Page 17 of A Marriage Most Convenient

“She’s the only woman you ever proposed to. Do you think I’m a fool?”

What did Willow want him to say here? That he had loved her? Loved her so much he’d risked his fears and humiliation to court her and propose, before she’d spurned his advances? Did she want him to admit that Charlotte was the one woman who had made a fool of him? He would not do that. Not even for Willow.

He came back to his desk and returned to his seat. “Whatever I once felt for Miss Reed is irrelevant. A young man’s folly. Yes, I proposed. She rejected me. We’ve both moved on, and I suspect she doesn’t even remember what happened. Half of London has proposed to her. You don’t see all of them going to rescue her now do you?”

“Half of London isn’t my brother. And she’s my friend. That should matter if nothing else does.”

“Your friends have an unnatural predilection for getting into trouble. I can’t rescue all of them.”

Willow stood, planting her hands on his desk, and leaning toward him. “So that’s it? You’re just going to let Charlotte’s reputation be ruined?”

He stared at Willow.

She stared back.

The room felt overheated and uncomfortable. He tugged at the collar of his shirt, wondering if perhaps his cravat was too tight.

“Ruined by the Jack of Hearts. I mean, that’s a tale to tell,” Willow said.

“Unless he gets arrested, then that would truly ruin a lady’s reputation,” he countered. Did she know? Had his sister figured it out? He’d been so damned careful for so long.

Willow straightened, then propped her fists on her hips. One of her brows arched slowly.

So he continued. “Besides, I think we can both agree that a woman’s reputation and life shouldn’t be ruined simply because a man kissed her.”

His sister blinked and exhaled slowly.

“How do you know he was the one who kissed her? Perhaps Charlotte was a willing participant in the kiss? She might have even instigated it.”

Willow rolled her eyes, and snapped, “I certainly hope she was willing. Because if she wasn’t a willing participant, then you are not the man I thought you are, brother, and I may be tempted to retaliate personally.”

His blood chilled as if he’d been doused in a vat a snow. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Willow marched around his desk, glared up at him for a moment, before reaching up and boxing his ears. “For a supposedly brilliant man, you’re incredibly stupid.”

He stumbled back a step. He rubbed the sides of his head. Willow was significantly smaller than him, but apparently quite strong. “You know?”

“Do I know that you were the Jack of Hearts?” Another eye roll. “Obviously.”

He fell into his desk chair. “How? When?”

She perched herself on top of his desk. “You are my brother. Of course I made the connection. Besides which, I am married to an incredibly handsome and clever inspector from the Scotland Yard.”

“What does James being handsome have to do with anything?”

“Nothing,” she said with a grin. “As for when, the truth is, I definitely should’ve figured it out earlier.

Feeling beyond flummoxed, Edmond stammered, “I don’t understand. How did you make the connection?” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I thought I had hidden my identity quite well?”

“If you want to sit down over tea sometime so that I can praise how popular you are, and describe every nook, twist, and turn in my journey to discovering your identity, we can do that. But can we first please save the reputation and future of my dear friend, who would not be in this situation at all if it wasn’t for you.”

Edmond plunked his elbows on his desk and dropped his head into his hands. “Do you think I don’t want to save her reputation? I do. I’ve been torturing myself over how to save her since I heard the news. If I come forward and admit that I’m Jack, I’ll be arrested. That might be a sacrifice I’d be willing to make, if I thought it would do any good at all. But we both know it won’t. It would ruin her even more and cause shame to our family, and could potentially damage your husband’s career.”

“Don’t be dense, Edmond. You don’t need to confess to save her reputation. You need only marry her.”

“As I said before, even if I offer, there are no guarantees that she will accept my offer.”

“She will if you tell her you’re Jack.”

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