“Love? Sir, you are cruel to make such a jest.” She laughed at the absurdity.

Her mistake only caused minor irritation for him. He had known what he wanted wasn’t the done thing in their society. Many men did not love their wives when they married. Sometimes they could not even stand them. He hoped to be the exception and make a better match. If his patience bore fruit, he would be a very happy man one day.

“Not at all. You wanted to know my requirements in a wife once, and I don’t mind telling you what they are now. I want a wife to provide a son of course, someone whom I can talk to and share common interests with. I intend to spend every night of our marriage together. But what I want most of all is for that woman to know everything about me and yet love me despite my many flaws. If you’d placed a lady like that in my path, I would have braved any scandal or strife to make her my wife.”

Lady Harrison stared at him in astonishment. “A love like that does not exist.”

“I have reason to believe it does.” Beyond Lady Harrison, Arabella swept into the ball beside his aunt. As usual, his heart skipped a beat, but he did his best to hide his excitement from his companion. “Do excuse me. I see my aunt has arrived and I must speak to her.”

He sauntered away without regret or doubts. Lady Harrison would never find such a love if she didn’t believe it existed in the first place. From across the room, he admired Arabella as she stood close beside his aunt, chatting with animation to her nearby companions. As it always did, his tension eased as he saw her. He didn’t mind not being her husband if he had the good fortune to see her every day. Just being in her orbit, talking to her, and occasionally dancing when his aunt pretended to cajole him to do so, made every day better than the last.

He eased into their group to greet his aunt first so as to avoid arousing suspicions that might embarrass Arabella. She had not told him she’d changed her mind about marriage, but then she had not ever suggested he stop paying her attention.

“Lady Penelope. A pleasure.” He bowed to her but did not draw closer.

Her gaze raked him from head to toe and she smiled, offering up the one he normally did not like. “Rothwell. I hope all is well with you.”

It had taken some time to reflect on their relationship and how it could or should change. Nothing had altered in any material way. He still did not trust her, but he was learning not to be so guarded about his life where it concerned Holland. “I am well, but my household has the sniffles. I hope for an improvement by the end of the week.”

Holland was miserable in his sickbed. Merrick had forced his half brother back to bed that morning and only the threat of staying in himself to tend the man had gained obedience. The threat of Merrick missing a planned rendezvous with Arabella had kept Holland in his bedchamber throughout the day.

A frown grew on Aunt Pen’s face, and then she bit her lip, a clear sign that she was more than a little concerned. “’Tis a shame when servants cannot perform their duties properly.”

“True.” He nodded, rather amazed that she worried over Holland’s health at all. “I know you were interested in the glasshouse for Winslette. The plans have just been delivered and feature the alterations we discussed last week. I’d invite you for luncheon so you might inspect them at leisure, but with sickness in the house…”

Since all of London knew of their long-standing estrangement but not the cause, a few breaths had caught at his invitation. Aunt Pen saw her cue to interrupt and took it. “Dr. Pinkerton is always very good for a dripping nose. I shall deliver him to you in the morning and give my verdict on the plans after that. I am sure Lady Farnsworth would like to comment on the changes you propose to her former home.”

Aunt Pen cast a sly glance in Arabella’s direction.

“I’d appreciate that very much.” It was a struggle to keep the smile off his face as she turned away to speak to a newcomer. Aunt Pen had not the slightest interest in the greenhouse project, but Arabella had been the force behind the design of the greenhouse in the first place and surely would like to see the minor suggestions he’d asked to be included. He sincerely hoped she would accompany Aunt Pen tomorrow because he was aching to hold her in his arms again. It had been far too long since they’d had any time alone.

Chatter rose around them and he let it wash over him. He met Arabella’s gaze and smiled a greeting. Her eyes glowed with approval, but she was encircled now by others and he couldn’t reach her to tell her the latest development for her home.

“Excuse me, my lord,” a footman whispered at his elbow. “There’s an urgent message for your attention.”

Merrick took the note from the servant’s silver tray and ripped it open. He read it quickly and then hastily folded it again before anyone noticed what it really was. For a horrifying moment, he had feared the note had come from home with news that Holland’s condition had worsened in his absence.

But it was only another special license, courtesy of his grandfather to replace the one that expired just yesterday. The Duke of Rutherford truly was a menace.

~ * ~

Finally free of a conversation that had grown tedious the moment it had begun, Arabella joined Merrick and glanced at the paper he kept tapping against the palm of his hand. Its size seemed familiar. “That looks important.”

“It is. The Fords are meddling again.” He passed it to her. “Read it if you like.”

Arabella took the note and read it twice, just to make sure she hadn’t imagined the missive might be what she’d been hoping for. “That was considerate and rather well timed. The other has just expired, hasn’t it?”

“Yes.” He took the paper from her and slipped it into his pocket. “Did you notice my grandfather’s note was even more presumptuous than his last?”

The duke had added Arabella’s name this time. She hadn’t met him as he remained at Newberry Park, but she judged it a sign of his approval and hope. “Oh, I don’t know. It does save us some time.”

“Arabella.” His gaze snapped to hers, concern plain in his eyes. He eased back a step and Arabella followed so they might speak privately away from the other guests. “Are you increasing?” he whispered urgently.

She shook her head. “No. Not that.”

Merrick had been very concerned about her conceiving a child, and she wanted to reassure him that he was nothing like his father. She knew if she became pregnant, he would marry her immediately. Yet to her surprise, she was disappointed not to be pregnant at all. If she had been, then Merrick would have proposed to her again immediately she was sure. The more time they spent apart, the more she wanted to be with him. She had come tonight in the hope he would ask again. This time round she knew what her answer would be.

“Good.” His shoulders eased as the tension left him. “I am relieved beyond a doubt. I must admit I have lost more than a few hours of sleep in worry. I can never get enough of you when we are together. And when we are apart, I am a changed man. Holland is beside himself over my sleeplessness and the other servants are walking around as if on eggshells.”

Arabella’s cheeks grew hot. She hadn’t imaged his half brothers would give her much thought now she’d left Merrick’s home. But as Merrick had once said, their position was precarious until Merrick had married and had his heir underway. The fear that soon he might look elsewhere for affection and a wife filled her with distress. Her mouth tasted of ashes as she concluded she might just have to prompt him. She stared at the side of his handsome face, noticing he’d returned his gaze to the ballroom’s occupants. She liked it better when she had his whole attention. “Ask me again.”