Page 54 of The Miracle of Love
She wanted to hit him over the head with the book.
Was he purposely riling her?
“Why would you want to marry someone whose goal in life is to avoid you? You are taking on a wife, not a housekeeper. Do you not want a woman who will care for you? Who will be a loving partner to you? A confidante and friend? Do you really want to have children with a woman who will be little more than a stranger to you? Who will only come to you when she wants her household allowance increased?”
“I am guessing by your tone that my answer should be no.”
“Is it not obvious? Truly, I am going to hit you over the head with this book if you persist in being dense as a log. Your children need a mother who will love them with all her heart. Do you think she will love them if she does not love you?”
“Yes, Grace. She likely will. A mother’s love is a separate thing from love between a husband and wife. Why will you not see it from my perspective? My work is dangerous and my life is always at risk. What if I died tomorrow? How would a loving wife feel? I’ll tell you, a sweet wife like you would be shattered. And what of our children? I could not bear knowing how badly my loss would devastate them.”
“So you would rather seek someone who does not care if you live or die? That is ridiculous. You are wrong to think that way. Your loving wife and children would be grateful for every precious moment they had with you. A week. A month. A decade. A lifetime. They would grab whatever they could and not regret it or trade a moment of that time with you for all the riches of ancient Rome.” She plunked the book down on his stomach. “Read it. Talking to you about love just upsets me.”
He set the book aside and sat up. “You are making my head split in two. Why must you take everything so deeply to heart? Not everyone feels the way you do. Most people do not wish to marry for love. They are quite content to settle for an advantageous union, one that will put a roof over their head and keep their belly full.”
“I understand this, but why cannot I have a full belly, a roof over my headandlove?”
“Gad, why do you do this to me?”
“What? Drag you down from your safe perch high in a tree and make you think with your heart?”
“Obviously, I am not good at it.” He cast her a wry smile. “And stop comparing me to a leopard hiding in a tree.”
“I cannot help it because this is what you are. Will you deny you keep yourself apart from others? Watch your prey from up in your safe branches. Always content to hunt on your own. Preferring to live life on your own terms and sharing nothing of yourself with others.”
“And your fanciful notions about love have been indulged by your parents. Rest assured, had Lockbridge gone to your father asking for your hand in marriage, your father would have leapt across his desk and held out his hand to consent to it. He would not have cared if you were unhappy over the match. That alliance would have made you a duchess and elevated the standing of your entire family. Whether or not you loved the duke would have been inconsequential to him.”
As little as a few days ago, she would have denied it vehemently. But she no longer recognized the man her father had become. The Viscount Montford she had seen yesterday would have forced her to the altar with Lockbridge just as Deklan had declared. He would have ignored her even if she had crawled on her knees begging him not to accept the offer.
“You are right.” She could hardly speak for the ache in her heart. “I know.”
Deklan emitted an anguished groan. “I worry for you, Grace. Love will not shelter you from the storms of life. You need to grow a tougher hide.”
She rose and walked to the window, not wanting him to see her struggle with her sadness. Was she the only fool who still believed in love?
He came to her side and turned her to face him. “You have me in knots.”
“Why? I am not your concern beyond recovering the stolen crown.”
He placed his hands on either side of the window to trap her against it. “You will have a world of hurt if you believe the sun will always shine, birds will always chirp, and the man of your dreams will magically appear. What if he never does?”
But he had.
And he was standing inches from her.
Who else was she ever going to love but Deklan?
Perhaps she felt this way because he was protecting her and they had been thrown together every moment since their first meeting. But it was more than that, for she felt as though she had known him all of her life.
Was there such a thing as hearts recognizing each other?
Dear heaven, had it only been two days?
Love could not possibly flourish so quickly.
Weren’t these rash feelings exactly whatThe Book of Lovewas warning its readers to avoid?
“You may think I am a ninny, Deklan. But I do know how precarious life can be. These past few months have taught me quite the lesson.”
