Page 14 of The Duke's Unclaimed Bride
He nodded. “Indeed. Invaluable assistance, if I may be so bold.”
“Can you elaborate?”
“Answer my questions, and then I will tell you more,” he said, straightening to his full height.
Edith fought the urge to reach for him, unwilling to let him walk away. She already craved his gaze and the warmth it stirred in her chest.
“So, let me ask again,” he said. “How old is Tilly?”
Edith hesitated and sighed. “Five.”
“Is she being educated?”
“Of course, I have hired a governess for her.”
“And how is she adjusting to living with you?”
“As well as one could expect her to,” Edith replied.
It didn’t feel like he was just asking about Tilly. Her instincts told her there was something else behind his questions, something more driven and purposeful.
“And is she eating?—”
“With respect, Your Grace. While I appreciate your earlier defense tonight and your offer of help, I do not appreciate being interrogated in my own home,” Edith cut him off.
The Duke blinked in surprise. “And how has the adoption affected your charity’s finances?” he continued, nonetheless.
Frustrated, Edith’s fingers curled into the fabric of her skirt. “Your Grace, I am more than capable of handling my finances alone. I do not need you questioning me.”
His gaze sharpened, as if probing her for closely held secrets. She swallowed hard, a flutter rising in her chest.
“Society won’t let you do it alone,” he said, leaning forward. “I can solve this problem. For you, for the girl, and for myself.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
For a breathless moment, candlelight flickered in his eyes, and the flutter in her chest grew.
“Marry me, Lady Nealton.”
CHAPTER 3
“Ibeg your pardon?” Edith sputtered, stunned.
She blinked twice, as if doing so might erase him and prove this to be a mirage. It didn’t.
“I can offer you and the girl protection and social legitimacy if I marry you and adopt her. It would give you both a secure home,” he explained. “I doubt a widow’s allowance will be enough to support you both.”
His gaze left hers, drifting over her before darting away.
Edith watched, utterly baffled by this unexpected turn of events. The way his gaze had lingered told her this wasn’t just a practical solution he was offering her and Tilly. He wanted something, too.
“I do not need your help,” she spat.
“Of course, but it would not hurt,” he reasoned. “You didn’t receive any donations tonight because the ton discredits your judgment, correct?”
“And marriage would not necessarily fix that.”
“No, but marriage to a wealthy duke might,” he countered. “It would also mean that you would not have to beg the ton for scraps. Some of them may even become more eager, hoping their…generositymay put them in a better standing with me.”
