With His Ring (Brides of Bath Book 2) (6 page)

There was a far-away sound in her voice when
she spoke. "Yes, we
did
used to pretend I was your little
sister." Then she turned to him. "I don't think of you at all as a
brother anymore."

His stomach clinched. "I wonder if
Felicity's babe will be a boy or girl."

"Of course, they are hoping for a son, but I
think it would be fun if they had a daughter. Then she and
Georgette could be the best of cousins. More like sisters,
really."

"I have to say I never pictured George with
a little girl, but I've never seen a more besotted father."

Glee thought of how a child of his own would
soften Blanks, too. He didn't yet know how good a father he could
be.

But she did.

Instead of passing, the storm strengthened.
The fierce rains gave no sign of letting up. Thunder crashed and
lightning bolted all around them. Though she was damp and miserable
physically, a contented warmth spread throughout her insides.
Sitting within the circle of Blanks's protective embrace, she felt
invincible. Comfortable. Happy.

With no discernable changing in the sun, she
was not able to judge how long they had sat there in the center of
the folly, surrounded by menacing weather, but it had now been
several hours. She wondered if George knew she had gone outdoors.
Would he be worried about her?

Her eyelids grew heavy and her head dropped
to Blanks' chest. His hold around her tightened. Though she was not
asleep, she decided to pretend to be for nothing had ever felt as
wonderful as sitting here so close to Blanks.

Within a few moments, his breathing changed,
and his head nestled next to hers. He had indeed gone to sleep.
That he felt that comfortable with her despite the chill wind which
cut into them and the rampage of wretched weather that swirled
around them told her he, too, was comfortable with her.

Why could he not see that they were so very
good together? She found his refusal to marry her admirable. His
own principals kept him from marrying, even if he would lose a
sizeable fortune. That he would not waver from his resolve was
oddly satisfying. He felt strongly about avoiding marriage and
fatherhood and was not easily led from his resolution. How could
she not respect such a man?

While he slept so utterly close to her, the
rain abated. The dark skies moved to the south, the thunder and
lightning along with them. George was sure to come looking for her
now.

Which gave her a wicked idea.

So gently as not to wake Blanks, she untied
her hair and spread it wildly about her. Then she lowered the
bodice of her gown until the top of her pink nipple showed.

Now she would wait for her brother to find
them.

Chapter 5

She saw the top of George's blond head as he
climbed the knoll toward them, and she quickly turned her face
away. With scorched cheeks, she softly wound one arm behind Blanks
and settled the other on his sizable shoulder. He stirred, at first
resting one possessive hand at her waist.

She had to act with haste. She began to
plant soft kisses on his mahogany hair, his rugged cheek, then his
mouth.

"What the deuce?" Blanks mumbled. He grabbed
her by the waist and, by leaning back and studying her with a
puzzled look, lengthened the distance between their upper torsos.
She solemnly watched, her cheeks hot, as Blanks's shocked glance
fell on her exposed breast.

At the very same instant George called his
greetings to them.

That was her signal to make a great scene
for the sake of her brother. Her glance swung to her brother as she
shrieked and in great, exaggerated sweeps crossed her arms in front
of her to hide her breasts, each hand hugging the opposite arm.

George mounted the steps to the folly. She
gazed up at him, her cheeks still scarlet. He glanced from her to
Blanks. There wasn't so much as an inch separating Blanks from her
as they sat on the cold stone bench. "Blanks. . ." George trailed.
"She's my sister, for God's sake."

Blanks shot her a hard stare then glanced
back at her brother. Strangely, he made no effort to defend
himself.

Like an actress on center stage, she turned
her back to both of them and gathered up the bodice of her moist
gown to cover her breasts. Then she turned back to look
remorsefully at her brother.

His flaring eyes were on Blanks. "My
sister's a virgin. A mere babe where such matters are
concerned."

There was no sign of Blanks's perpetual
smile, only grim acceptance of his fate. "I sincerely beg your
pardon," he said in a contrite voice. "It's only that Miss Pembroke
has done me the goodness of consenting to be my wife." His angry
eyes shifted back to Glee.

Anger still flashed in George's eyes as his
gaze settled on Blanks. "See me in the library when you return."
Then he spun on his muddied boots and stormed from the folly.

Gregory watched until George was out of his
vision. Without facing Glee, he spoke. "So you've succeeded in
trapping me."

Her voice was soft, pleading. "Please don't
be angry, Blanks. I did it for you. I knew you'd never relent.
You'd lose your fortune and come to regret that you had spurned
marriage."

"So you did it for me," he mocked bitterly.
"Why is it meddling women always think they know what's best for
men? They always believe they can change us."

She faced him defiantly. "I'm not going to
say I'm sorry."

"So now my best friend is to believe I'm
using his baby sister. A fine kettle of fish you've put me in." He
had an overwhelming desire to wring her graceful little neck.

Miss Glee Pembroke had made her bed, and he
would see to it that she lie in it. No love match. No lovemaking.
No children. How was she going to like that? He got to his
feet.

She scurried to catch up with him as he left
the folly, and as she silently fell into step beside him, two of
her steps to every one of his.

When they got to the thicket, he spoke to
her. "If I'm to be burdened with you for a wife, you're to
understand the rules."

"What rules?" she asked in a voice
breathless from trying to keep up with his hurried pace.

He slowed. "First, it's to be a marriage in
name only. You will not share my bed. We will not have children."
He looked down on her. The afternoon sun highlighted her emerald
eyes. Her cheeks hot, she gazed up at him and cleared her throat.
"Does that mean I'm free to take lovers?"

Rage swept through him. "It does not." The
very idea set his blood to boiling. But how could he expect to keep
his mistress and not allow Glee to enjoy other men? Especially when
he had no plans to exercise his conjugal rights. "For the first
year we'll make every effort to assure others the marriage is a
love match. Most of all, my brother is to be convinced. If he were
to suspect I married only to collect my inheritance, he would
undoubtedly challenge me in court."

"And my brother?"

"I shall attempt to convince him I've fallen
in love with you. George would not relish his sister being a pawn
in a ploy to get my inheritance."

They trod silently along through the muddy
mire. Filled with anger, first at Glee then at himself for not
exposing Glee's scheme, Gregory pondered his unwelcome predicament.
He would have to make the best of it. After all, now his
inheritance would be secure. He thought of all the reasons Glee had
cited to encourage the marriage. There were worse fates. Yet this
was not the fate he had strived for all these years.
Damn
Glee
.

The poor girl would never have her prince.
Never bear a child. "I propose to allow you to select the house of
your choice in Bath. You'll have
carte blanche
in its
furnishings and decorations." Merely a crumb he was tossing her
way. Women liked that sort of thing. "You also will have a
carriage." Such materialism compensated poorly for depriving her of
a loving husband and the children he knew she wanted.

She nodded solemnly. "I wanted this marriage
because we are. . ." she swallowed, "
were
friends. Can we
not still be?"

He strode ahead. They came to the park in
front of Hornsby. They had been friends. Always. Far better for
Glee to marry a friend than a man bent on wringing her innocence
from her, on using her. But, he somberly reflected, wasn't he to be
using her? He tried to shake away his feelings of guilt by
reminding himself of her shameless trap to ensnare him. She was
only getting what she had asked for.

Finally he glanced down at her. "We'll
continue to be friends." It suddenly occurred to him the chill had
been absent from his voice.

As they drew nearer the manor house, he took
her hand. "Remember, everyone is to think we're in love. You're to
tell no one the truth."

"From this day forward, I'll do whatever you
ask," she said in a soft voice. "When can we marry?"

Even if it were not to be a real marriage,
Gregory meant to cling to his bachelorhood for as long as he could.
"We can post bans this week."

Her face fell. Of course, she would have
preferred the quicker special license. Why was the girl so eager to
marry? God knows he was in no hurry.

* * *

Gregory's stomach knotted as he faced his
dearest friend across the Turkey carpet of the library, steeling
himself to lie to George for the first time in the seventeen years
they had known one another.

From his silk damask settee, George spoke
somberly. "Despite that you're my best friend, I must tell you I
would be excessively displeased were you to use my sister merely to
gain your inheritance. Glee needs a man who will love her and take
care of her for the rest of her life. She wants a happy home
bursting with children." He stopped for a moment. "I would be
extremely surprised if you can offer her any of the things she
needs."

Gregory felt the knife turning. He came
dangerously close to calling the whole thing off. Then he
remembered Glee's pledge to marry the first man who sought her out.
And with rising anger, he thought of the scoundrel Jefferson.
Gregory coughed. "You must know I have had a soft spot for Miss
Pembroke since she was a little girl. It wasn't until this stay,
however, that I realized how much I truly cared for her. It was
Miss Pembroke herself who pointed out that a match between us would
be a most fortunate connection. And since my feelings for her were
rapidly changing from that of a brother to that of a lover. . . I
came to realize how very much I wanted to marry her." His voice
lowered and he spoke somberly. "That is, if you have no
objections."

How had he ever found the words? Gregory
thought of the times when he had been alone with Glee in the
meadows and the unexpected feelings of lust she summoned within
him. Those feelings must have rushed through his memory as he
spoke. Good lord, would George think him a cradle robber? His heart
pounded. George was taking a deuced long time to make a
comment.

The expression on his friend's face was
solemn. Was he angry at Gregory’s desire for the unspoiled Glee?
Was he remembering all the wicked things Gregory had done which
would render him unsuitable to marry his sister?

Finally, George spoke. "I hope you
understand your declaration has been rather a shock for me. First,
for as long as I've known you, you've insisted marriage was
something you meant to avoid. Then there's the fact you've never
been remotely attracted to a girl like Glee."

George, of course, was alluding to all the
tarts Gregory had been involved with since he lost his virginity at
sixteen. "The lightskirts who have gone before her make Miss
Pembroke's innocence completely refreshing. She's the first—the
only—lady of quality I have either desired or wished to marry. I
suspect you must have felt the same way over Miss Moreland—before
she became Lady Sedgewick."

George nodded. "Like you, I had scoffed at
the idea of marriage."

"Then Miss Moreland stole your heart as Miss
Pembroke has stolen mine."

Now a wide smile crossed George's face.
"Forgive me if I'm a bit taken aback. 'Tis hard to realize the
elusive Mr. Blankenship has lost his heart to that scamp of a
sister of mine."

Gregory's heart pounded. "But I have most
assuredly."

"Then I'm glad of it, even happier to have
you for a brother."

The two men stood and embraced, then moved
to the desk to arrange settlements. When they were finished, George
leveled a serious gaze at his friend. "I must tell you I now
realize I'm rather happy my sister is the means by which you will
secure your fortune."

* * *

Diana would be the test, Glee thought as she
nervously strolled toward the morning room after changing from her
wet clothing. Her stomach plummeted. She mentally kicked herself.
Isn't this exactly what she wanted? What she had prayed for? Hadn't
she told herself if she could just capture Blanks, she would make
him fall in love with her? Never mind that he had long ago vowed to
never marry. Never mind that he didn't love her. Never mind that
he’d always been as immovable as a mountain. Mr. Gregory
Blankenship had met his match in Glee.

She casually strolled into the room.

Diana looked up, then began to pour a second
cup of tea. "I thought you would be with Blanks."

Glee took the proffered cup and saucer, then
sucked in her breath. "He's in the library with George."

"A pity he has to leave today," Diana said
as she continued with her sewing. "George would love for him to
stay longer."

"As would I," Glee said softly. "We have
just become betrothed."

Stunned, Diana's mouth gaped open, her
sewing flung aside.

"Did I hear you correctly?"

I have to be convincing
, Glee told
herself. "I confess, I've never been so surprised in my life.
Please don't tell George, but I was the one to tell Blanks how
advantageous it would be for him to marry me. He was aghast at
first, but the longer we've been together, the more sense my
proposal made. Especially in light of his growing ardor for me."
Glee continued stirring her tea long after it was necessary.