Free The Marriage Spell by Mary Jo Putney Page B

grand society hostess and fond of company. I’m sure she would be willing to sponsor the young lady during the next Season. Would that be acceptable?”
    She stared. “More than acceptable. It’s incredibly generous.”
    He shrugged. “My sister will enjoy the company, so that is easy.”
    â€œPerhaps, but it takes consideration to think of such things in the first place,” she said warmly. “You are a true gentleman, Lord Frayne.”
    He looked a little surprised at her praise. “That’s a judgment that would shock my parents. Let us continue divining what your wizard friends would like.”
    â€œJudith Wayne is a midwife. She would like to own a cottage of her own. One that has enough space for her to look after patients who need special care.”
    He made another note. “A spacious cottage, preferably free of rising damp. Next?”
    Apart from two of the wizards she didn’t know as well, it took only a few minutes to complete the list. When they were done, Jack set the paper aside. “Which brings us to you, but you made your price clear from the beginning.”
    His words were like a slap in the face. What he said was justified—she had indeed said that marriage was her price. Yet hearing that from him made her feel like a fortune hunter. “Saint Augustine said that it is better to marry than to burn. Would you have preferred burning? Though you might have gone to a pleasanter, cooler place.”
    â€œI would definitely have ended among the flames,” he said dryly.
    â€œMy feelings about magic are…complicated, Miss Barton. But no, I would rather not be burning for my sins now. Few men receive a second chance. I hope to use this one wisely.” He shrugged. “As for marriage—I’ve never been betrothed before. Much less to a stranger. It will take time to become accustomed. Forgive me if I fail at the courtesies.”
    â€œMy experience of betrothal is also lacking, but no doubt we can manage to sort matters out,” she murmured, wondering why she was putting them in such an awkward position. She was being a fool, but when she was with him, she couldn’t bear to give up her foolishness.
    â€œWere you waiting for a peer of the realm to come your way?” he asked with cool curiosity. “Many of them come to hunt the Shires, so I suppose it was just a matter of time until one had a bad accident and ended up on your dining room table.”
    â€œWhat a clever idea,” she said tartly. “I wish I’d thought of it.”
    Given that he was well enough to be difficult, she decided to stop giving him part of her life force. She hesitated a moment, realizing that she enjoyed the secret intimacy of being connected to him. But it was time to return him to his own resources.
    Gently she closed off the flowing thread of energy. She immediately felt stronger, more alert. Her gain was reflected in Jack’s loss. He shoved the pillows behind him away so that he could lie down again, his face tired. “Perhaps you’re right about the crutches. I feel a sudden need to sleep the clock around. But I wonder why these miracles of healing aren’t done for more people? I have friends who died in the Peninsula from wounds less serious than mine. It…isn’t fair.”
    She stood to adjust the pillows under his head. “There will never be enough of us with healing gifts to take care of all mankind’s physical ills. Even a dozen talented wizards didn’t have the energy to restore you to perfect health. While we were able to fix the mortal injuries, we couldn’t have achieved such good results if you hadn’t been an ideal candidate for healing—a healthy adult in the prime of life. If you were old or less strong to begin with, we probably couldn’t have saved you.”
    â€œCan healing be used to make a man immortal?”
    â€œThe deterioration of old age can’t