Free Miss Frazer's Adventure by Alexandra Ivy

as he regarded her stubborn expression. Gads. He had promised her a flirtation. Even if she did not recall the promise. But how the devil was he to woo her when she was determined to treat him with such distrust?
    â€œAre you always so unforgiving, Kate?” he asked softly, claiming her gaze with his own. “I have attempted to apologize for my boorish behavior and to seek some means of healing the wounds that you suffered. What must I do to earn your pardon?”
    She appeared unbalanced by his direct attack. “I . . . it is not a matter of forgiveness.”
    â€œNo?” He tilted his head to the side. “Then you are not attempting to punish me?”
    â€œI have told you that I have put the past behind me.”
    â€œIf that is true, why do you insist that we will never wed?” he demanded in low tones. “Unless there is some other reason you have so adamantly decided we should not suit?”
    Her tongue peeked out to wet her lips, and Luce briefly worried that she would flatly refuse to answer. Then, clasping her hands in her lap, she drew in a steadying breath.
    â€œI have decided that I prefer not to be wed for my wealth.”
    Well. That was as straightforward as a shovel to the head. He gave an uncomfortable cough.
    â€œI see.” He took a moment to carefully choose his words. Kate was too intelligent to believe any vague prevarications. Nor would she be easily swayed with sweet words and empty flattery. It appeared his only choice was the truth. “You believe my only interest is in your dowry?”
    She regarded him steadily. “Can you deny that my father offered you a sizable fortune to take me as a wife?”
    â€œHe did approach me with such a proposition,” he conceded. “Sir Frazer was aware of my own father’s charming habit of tossing away his fortune at the gaming tables and believed that I would be anxious to acquire the funds necessary to keep my estate from tumbling into ruin.” He paused, not missing the manner in which her jaw tightened. “I refused.”
    Her eyes abruptly narrowed in blatant disbelief. “Balderdash.”
    Luce gave a lift of his shoulder. “It is the truth, Kate. I had no intention of being purchased like a horse upon a block simply because your father desired my bloodlines.”
    She did not appear the least impressed with his explanation. Indeed, she seemed more offended than ever.
    â€œIf you did not wish to wed me, then why, pray tell, did you ever propose?”
    â€œBecause I met you,” he said simply.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œAfter I refused your father’s proposal, he insisted that I join him for dinner to assure there were no hard feelings between the two of us.” Luce could not prevent his lips from twitching with wry amusement. “As you must know, your father can be rather . . . insistent when he chooses.”
    She could not halt her revealing grimace. “Yes.”
    â€œHe was a wise gentleman. He must have known that I expected a tediously dull evening enduring a full-out assault by a desperate, brazen woman who was on the hunt for a title.” Luce’s gaze shifted to the titian curl that he had wrapped about his finger. “Instead, I was greeted by a shy, astonishingly gentle maiden. A maiden who seemed quite capable of offering her heart to an awkward earl who feels more comfortable among the docks than among the ton and a fluttering collection of female relatives who would be bound to smother her with their attentions. To be frank, you appeared eminently suitable to claim the title of Countess of Calfield.”
    â€œI . . .” She gave a slow shake of her head, as if not yet prepared to accept the truth of his words. “You could not possibly have known anything about me. You rarely bothered to call and when you did so, it was only in passing.”
    Luce gave a nod of his head, fully aware that he deserved her criticism.
    â€œYou have the