An Imperfect Proposal by Hayley Ann Solomon Read Free Book Online

harmoniously in the company of the earl on such occasions as was necessary to avoid speculation. She also asked, with a little catch to her throat, that she be permitted free rein with the earl’s nieces.
    The earl, surprised at this show of independence, but not unduly alarmed, agreed affably. Miss Hastings, after all, was a sensible young woman, if not a diamond of the first water. He did not wish to be disturbed on every small matter relating to his nieces, and basic manners was not an unduly stressful demand.
    He had already resolved be kind to her both in private and in public, and to accord her the respect she deserved as his wife, as the mother of a future earl, and as a peeress of the realm. On all other issues, he would go his own way. He bowed magnanimously, white teeth gleaming, and acquiesced, with a faint smile, to her terms.
    Miss Hastings, who did not know, until that moment, that she had been holding her breath, released it and afforded him one of her rare and excessively beautiful smiles. She held out her hand to shake on the agreement but was disconcerted to find it taken from her and kissed, gently, lightly, slightly ironically.
    Such was the effect of his lordship’s touch that Amaryllis felt light-headed. It was all she could do not to snatch her hand away, but the moment passed before she disgraced herself in such a ridiculous manner. It was just that she had not expected the earl’s touch to be so . . . she could not find the correct adjective, even in her secret thoughts.
    She curtsied, and he bowed gravely, but he looked troubled. The last thing he wanted was to be saddled with a wife who suffered a tendre for him! He would be roasted by his friends and feel a cad himself for not being able to amply reciprocate the sentiments.
    He was in no doubt that despite his troublesome stirring of passion he would be unable to feel remotely drawn to Miss Hastings, who did not resemble his first love or his string of subsequent paramours in the slightest. They, of course, were all beauties of the first order, raven-haired, curvaceous, selfish . . . he did not know where that particular thought came from, but he supposed it was true.
    Still, when one is beautiful and can command all eyes, a certain degree of self orientation is forgivable. Expected, even. Stephen shifted uncomfortably with the concept, which did not sit true. His thoughts moved on to Amaryllis, with her shy smile and her impulsive kindness.
    There was no doubt that with her demure looks and fair, understated coloring, she was gentleness itself. He had noted this on several different occasions, though he doubted whether the recipients of her warm spirit were ever even aware of her benevolence.
    Yes, there was no denying a generous nature behind the limpid, somewhat insipid looks. Lord Redding, accustomed to thinking of Amaryllis in such terms, put aside his sudden fancies, and the fact that Amaryllis, today, looked anything but insipid. She was beautiful, but he, lost in his reverie, would not admit as much to himself.
    In want of a wife, he had chosen the enduring quality of kindness over beauty, generosity over passion. Not that he ever intended to forsake beauty or passion, but his liaisons were discreet, and they had the indubitable advantage of being expendable.
    Wives were different again. Wives were to be mothers and he wanted his offspring to have someone kind and caring to turn to in times of trouble. Miss Hastings, he thought with a slight sigh, was eminently suitable.
    Lady Hastings was in high alt, and Lord Hastings, who knew little of Amaryllis’s previous failure to “take” was nonetheless gravely pleased. He enjoyed the round of congratulations at Boodle’s when the announcement appeared in the Gazette , and Lady Hastings’s home had never been so full of morning visitors.
    As for Amaryllis, she had mixed feelings. It would be impossible to say she did not feel a certain exhilaration when my lord