Page 13 of The Duke's Impossible Deal
“Says the man who did not even have a wedding breakfast.” Tobias shook his head. “There will be no ball. It would not be proper. The fact that we are getting married at all is stretching the bounds of propriety—her brother has just died. I will not add any more rumors and scandals to her name.”
“How gallant of you.” Warner eyed him carefully.
“I just do not want to deal with the hassle.” Tobias made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “This all needs to be done as quickly as possible. Once her house is repaired, we will go our separate ways, and I will have fulfilled my duty to Jenkins.”
“How efficient. I suppose this means you will have no groomsman?” Warner gave him a sidelong look.
Tobias could tell his cousin was forcing his eyes not to drift towards the graveyard.
“Only if you do not wish to assume the role.” He shrugged.
There was a beat of silence. “I would be honored to.”
“I would ask you to bring David, but I think he is a little young for such a thing.” Tobias gestured vaguely.
“He struggles to sit still for half an hour, let alone an entire wedding ceremony,” Warner admitted. “Though I have no doubt he will want to come.”
“He is welcome to.” Tobias’s smile was genuine. “Perhaps my bride will have Fliss be her flower girl, unless her own daughter is taking on that role.”
“George—I mean, Georgie loves Fliss. She would probably suggest that they share it. Though I am not sure where that would leave young Alistair.” Warner stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“I will make sure that he is not left out. If it comes to it, he can be a groomsman.” Tobias shrugged.
“You may find that Georgie wants to join as well.” Warner’s expression was neutral, as though he expected some kind of outburst from him. “I know she used to borrow Alistair’s clothes on occasion.”
Tobias remembered James mentioning something about his niece and the way she signaled things to the adults around her, and the protectiveness in his voice when he had said it.
That stirred something hot in Tobias’s chest, and he fought to keep his own expression calm. “If she wants to be a groomsman, I see no reason why she should not be. The ton will no doubt gossip, but when it comes to a child, I will not let those weasels dictate my actions.”
There was a long pause as he glared into the distance, aware of his cousin’s eyes on him.
There was no reason a child should suffer for the ton’s small-mindedness. It might be different if the girl were older, but for now? He knew how James had doted on her, knew that he had loved her unorthodox nature.
I will not be the one to break it.
“You know, it is a shame you will not be a father. You would make rather a good one.” Warner clapped a hand on his back and then walked away, leaving him to ponder his words.
Five
“You would think that your fiancé would at least hire someone to do the packing for you.” Lady Verity Cresswell, the Dowager Viscountess Nettle, wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. “He is a duke, after all.”
Rowen felt her cheeks redden slightly at her friend’s words.
It was two days after Tobias had asked for her hand in marriage, and she was in her drawing room with two of the other Black Widows—Adele Scott, the Duchess of Scarfield, and Verity. The final and oldest member of their group, Lady Cora Lovett, had not joined them, saying that manual labor was not fit for elderly hands.
“He did, actually,” Rowen admitted, averting her gaze.
“Then why on earth are we here, sweating like farmers?” Verity exclaimed.
“Because, Verity, if I had accepted, he would have won. It was bad enough that the man basically stormed in here and told me we were getting married, let alone letting him get to play the gallant hero.”
“Oh yes, that would have been the worst thing in the world. It is far better for us to toil away so that you can prove a point.” Verity flopped down on the sofa and began to fan herself.
“You know it is more than that. With a man like that, if you give even an inch, he will take a mile.” Rowen made a disgusted noise as she thought of Tobias’s smug smile.
I expect most women find it handsome, not irritating.
“More to the point, if I accepted his offer, I would have had to see his stupid, smug smile. And he probably would have reorganized everything just to prove a point.”
