A Hellion in Her Bed (40 page)

Her eyes flashed fire. “Oh, that is
so
like a man. I’m not jumping to marry you, so I must be a spinster pining away alone in her room writing. I tried venturing out into it today, didn’t I? But my brothers wouldn’t let me.”

“That was merely a ploy and you know it. You were never serious about interviewing gentlemen as husbands. You just wanted to provoke your grandmother into giving up her demands.”

He knew he’d hit on the truth when she paled. “What makes you say that?”

“You advertised it in
The Ladies Magazine
when you could as easily have managed it privately with more discretion. And you just explained to me how no respectable man wants a woman who writes novels, yet you say you don’t want
me
because I’m a scoundrel. If you don’t want a scoundrel and you don’t think you can have a respectable gentleman—”

“All right, drat you.” She tipped up her chin. “I have no intention of marrying you or anyone else. Can you blame me?”

“No,” he said sincerely. When she blinked, he added, “But your grandmother has made it perfectly clear that you must take a husband, so you have no choice. You can’t touch your inheritance otherwise, and neither can your siblings. And as long as you
have
to marry, why not marry me?”

“Is that why you want me as your wife?” she shot back. “Because of the money?”

“If you mean to insult me, you’ll have to try another tack. Money isn’t an issue for me, Minerva.”

“I doubt that. You’re a second son.”

“And a barrister who is widely sought after for his legal advice, and who charges exorbitant fees. I can afford to keep you in gowns and jewels perfectly well without your grandmother’s money.”

“That very statement shows how little you know me. I don’t care about gowns and jewels—”

“But you care about Gabe and Celia,” he said softly. “And they’ll be left destitute if you don’t marry.”

A troubled expression knit her brow. “I’m working on a plan to change that.”

“This interview idea?” He gave her a mocking smile. “First of all, your brothers are nipping that in the bud as we speak. They’re not about to let their sister marry some stranger off the street. They’re not even going to let you be
exposed
to such men. Secondly, you know perfectly well that Mrs. Plumtree won’t let your antics sway her from her purpose. You’ll only delay the inevitable.”

“Jarret was able to sway her from her purpose,” Minerva retorted.

“Because he had something to bargain with. You don’t.”

She turned on her heel. “Feel free to leave at any time, Mr. Masters.”

“You know what I don’t see in this list of bloody questions?” Giles bit out, determined to provoke her into dealing with him. “I don’t see any mention of the intimate side of marriage. No questions about what your future husband would expect from you in the bedchamber. Or what
you
could expect from
him.
”

She whirled on him. “That would be vulgar.”

“And interviewing gentlemen for the position of husband isn’t? The trouble with you, my dear, is you’ve looked at marriage from every angle except the one that matters.” Tossing her list onto the table, he approached her with determined steps. “How you feel about a man. What he does to you whenever he comes near. Whether he makes your heart race
and your body heat. And in that area, I am the perfect husband for you.”

“Really?” she said, her voice deceptively sweet. “Is this the part where you sweep me into your arms and prove how you alone make my heart race and my body heat?”

“If you insist.” And with that, he caught her to him.