Page 81 of The Miracle of Love
Deklan nodded. “You’ve been most accommodating, Mr. Hyde. Thank you.”
Mrs. Hyde offered to sit with Grace in the morning to review the list of supplies they would need now that they were in residence.
“An excellent suggestion,” Grace said, her smile sincere. “Shall we say ten o’clock? I usually wake earlier, but I would like to sleep in tomorrow.”
Deklan bid the Hydes a good evening, dismissing them with a nod. He then led Grace upstairs, but neither of them was prepared for the sight they beheld upon entering the bedchamber. “Blessed saints,” Deklan muttered and began to laugh. “It is fit for a bloody king.”
Grace was also staring at the canopied bed dominating the large room. It was draped in dark emerald velvet and jutted out into the center of the chamber. Its dark wood headboard abutted the wall. The fireplace mantel appeared to be from a fourteenth century chapel and the carpet was of an oriental design that could have been from a sultan’s palace.
She turned to him, obviously stunned. “It is beautiful. Masculine, and yet warm and inviting despite its grandeur.” She ran to peer out the window. “It overlooks the sea. The view will be spectacular come morning.”
Deklan was still chuckling. “Can you see yourself as mistress of this house? And by mistress, I do not mean my unmarried concubine. I wish to be clear on this point.”
“Well, since we are keeping up the pretense for now, I would not mind at all. It is a lovely house. Dahlia did a superb job of decorating it. I would very much enjoy being mistress in such a home. This is what my years of training were for, to run a household. Although I never understood why it was referred to as that when the lady of the house never actuallyrunsanything. A proper lady has a housekeeper, cook, maids and butlers, at her beck and call to do all the work. There is little left for her to do other than look charming and pour tea in a cup with casual ease when entertaining guests.”
“You shouldn’t dismiss the importance of your role.”
“It is not a very demanding one, is it? What does a lady have to do but smile charmingly throughout the day and greet her husband when he returns home…or in your case, greet him whenever he deigns to reappear after months of absence?”
She sighed. “No, that is unfair of me. You are important to England and the wife you choose must understand this and not put you ill at ease for doing your duty.”
“Could you do this, Grace? If this were not a pretense?”
“But it is.” She turned her back to him. “Will you help me with my laces?”
This was it? All the response she was to give him?
Was she being purposely dense and not understanding his point? Or was he being purposely elusive because he did not want to make her any promises until the crisis of the stolen crown was over and done? “Grace–”
“No, do not go on about this when you’ve already said marriage to me is a big mistake.”
“What? Where did you ever get that idea?” He groaned, recalling his words last night. “Bollocks, you misunderstood. I was not referring to you as a mistake. I was talking about myself and the way I left you to cool my anger. I was angry with myself, not you.”
“Why were you angry with yourself at all?”
“Because of who I have become. You have seen me clearly all along. I am that leopard who looks down upon everyone from his high perch in the trees. I come and go as I please. I answer to no one, not even my loved ones. I even kept this house purchase quiet from them for no reason at all. And having done that, I then proceeded to have Ronan’s wife design and decorate it from London. My own house, for pity’s sake. I put none of myself into it. No wonder you are so afraid to love me.”
He led Grace to the bed and sat her on his lap. “Bollocks, I was not planning on having this discussion with you yet.”
“Because you wanted to be done with this assignment first?”
“That’s right. But I wish to be done withitand notyou. Did we not read that book together? Are we not now experts on the topic of senses, expectations, and flaws? Well, you have no flaws.”
“That is nonsense. Of course, I do.”
“No, not a one,” he said, knowing he was being stubborn about it. But how else would he make her see how perfect she was for him and all he would ever want?
“But I have expectations.”
“Yes, Grace. We have to talk about that. You have very high expectations in your requirements for a husband.”
She skittered off his lap. “I am already pretending to be your wife. We are sharing a bedchamber and this massive bed. My life is in ruins and my family does not even have a goose for Christmas. I do not need to now be lectured by you on my impossible standards and how ridiculous they are for a husband who will never come along because no one will ever come near me after the family scandal.”
“Grace–”
“No, I do not even have a shred of pride left. An unmarried woman sleeping with you and I cannot even hide the fact that I like it. And who will ever believe I am still untouched? One look at you and they will assume I leaped into bed with you and never wanted out of it.” She made a sound of utter frustration. “Do not say you will marry me. In all the misery my selfish brother and deluded father have caused, I have not yet sunk so low as to be willing to accept crumbs from you.”
“We are still on crumbs, are we? Is this all you think I am offering?”
