish to know?”
“Because I intend to conduct my own investigation. If you are determined to keep up this foolishness, then I will have to find a way to stop you.”
His expression once more turned darker than a looming storm as he shot up from his chair. “You are to stay away from those three men.”
She stared up at him. “I will promise to do so only if you give me the same promise.”
“You know I will not.”
“Then I will not, either.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “Whoever did this to me is ruthless, Marigold. There is a very good chance he will come after you simply because you are my wife. I do not mean in any harmless way, as in flirting with you or attempting to seduce you. I mean really come after you with the intention of hurting you. Drawing blood. Killing you if he thought this would hurt me worse. Rest assured, I will do whatever I must to keep you safe. If that means locking you in your bedchamber and chaining you to your bed, then I will do so.”
“An idle threat. You will have every Farthingale son-in-law at your throat within a day if you attempt it. You will not be able to fight them all. So, be reasonable. Work with me or not, the choice is yours. However, if you refuse to work with me, then I will hold you to your duty. You are Leo, my lion. You had better protect what is yours. That means me, for I truly belong to you with all my heart and every scintilla of my soul.” She scooped up Mallow, who immediately whined when he realized they were leaving. “Well, Leo? What do you say? Will you protect me?”
“Of course, I will. Is that not part of the marriage pledge?”
“It is.”
“Good, then rest assured of my protection, even if it means locking you up until I am through with those men. If you think you will have your family on your side, then think again. Every one of your male relatives will side with me once I tell them the reason why I had to take drastic measures.”
“They will likely lock us both up,” she retorted, sticking her chin in the air. “Rest assured, I will insist on it.”
She wanted to hit him over the head in the hope of knocking sense into him, but she could never use physical force against him, not after the violence he had endured. Anyway, she could not hurt a butterfly.
Brutality was not in her nature.
He grinned. “You are going to be a formidable force when you are older.”
“If it saves your life, then I do not care if you think of me as a crazed Harpy.”
“Marigold, do not push me.”
“I am only trying to make you see reason.”
“You are interfering in matters of which you know nothing. I may have agreed too swiftly to doing what seemed like the honorable thing last night. If you are also having doubts, then–”
“Doubts? I haven’t a one. You are the only man for me, Leo. Oh, I know you think I am too young to know my own mind, but it is not so. I am clever and sensible. I am also not afraid of facing challenges.”
“So be it. However, until the matter of the traitor is settled, I want you able to get out of this marriage if you ever do have second thoughts.”
