Page 55 of Bound to the Heartless Duke
His eyes flickered with a touch of hurt, but he quickly masked it. “Lady Lily, I am a man of business. I understand the practicalities of life. Marriages are alliances, and alliances are made for mutual benefit.”
She folded her arms. “Mutual benefit, yes. But surely there must be something more than that? Some measure of affection? Or at least respect?” she added, hoping he wasn’t as useless as Magnus pegged him to be.
He let out a laugh—a short, sharp sound. “Affection is a luxury of youth and foolishness. Respect, however, is earned. And I intend to earn yours.”
They resumed walking, the tension between them heightened by the ensuing silence. Until Mr. Bailey decided to speak again, as though wanting to break the tension.
“I must confess, Lady Lily, your beauty is not lost on me. You are far from hard on the eyes.”
Lily turned sharply to face him, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. “I see. So, my looks are part of the appeal, then?”
“Only in part,” he assured her quickly. “Your intellect and wit also appeal to me.”
She laughed, the sound light but laced with irony. “You flatter me, Mr. Bailey.”
“Only the truth, I assure you.” He winked.
She glanced around the garden, and her smile faded. Magnus’s words came to her again, dimming her mood.
So she tried again, wanting to know her suitor’s expectations of marriage before she made a final decision.
“Tell me, Mr Bailey, what is it that you truly desire in marriage?”
He hesitated, then said quietly, “Security. Power. A future that doesn’t depend solely on the whims of trade or market crashes. And… companionship, I suppose. Though that is harder to find than most would admit.”
Lily’s expression softened, just a fraction.
“You speak honestly,” she said. “I wish more men did.”
His gaze lingered on her, almost too intently, before he spoke again. “But Lady Lily, there is one thing I must be frank about.”
Lily raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“I do hope I am the only man wishing to marry you,” he stated in a somber tone.
Her brow creased. What had driven him to say that?
“Why do you say that all of a sudden?”
Mr. Bailey exhaled. “The Duke.”
“The Duke?” Lily whispered.
“I saw the way he looked at you,” he admitted.
Lily froze, unsure of what to do or say.
This was the moment she was supposed to deny his claim, but she couldn’t.
She let out a small, humorless laugh. “You must have misunderstood, Mr. Bailey. His Grace sees me as… a younger sister. A friend to his sister, nothing more.” She cleared her throat.
Mr. Bailey smiled. “Very well then, dear Lily,” he said. “I will take your word for it.”
Lily fell into silence, biting the inside of her cheek.
Just then, a voice rang out from behind them.
“Lily! There you both are!”
