Page 7 of The Baron Takes a Bet
The lawyer shook the pages in his hands.
“I believe you, sir, but the marriage happened all the same. These documents are perfectly legal—and binding. I’m afraid that the late baron was successful in his quest.”
“His quest being to marry me off?” Gavin asked, his tone filled with incredulity.
“Well, um… Yes.”
“But that means…”
Gavin’s gaze fell on the distraught widow. Well, not a widow, technically.
“That means,” she said slowly. “That we are married, my lord.”
Chapter Three
“No, no, no,”the new baron said, shaking his head. Then, to Holly’s surprise, he laughed before continuing his chant. “No. No, Mr. Armstrong. No.”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Mr. Armstrong said apologetically, pointing at a line on the paper that the new baron held. “You see? Right here.Lex loci celebrationis contractus. Now that first half is in reference to the common laws of marriage in England, but that last bit is in reference to the contract where it was signed. The sixth baron stood in as you during the wedding to Miss Holly Smyth. It was a proxy marriage.”
“No,” Gavin said again, even more firmly this time. It seemed the new baron was done with this jest. “No. In order for it to be a proxy marriage, both parties must be aware of it, and I was not. I never agreed to this.”
“Neither did I,” Holly said quickly, catching his eye. “I wouldn’t have gone through with it if I knew.”
“Are you sure?” Jasper said from the window. “You were willing to marry the baron just to pay off our debts—”
“Jasper!” Katrina nearly shouted as she turned around. “That’s completely unfair and you know it!”
“That is not why John and I married. And I certainly wouldn’t have condoned marrying a stranger who knew nothing about me,” Holly said before realizing they were about to have an all-out family argument in front of strangers. With thesuspicious glare the new baron gave her, it was clear that she needed to get a hold of the situation. “Jasper, Katrina, will you please leave so I might have a moment to speak with the baron and Mr. Armstrong privately?”
“But we have a right to know what’s going on,” Jasper said, coming forward.
“And I will inform you, just as soon as I have this mess settled. Now please, go.”
Katrina stood dutifully and left the room while Jasper huffed loudly and stalked behind her. She would have to deal with her brother later, but for now, she had to fix this. Turning back to face the new baron, she gave him a proper look.
He was just her height, if not a hair taller, with hazel eyes and a square face, his jaw sharp and rather attractive in an indeterminable way. His shoulders were broad, giving the appearance of solid strength beneath his finely cut clothes. Though it was evident by his speech and posture that he had grown up within the peerage, there was something slightly different about him. Perhaps it was his seeming laissez-faire nature or the way he was calmly arguing with Mr. Armstrong about this marriage sham. Any other peer would be livid to arrive at his newly inherited home to find himself shackled to a spinster, but the new baron appeared more amused than irate, almost as if he didn’t believe it was happening.
A faint scent of lemon and mint hovered about him, Holly noted as she stepped up to interrupt the two men.
“I’m not sure what John was thinking to have dreamt up such a ridiculous scheme,” Holly said. “But I assure you I had no part in it.”
The new baron opened his mouth but appeared to think better of it and closed it. He eyed her hesitantly, and she was sure he didn’t believe her. Oddly, it irked her that this man didn’t trust her, but why would he? They had never met before, andJohn had warned Holly that his nephew was contemplative and reserved, slow to accept anyone into his confidence.
Taking a small step forward, she brought her hands together, almost in a pleading way.
“I promise you, I had no idea what John’s plan was.”
His hazel eyes stared intently at her, and to her surprise and discomfort, she felt the slightest flutter in her chest. He was rather handsome, in a sweet sort of way. But she was sure it was simply the symmetry of his face that made her feel suddenly odd. Frowning slightly, she pulled back a fraction.
“Then may I ask you something?” he asked, his tone even as he addressed her. She nodded. “Why did you marry my uncle, when he was so close to death?”
Holly gave Mr. Armstrong a glance, wondering if she should continue. She had assumed he had already explained all this. Apparently not, however.
Taking a deep breath, she dropped her hands to her waist and spoke.
“John and I were very dear friends for the past several years. Ever since…” Holly nearly spoke about her mother’s death and her failed engagement, but she simply shook her head and continued, not wishing to be pitied by a stranger. “He asked me to marry him several times over the years, becoming more persistent just these past twelve months. I knew he meant it to be a marriage of convenience and I understood his reasoning to do so, but I always refused until last month.”
“Why did he want to marry you?”
