Page 48 of In the Prince's Bed
Except that he desired her. But he wasn’t the kind of man who’d marry just for that—when he spoke of chasing her, he meant chasing her into his bed.
A heavy disappointment settled upon her chest. She shouldn’t care that he wanted only to seduce her, but she did. It was utterly foolish of her, for she wouldn’t marry him even if he earnestly asked her to. Yet she wanted him to ask.
Pride, that’s all it was. It pricked her pride that he didn’t want her for a wife, even though she didn’t want him for a husband.
“Now that your curiosity about Lord Iversley’s intentions is satisfied,” Mama said, “I do hope you’ll conduct yourself better with him.”
Goodness, had Mama somehow found out about those scandalous kisses and caresses she’d shared with Alec? “I-I don’t know what you mean.”
“Oh, yes, you do.” Her mother planted her hands on her hips. “Taking his lordship to a poetry reading—what were you thinking?”
Relief coursed through Katherine. “I promised Sydney I’d go.”
“Yes, and he has certainly fulfilled all ofhispromises, hasn’t he?” When Katherine sighed, she added, “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll forget about Sir Sydney now that his lordship is courting you. Don’t you want to be a wealthy countess?”
“Not really.” Nervous about raising expectations for a nonexistent marriage, Katherine added, “I wouldn’t take the earl’s attentions too seriously, Mama. He may just be toying with me. You’ve heard what they say about him.”
“You mean that he’s arouille?”
“Roué,Mama.Rouillemeans ‘blight.’ ” Katherine paused. “Come to think of it, you’re right. Heisarouille.”
“Roué, rouille—it’s all just gossip. And even if he was one, what does that matter? Every man sows his wild oats, but once they set their minds to marrying, that’s different.”
“Oh?” Katherine sat on her bed to brush her hair. “Some men continue sowing long after they marry. I have no desire for such a husband.”
“Don’t be silly. That’s how men are. Women learn to look the other way.”
Katherine’s gaze shot to her mother. “Like you did?”
A flush darkened Mama’s cheeks. “Is that what you think? That your father and I argued because I was jealous of him and his…his little whores? I assure you, I didn’t care one whit about that. It was the money that bothered me, all that money he spent on them when he wouldn’t even bring me to town during the season.” She sniffed. “And his gambling, too.”
Katherine blushed. She never knew whether to be grateful for Mama’s candor about Papa’s indiscretions, which served as a warning to her, or appalled by Mama’s lack of shame, which simply mortified her. “Still, given your experience with Papa, you should understand my reluctance about Lord Iversley.”
“It’s not the same thing. With your father and me, there was never enough money to go around, but you won’t have to worry about that. Why, with Lord Iversley’s income and the fortune he surely got from his mother, you might not even need that money from my father, God rest his soul.”
Katherine sighed. Mama was so transparent. “We still have to pay Papa’s debts. Not to mention that we owe that gaming fellow five thousand pounds. We’ll have to pay that at once.”
Mama scowled. “How could your father get into debt to that awful man?”
“Actually, Mr. Byrne has been very decent. At least he hasn’t pressed us for payment too strenuously.”
“I suppose. But I still say he should have forgiven a widow’s debt entirely.”
“Five thousand pounds? He’d have to be mad. Besides, a gentleman is expected to pay his debts even after he dies.”
“Perhaps if they’re owed to another gentleman, but to a creature like Mr. Byrne? You know what they say about his parentage—”
“Yes, Mama. He’s a walking illustration of why I shouldn’t marry the earl.”
“Nonsense.” Settling onto Katherine’s bed, she laid a motherly hand on her daughter’s leg. “If even the prince has his fancy women, you can’t escape it. What you want is a man who’s discreet. Not like your father.” Her lips tightened into a thin line. “He couldn’t even die discreetly, the wretch.”
He had died choking on a fishbone while dining with his mistress, the final mortification for their family.
Mama squeezed Katherine’s knee. “But your Lord Iversley will be discreet. I can tell these things, you know. He’s a very private man, not given to boasting about his conquests like your father.”
The very thought of such discretion sickened her. “I don’t want discretion in a husband. I want fidelity.”
“We all want that, my angel. But men can’t give it.”
