Page 23 of Just Imagine
Slowly she turned back to him. Everything depended on the next few minutes, and she had to do it right. “I came here to make a proposal to you, Major.”
“I resigned my commission. Why don’t you just call me Baron?”
“If it’s all the same, I’ll just go on callin’ you ‘Major’.”
“I suppose it’s better than some of the other things you’ve called me.” He kicked back in the chair. Unlike a proper Southern gentleman, he’d hadn’t worn a cravat to the table, and his collar was open. For a moment she found herself staring at the strong muscles in his neck. She forced herself to look away.
“Tell me about this proposal of yours.”
“Well . . .” She tried to suck in some air. “As you might of guessed, your part of the bargain would be to hang onto Risen Glory until I can buy it back from you.”
“I figured that.”
“You wouldn’t be stuck with it forever,” she hastened to add. “Just for five years, until I can get to the money in my trust fund.”
He studied her. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. This was going to be the hardest part. “I realize you’d expect somethin’ in return.”
“Of course.”
She hated the flicker of amusement in his eyes. “What I’m preparin’ to offer is a little unorthodox. But if you think about it, I know you’ll see that it’s fair.” She gulped.
“Go on.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and let it out. “I’m offerin’ to be your mistress.”
He choked.
She got the rest out in a rush. “Now, I know this might be taking you by surprise, but even you’ve got to admit I’m a lot better company than those sorry excuses for females in New York City. I don’t giggle and bat my eyes. I couldn’t flirt even if I wanted to, and you sure won’t ever hear me talkin’ about pugs. Best part is, you wouldn’t have to worry about goin’ to all those balls and stuffy dinner parties most women like. Instead, we could spend our time hunting and fishing and riding horses. We could have a real good time.”
Cain started to laugh.
Kit yearned to have her knife back. “You mind tellin’ me what you think is so damn humorous?”
He finally managed to control himself. He set down his glass and rose from the table. “Kit, do you know why men keep mistresses?”
“Of course I do. I read The Sybaritic Life of Louis XV.”
He regarded her quizzically.
“Madame de Pompadour,” she explained. “She was Louis XV’s mistress. I got the idea from readin’ ’bout her.”
She didn’t tell him Madame de Pompadour had also been the most powerful woman in France. She’d managed to control the king and the country just by using her wits. Kit could surely manage to control the fate of Risen Glory if she was the major’s mistress. Besides, she didn’t have anything but herself to bargain with.
Cain started to say something, stopped, shook his head, then downed what was left of his brandy. When he was done, he looked like he was starting to get mad all over again. “Being a man’s mistress involves more than hunting and fishing. Do you have any idea what I’m talking about?”
Kit felt herself flush. This was the part she hadn’t let herself dwell on, the part the book hadn’t covered at all.
Being raised on a plantation had exposed her to the rudimentary facts of animal reproduction, but it had also left her with a lot of questions that Sophronia refused to answer. Kit suspected she didn’t have all the details right, but she knew enough to understand the whole process was disgusting. Still, it would have to be part of the bargain. For some reason, mating was important to men, and women were expected to put up with it, although she couldn’t imagine Mrs. Cogdell letting the reverend climb up on her back like that.
“I know what you’re talkin’ about. And I’m prepared to let you mate with me.” She glowered. “Even though I’m gonna hate it!”
Cain laughed; then his expression clouded as if he might be thinking about that damn spanking again. He yanked a cheroot from his pocket and stalked out the garden doors to light it.
She followed him outside and found him standing by an old rusty bench, gazing out toward the orchard. She waited for him to say something. When he didn’t, she spoke. “Well, what about it?”
“It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
The glow from his cheroot cast a flickering shadow over his face, and panic welled inside her. This was her only chance to keep Risen Glory. She had to convince him. “Why is it so ridiculous?”
