Page 37 of Crash Landing
What did they think of her?
Well, no matter. She was not going to marry their cousin and become a part of their family.
“Florence,” Trajan said as the door closed behind his cousins, the deep rumble of his voice making her melt a little as it slid over her like a perfectly aged Madeira wine, “I am not proposing to you out of pity.”
“Then you are proposing to me out of a misguided sense of valor.”
“Nor is it valor.”
She took his hands in hers. “You are the most wonderful man I have ever met. But I will not ruin your life by accepting you. However, I shall be more than willing to receive your offer after this mess of an assignment is over, assuming you are not sick of me and never want to come near me again.”
“But you won’t accept me now?”
“How can I?”
“It is easily done. All it takes is a simpleyesfrom you.”
She shook her head. “It is not simple at all, as you well know. Can we put off this discussion until after tomorrow’s tea with Lady Frampton? Let’s see what happens then.”
“We already know what proper etiquette requires her to do. She is going to return the invitation and invite you into her home.”
Florence nodded. “I hope she does, and Aunt Hermia will come with me. So do not bother to rage at me. I am not going to do anything foolish while we are there.”
“Just being there is dangerous and ridiculous.”
She ignored his comment. “Hermia and I will have a lovely chat with Lady Frampton once she invites us to her home. We shall share cakes and buttered bread, and then we shall leave. I am not going to attempt to steal those letters during our visit to Frampton Court.”
“Is this supposed to ease my mind when I know you will wait until nightfall and break in then?” he said with a growl. “And Frampton will be waiting for you.”
“You think I cannot outsmart him?”
“Dear heaven, Florence. I will have a full head of gray hair because of you before the week is out. I will be thesilverestamong the Silver Dukes.”
She cast him a wan smile. “Is this not another reason why you should avoid marrying me? I have my important reasons, too. If we were to marry, you would gain total control over me, and the law will always be on your side whenever you try to stop me from doing what I must do.”
“Must do? Yes, how wicked and beastly of me to try to stop you from getting yourself killed,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Blast it, Florence. I just want to protect you.”
“I know, and I am falling in love with you because of it. Truly, no one has ever treated me as wonderfully as you have, and most of the time you are irritated with me. I suppose this does not say much for me. Should this not give you warning?”
He gave a wry laugh. “Oh, warning bells have been going off in my head from the moment I met you. I am fully aware of what I would walk into if I married you.”
“Chaos. Disaster.”
“No, Florence. I would be binding myself to someone who would be a match for me, someone who could keep up with me, often best me, and always be faithful to me and honor our marriage vows. This is who you are, and I know this in my heart. Do not ask me to explainthisrightnessI feel about us. Let me take you under my wing.”
“Under your wing? I am not your little bird to protect.”
“Yes, you are,” he said with a soft growl. “Am I not an experienced bird watcher?”
She managed a small smile because she was not angry with him at all, certainly not after his impassioned words and wonderfully apish need to keep her safe.
His own smile soon turned earnest. “I like you, Florence. Very much. I doubt I would feel this way about anyone else.”
Not even Eden?
She dared not pose the question, for she already knew the answer. He loved Eden most of all.
She let out a ragged breath. “I need to protect my brother in the same way you wish to protect me. My heart compels me to do this, just as your heart seems to be compelling you to guard me. I know he doesn’t deserve to be saved, but when has life ever been fair? I cannot ignore his situation.”
