Page 16 of A Marriage Most Convenient

Edmond should not have been the least bit surprised when his sister entered his study the following afternoon. Normally, he rather enjoyed visits from his sister, rare though they were.

Today, was another matter entirely. He had slept poorly after last night’s encounter with Charlotte. Despite relieving himself in the carriage on the ride home, despite his resolution to set aside Jack for good, find some acceptable young bride and finally be done with this ridiculous obsession he had with Charlotte, he spent most of the night tossing and turning, unable to rest.

He’d dragged himself out of bed at dawn, sure the day would improve. It had not.

The gossip about Charlotte hit early and hard. He’d locked himself in his library as soon as he’d heard the news.

Yes, he knew what he needed to do. Obviously.

This debacle was his fault. He would get her out of it, but he also knew that running straight to her side would serve no purpose other than to reveal to her, and probably to London as a whole exactly how pathetically obsessed with her he still was.

After all, as far as the world knew, she’d been compromised by the Jack of Hearts. The only way for Edmond to maintain any dignity at all was for him to wait at least a few hours before proposing to her.

So here he was, feigning concentration on the ledgers in front of him, waiting an appropriate amount of time before once again proposing to Charlotte Reed.

Willow settled into the wing-back chair opposite the desk. Several breaths passed, and then she cleared throat. “Edmond, you refuse to even look at me? Or acknowledge my presence?”

He should’ve known pretending to be consumed with business would not work with his determined sister. He forced himself to jot a few notes in the margins of the ledger, then closed the book with an exaggerated sigh.

“Willow, my dear sister. How lovely of you to pay me a visit. Can I assume there is something you wish to discuss with me?”

Her eyebrows arched over her shrewd eyes. “Indeed. I assume you’ve heard the gossip about Miss Reed? My friend Charlotte?”

“Indeed. It was unavoidable news at my club this morning. Not to mention, I heard two of my maids whispering about it while hanging the laundry. It’s all anyone can discuss.” He dared a look at his sister only to find her brown eyes staring at him with such…disappointment?

“She is ruined,” Willow spat the last word, her mouth turning down at the corners. So perhaps not disappointment. Was that disgust?

But Edmond knew better than to think Willow would be put off by any of Charlotte’s behavior, so she must be disgusted by society’s judgment of Charlotte’s behavior.

After a moment, she shifted her gaze back to his. “Will you do nothing?”

“I don’t see that there is anything I can do? Does her family have a plan for handling this?”

Willow sat back in her chair, her brow furrowing in what was undoubtedly disgust. “I believe the plan is for her to go live in the country. But surely you can see how unacceptable a solution that is. Her sister will also be ruined, most likely. And I will lose, perhaps forever, one of my dearest friends.”

A pang of guilt flashed through him, but there was naught to be done for it. If he came forward as the notorious thief, he’d be arrested. That hardly seemed a solution to Charlotte’s reputation problem. “That is most regrettable. I am sorry this pains you, dear sister.”

She nodded slowly. “And, there’s nothing you plan to do about this?”

He sat back in his chair in surprise. “What would you have me do?”

“You could save her. You could propose marriage.”

He snorted. “I sincerely doubt that Miss Reid would find my proposal a better alternative.”

Did Willow truly think he hadn’t considered that possibility himself? Did she really believe he hadn’t been anguished over the idea of Charlotte’s ruin since the moment he heard of it?

“I believe she could be persuaded to accept your proposal. And I believe it would be for the best.” Willow’s tone brooked no argument.

There was something his sister wasn’t telling him. Had something else happened with Charlotte? With yet another man? Rage simmered in his blood, but he kept it at bay. “So you think I should marry her? Willow, if Charlotte needs to be persuaded to marry someone—anyone—why should it be me?”

His sister’s eyes narrowed briefly, then she tilted her chin up ever so slightly. “Because I know that there was a time when you were once in love with her. Surely not all of those emotions you felt died off.”

That brought him to his feet. He walked to the window and stared out, then turned to face his sister. “I never claimed to be in love with Charlotte Reed.”

“You asked her to be your wife. You loved her.”

“I proposed to her. On impulse.” He shook his head. “That doesn’t mean I loved her. People get married in this town for a variety of reasons other than love every day. You know that.”

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