Page 91 of His Auction Prize
Raoul groped for her hand and kissed it. “You will be exactly the kind of marchioness I need. If I was frowning it was because I couldn’t bear you to think I would use you in such a way.”
“I don’t think it. I know you would not.” She released her hand and pressed a finger to the crease between his brows, smoothing it. “Don’t frown at me. I only meant…”
She faded out as amusement reappeared in his face. “I know what you meant, and you are perfectly right. For which reason, we had best get married right away.”
Happiness flooded her. “Can we? Without fuss? I should like that of all things.”
He grinned. “I can’t quite believe you are so eager for it today after the way you behaved last night.”
“Don’t! That is all forgotten.” She remembered the bank draft now reposing on his desk. “I should not have thrown the money at you. But you may bank the draft now after all. It will serve for a dowry, though I know it is not much.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Dowry indeed. That is yours, Felicity, to do with as you wish.”
She was touched. “Thank you, Raoul. I shall use it to help Nanny Kimble. She could do with a maid and —”
“That you won’t. If you wish to help her, I’ll stand the nonsense. I could find her a cottage on the estate, perhaps.”
Felicity balked. “Oh, no, no. What, take her away from all she knows? From her friends? That would not do at all.”
Raoul’s wry smile appeared. “You see how I need my schoolmistress bride? You will teach me how to think of these things.”
She could not help laughing. “And what will you teach me, my lord marquis?”
“How to say I love you fifty times a day,” he said without hesitation.
Felicity giggled. “You are importunate, sir. I shall ration you to twenty. After all, that is all you were prepared to pay for the pleasure of my company in the first place.”
“Ha! How very true, yes. I paid good money to win you. Don’t you forget it!”
Felicity drew herself up, but before she had a chance to tell him just what she thought of him, her unscrupulous love fastened his lips to hers again and everything but the pleasure of his attentions went out of her head.
