Free In the Brief Eternal Silence by Rebecca Melvin Page B

Murdock
sobering from her prior glibness. “List them, Miss Murdock. Let me
hear you say the words so that I know you understand completely
what you are to gain. If one, indeed, looks upon it as gain.”
    “I can assure you, that I am one that does
not, milord,” she said in sudden icy anger. “But I will list them
as you ask as the sooner this interview is complete, the sooner I
may return to my own business, and you may return to yours.”
    He made no answer, only stood, waiting, for
her to continue.
    She drew in a breath, calming herself. “Your
title, I suppose.”
    He nodded. “Go on.”
    “And it is purported that you are quite. . .
well off.”
    “On the mark again, Miss Murdock.”
    “Your family's standing in society,” she
added. She glanced at him, hoping he would be satisfied, but he
closed his eyes for one brief instance and when he opened them
again, he raised a brow to her at her hesitation to continue.
    “Anything else, Miss Murdock?” he asked, his
voice mocking. “Any other reason why most any female in society
would view me as a desirable match in marriage?”
    “Maybe I should begin listing your
un-desirable qualities, milord,” she retorted. “Your ego, your
reputation—”
    “But we are still on the desirable list, Miss
Murdock. I am sure if you merely search about your mind but another
moment you should be well able to come up with one more
reason.”
    “Oh, very well,” she said, exasperated, but
pushing on precariously. “You are not displeasing to look at. Is
that what you wished to hear, milord? Does that flatter you and
satisfy you? Tell me, do you often go through this charade so that
you may gain glory for your vainness from some naive country
bumpkin when I am sure you have had enough simpering females
throwing themselves at you for years now?”
    But he leaned forward, placing his hands upon
the arms of her chair and spoke down to her, his face near hers. “I
merely wished to hear you say it so that I am sure you are aware of
it,” he told her, his gold eyes glinting. “I do not know you, Miss
Murdock. I do not know what is important to you, what you find
desirable. I merely wish you to realize, that if your young heart
fancies romance, it shall be available to you, no questions asked
and with nothing withheld.”
    “Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” she exhaled. “Are
you mad? You speak of a marriage of convenience where you have no
feeling for me or I for you and you speak of this matter as though
it were another bargaining chip upon the table—”
    He released the chair arms, paced away from
her. “The 'catch of the decade' I was called ten years ago, Miss
Murdock.” He turned back to face her. “Now—well, that decade has
passed, has it not? My reputation has grown, and although not many
would care to dismiss my suit out of hand, the doors of those
families that have no need of further wealth have been closed to
me. The peers I have with daughters of marrying age are content to
settle for a marquis or an earl, the fellow of course being a
little more, how shall we say it, commendable in his morals.”
    He paused and when he continued, his words
were quieter but much more pointed. “But for the daughter of a
Squire to be so squeamish, Miss Murdock, well, it nearly boggles my
mind.”
    “Does it?” Miss Murdock asked with sudden icy
rage. “It is true
    that I find your reputation distasteful—”
    “I am so shocked to hear it.”
    “—But what I find more distasteful is your
thinking that you may stroll in here and offer me your ridiculous
proposal and have me leaping for it as some starving dog at a piece
of meat.” She rose from her seat, beside herself with rage. “Allow
me to, for a moment, fulfill your expectations: Oh, thank you,
milord, for choosing me! I have been made complete now that you
have humbled yourself and sought my hand. My life, I am sure, will
be naught but a fairy tale, where I may wear fine gowns, and ride
in a fine carriage with fine