Free The Marriage Lesson by Victoria Alexander Page B

knowing glances.
    Marianne raised a brow. “What?”
    “I’d wager he’s reexamining his plan.” Jocelyn smiled smugly.
    “Why would he want to do that? I would think he’d be pleased,” Marianne said. “We’ve met extremely eligible suitors, exactly as he wants. His plan is going quite well.”
“Perhaps too well,” Becky paused, “especially in regards to you.”
    “To me?”
    “We’ve seen the way he looks at you.” Jocelyn smirked. “As if you’re some kind of unknown confection and he isn’t sure if you’ll be the tastiest thing he’s ever eaten or you’ll—”
    “Poison him,” Becky said in an offhand manner.
    “What a charming thought. Not the poisoning, of course, the rest of it.” Marianne laughed. “It’s also completely absurd. He wants nothing more than to be rid of the lot of us. And me probably most of all.”
    “I think he looked suspiciously like a man who is jealous and is trying to determine why. However, believe as you wish.” Jocelyn shrugged in dismissal and promptly turned the conversation to the more interesting question of their new acquaintances. “Do you think they’ll be at the ball tomorrow?”
    “I daresay, everyone . . . ”
    Becky and Jocelyn chattered on but Marianne didn’t find their conversation nearly as intriguing as their suggestion. She settled back and stared at Thomas sitting stiff and board straight beside the driver.
    It could be that Thomas was simply being overprotective. Marianne drew her brows together in annoyance. He was taking his responsibilities toward them far too seriously. In truth, Marianne was a grown woman and perfectly capable of making her own decisions, even if the rest of the world didn’t think so. Beyond that, she and her sisters had Aunt Louella to look out for them and no one could ask for a more diligent chaperone.
Or it could be that he didn’t appreciate being treated like a stable boy. Marianne stifled a grin. He had been rather indignant. Although, if he truly wanted to find them husbands, or rather to find her a husband, one would think encouragement was called for rather than irritation.
    Her sisters’ observations were utter nonsense, yet they did explain his withdrawn and somewhat sulky behavior.
    Marianne had certainly been acutely aware of Thomas when they’d walked side by side today. And the memory of his arms around her as they’d danced did tend to surface with an unnerving frequency. And the kiss they’d shared lingered in the back of her mind.
    Did it linger in his mind as well?
    Nonsense. She brushed aside the ridiculous thought. Thomas was an experienced man. Little things like a single kiss or a mere dance or an innocent stroll would bear little more than passing notice from a rake like him.
    No. Jocelyn and Becky were wrong. Thomas was probably feeling a little put upon and was therefore out of sorts. There was nothing more to it than that.
    Besides, Marianne was not at all the kind of woman he was looking for. And even if she was interested in finding a husband, which she wasn’t, Thomas Effington, the Marquess of Helmsley and future Duke of Roxborough, would not be her cup of tea at all. She wasn’t entirely sure what kind of man would be but she did know he would have to be a man of adventure and excitement. Rakish reputation notwithstanding, Thomas did have a surprisingly stuffy streak and was not at all adventurous, even if admittedly his kiss was rather exciting and dancing with his body close to hers a touch intoxicating and even walking by his side oddly delightful.
No. Unexpected regret washed through her. She was not the woman for him and he was definitely not the man for her.
    In that, if nothing else, they were agreed.

Chapter 5
. . . so I should perhaps, dear cousin, take a moment to describe Lord W to you. He is a fine figure of a man, tall and dark but prone to melancholy. He drinks a great deal and one wonders how he has achieved his notorious reputation as a rake