The Bargain Bride by Bárbara Metzger Read Free Book Online

make the rest of the arrangements.
    West was pacing. “What do you think we are going to do? We are going to get married tomorrow morning, it appears.”
    â€œBut . . . but I do not even like you.”
    He rubbed his jaw. “That much is obvious. At least I am not a totally rotten fellow. Not like Nigel.”
    â€œYou do not like me, either.”
    â€œI just met you! And you struck me.”
    â€œWill you forget about that incident already! I apologized, and now we have more important things to discuss.”
    â€œMore important than wedding a violent woman?”
    â€œBotheration, I am not usually so ill-tempered. But if you liked me, you would have been here years ago.”
    â€œDeuce take it, I could repeat your own words and advise you to forget about that episode already. I also apologized. And unlike your vehement antagonism, I had nothing against you. I was simply not ready for marriage.”
    â€œBut now you are?”
    He was tugging at his neckcloth while he paced, destroying the careful arrangement of folds in the snowy linen, as if he could feel the noose of matrimony growing tighter by the second. “According to your father, I am ready. I just never expected it to be so soon.”
    â€œSoon? After thirteen—no, I shall not mention the wait again.”
    â€œI would not wager on that,” West muttered, just loudly enough for Penny to hear.
    She glared at him, or at his back, since he was pacing away from her. “I do not suppose I could convince you to return to London, could I? Or go shooting in Scotland? Best of all, jaunting off to Jamaica? Perhaps there is another war for you to fight.”
    He’d thought of it, but was offended that she did, too. “What, leave my bride at the altar? Now, that would be shabby indeed. I would look no-account, and you would be disgraced. No, my honor demands I make an appearance. You could always cry off, though. Brides do it all the time, I understand. There might be a dustup here in Little Falls, but that will blow over with the next rainstorm. No one in London knows the wedding is to take place tomorrow, so no one will notice when it does not. Our reputations will survive.”
    Her voice was low and sorrowful. “You heard my father and his threats.”
    He had. “Surely we can come up with another solution. Let me think.”
    She watched him pace, back and forth, back and forth, like a caged animal. He did not want to marry her any more than she wanted to marry him, the toad. She had good reasons, thirteen of them. His reasons were that he was, simply, a cad of no character. “Well?”
    â€œAll I have been able to devise is offering you a home at one of my estates, so you are not dependent on either your father or grandfather. But your reputation would be in tatters, and I cannot think you would enjoy being ostracized in a new neighborhood.”
    â€œEveryone would think I was your mistress.” Just like Lady Greenlea.
    â€œExactly. And no, before you get up in the boughs again, I am not suggesting anything improper, just a refuge. I suppose I could ask one of my aunts to take you in, but what kind of life would that be for you, especially after you are used to managing your own household?”
    â€œAnd I should not wish to abandon Grandpapa. How would he get on? Besides, what if my father cut him off out of spite, or told him about the paintings?”
    He paced some more, while she wrung her handkerchief as if it were her father’s neck—or the viscount’s.
    West turned. “I have it! You could claim to be ill. We could paint spots on your cheeks, or dose you with laudanum or feed you something rancid. No, not that, I suppose. But you get the idea.”
    Penny thought a moment. “Anything short of my death would only postpone the inevitable.”
    â€œAnd your father would likely drag you to the church anyway, even if he had to prop you up at the altar.