Claire sighed inwardly, shaking her head when he seemed so confused. Maybe she didn’t know what was and wasn’t socially acceptable anymore. She had been sneaking around, keeping secrets, and speaking bluntly with government men and spies for so long perhaps she’d lost her touch, forgotten what was appropriate. He was right about one thing though, her father was a cautious man, and if he was going to keep her from leaving by herself then life was about to get very difficult for her. As if it weren’t already complicated…
And then dear Mr. Rochford went on to speak of how he acted for the sake of business. The flirting, and charming attitude toward other women. She wanted to ask if he would continue it after they were married, but did it really matter? Perhaps that’s why he saw her as the perfect wife; she has a bad reputation, so she can’t blame him for anything he does in the name of business. At the mention of kneeling for forgiveness she shook her head, giving him a strange look. She would never want that, the entire thing was ridiculous!
Suddenly his hand touched hers and she almost pulled away, yet his words stopped her. “I am not like everyone else. I don’t want to be, because what I do want is to be around you day and night. I want to fall asleep every night, watching your sleeping face, and then wake up the following morning to your embrace. I you require reason why I am doing this, here it is – you.”
It was beautiful. Whether she believed him or not, Claire had to admit he had a way with words. “Why didn’t you say all this last night, Nicholas?” she whispered, exasperated at this point. This wasn’t what she had expected. “When I told you to leave, I assumed you agreed it was best.” For the hundredth time, Claire tried to look at her options. At this point it was either stay with her father, who was beginning to interfere with her work by keeping an eye on her, or marry and live with a man who was probably so busy with work that he would leave her alone at home for hours on end. Perhaps if he wanted to “play house” for reasons unknown to her, she could do the same. If he was going to play nice and pretend he loved her, then perhaps she could use this to her advantage.
Claire put her hand down, immediately covering it with her glove once more. With yet another sigh, something she had a feeling she would be doing a lot of from now on, Claire looked off toward the entrance to the park then back into his eyes. Those eyes that, somehow, held affection and sincerity. “I don’t believe in love at first sight, Nicholas, and a business man like yourself probably doesn’t either. So while I’m not still sure why you’re doing this, you’re probably a better suitor than my father will find.” And he would find her one. “I’ll say ‘yes’ to this as long as you promise I’ll have my space. I enjoy time to myself…that’s all I ask.” She was agreeing to a marriage for the sake of a war. If only others knew…