Page 8 of The Duke's Auctioned Spinster
Rose narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips together.
“The only young men we speak about are the characters in the books we read. We are an intellectual group, and we would not sully ourselves by descending into gossip. I am sure if you attended, you would be surprised at the insights we share.”
Edmund held up his hands.
“I will take your word for that. I can’t think of anything worse than to be a part of a group like that,” he said.
“Good, because you would not be allowed in anyway,” Rose said, not quite understanding why she was so annoyed that he didn’t want to be a part of the reading circle when she had no desire to share it with him anyway.
“I assume you are here to discuss our arrangement?” she continued, seeking to change the topic. Edmund strode around the room, as if to inspect every corner. He leaned to look at theshelves, peered into the cabinets, and gazed out the window. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
“Yes, indeed. I did pay a lot of money to win this bid, and I would not like to wait too long to get a return on my investment. Besides, if I delayed, then it would only bring more questions about my situation.”
“Of course. Well, I have been giving the matter some thought.”
Edmund turned and arched an eyebrow while wearing a cocky, slanted smile.
“Oh? I am honored that I was on your mind last night,” he said.
Rose’s cheeks became flushed with color. He was an insufferable man. She collected herself and tilted her head to the side.
“I gave thesituationsome thought,” she emphasized, making sure he knew that he was not directly the subject of her thoughts. “And I have come up with some ground rules.”
“I have never been too good with rules, but I suppose I am willing to hear what you’ve come up with,” he said.
“I do not wish for there to be any rumors of impropriety between us. I am already the talk of theton, given that nothing like this has happened before, and I know people will take a great interest in this arrangement. I want all of our promenades to take placein public. I do not want to give anyone any reason to whisper about us.”
“People are always going to whisper,” he said with a casual wave of his hand, but then she glared at him, and he wore a conciliatory look. “But I understand that we can still take measures to keep the rumors at bay. Anything else?”
“No touching,” she said immediately, and as she did so, her gaze drifted toward his chest, and a strange sensation came upon her palm. It was as though she was touching his chest again, feeling his heartbeat. The last thing she needed was to be plunged into that hazy state of mind again.
“Very well, if you can agree to that, then I can too,” he said, implying that she was going to struggle with it. She decided to ignore the comment as he would only tease her again, and she did not want to get drawn into a bickering argument that he would undoubtedly enjoy.
“And there is one final thing,” she said.
“Just one?” he teased.
“I do not want there to be any talk of marriage. Not even in jest,” she said.
Edmund grinned and put his hands on his hips. “Now that, my lady, I can promise with absolute certainty. I have to admit, I was afraid that you would be a little more demanding than that.Just three rules… well… I suppose I can try my best to follow them. Now then?—”
But Rose had more to say, for she decided that she wasn’t going to make it easy for him. She didn’t like the idea that he could simply pay money and dictate how she would spend time with him. If he wanted to go on promenades with her, then he was going to have to earn it.
“There are some other conditions I have that I do not consider rules.”
“Go on,” Edmund said, the smile dropping from his face. He narrowed his eyes, and his tone was guarded.
“Well, I thought you should know about my habits and inclinations, as it will make it easier to arrange the itinerary for our events. Firstly, I do not wake early. It is not good for my constitution. I have a strict routine that has never failed me, and I shall not adjust it now. Secondly, I do not enjoy long walks, so please refrain from arranging anything of that sort. Thirdly, if we are to visit a public park, I would prefer the smoother paths. Gravel has an unfortunate habit of damaging one’s shoes.
“I see... Your shoes?” he asked, leaning down to peer at her feet. Rose noticed this and tucked them beneath her dress.
“Yes, I value my personal property and wish to keep it in good condition. If you expect to spend time with me, then you must ensure that I am comfortable. That is what I would respect from a gentleman, after all,” she said with a challenging look in hereyes, almost as though she wanted to get him to admit that he wasn’t a gentleman.
He would not give in to her so easily, however.
“Your wishes are my command,” he said, making a theatrical bow that was clearly meant to be insulting rather than anything else. “And is there anything further? Would you like to tell me what activities would bring you delight?”
“No,” Rose sighed, looking down at her fingernails. “I will leave all of that in your capable hands. I do not wish to trouble myself with the details,” she said.
