Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
That caught me off guard. My palm ached to warm her pert little ass for daring to speak to me like that. I scrambled for some reply when one of the old biddies approached us.
Not for the first time tonight, I wondered if I had misread Amelia.
Could she be more than just an ice queen?
“Amelia, darling, congratulations on your new engagement. I must say, we were all entirely shocked at the church. It was such a scandal.” Her eyes actually lit up when she said “scandal.” “But to have such an amazing love match between two families. It’s a blessing.” She took Amelia’s hands, and Amelia graciously smiled down at the old woman.
“Thank you, ma’am. It has been quite the whirlwind that I never expected. I didn’t even know it was possible.”
Her insinuation was not lost on me.
Thankfully, the other woman didn’t seem to pick up on her double meaning.
I was finding out my bride had more bite than I had expected. She was going to be a lot more fun than I’d assumed. Excitement bubbled up inside me. She was going to be a challenge.
I loved a good challenge.
There were so many ways I could tame her smart mouth.
“Oh, of that I am sure, dear.” She looked at Amelia’s gloved hands and her brow furrowed. “Oh, dear, don’t you have a ring yet?”
“No, not yet. There are three other weddings this month, and he has to make sure none of the other brides are of better breeding stock before he invests in this merger.”
“What?” The older lady looked taken aback, and I was forced to intervene.
“Pardon me. I’m so sorry, ma’am, I need to steal my bride away for a moment. Excuse us.” Amelia’s arm was relaxed under my grip as I pulled her away from the elderly woman who was still looking confused. “What do you think you are doing, telling people that? Do you understand how fast gossip spreads in these circles?”
She blinked up innocently at me. “I don’t see how. According to you, everyone in here is a brain-dead imbecile whose minds have been clouded by their own self-importance.”
I leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Be careful, little girl, or I will show you what happens to mouthy little brats who can’t behave themselves.”
“Well, how should I know why I don’t have a ring or what your intentions are? We have never had a conversation before, Mr. Manwarring. I can only guess what possible excuses you have for upending my life.”
“We are getting married soon. Call me Luc.”
“I don’t engage in any informal conversation with people I’m not acquainted with. I’m sure you understand, Mr. Manwarring.”
“You can call me Luc, or sir, your choice. There would be a ring on your finger now if you would have waited for me to pick you up,” I said, talking over her.
Her lip curled in disgust as she spoke, giving me the first actual glimpse of the fire she had in her. “I don’t need your trinkets. You don’t have to buy me. You already embarrassed me and tarnished my reputation enough that you are the only viable suitor left.”
It was buried deep under layers of makeup, breeding, and bullshit, but it was there.
I wanted to stoke those flames. I had the urge to taste her lips again, to see if what I’d felt at the wedding was a fluke, adrenaline from fucking with Marksen’s plans, or if it was her.
“I don’t care what you need. You will wear my ring.”
“Oh Amelia. Mr. Manwarring.” Another older lady, whose name escaped me, came up to us and pulled Amelia into a hug. “Congratulations, dear. You two are the talk of the party. Everyone is so excited about your wedding, or scandalized. Either way, it’s all people can talk about.” She looked Amelia and me up and down. “And look, you two make such a handsome couple. Your children will be simply stunning.”
“Thank you.” Amelia looked down at the older woman with the same softness as before. “You are too kind, Mrs. Cooper.”
The woman grabbed Amelia’s hands to hold them, her thumbs running over the backs of her fingers. “Where is your ring?” she asked, aghast, reaching up to clutch her double string of pearls.
I had to wonder if the first nosy old bat had told her about Amelia’s lack of an engagement ring or if that was all these women cared about.
Either way, I refused to be the talk of this party because my woman wasn’t wearing my ring. I much preferred the women talk about how I’d swept her off her feet while the men talked about how much stronger the Manwarrings were going to be now with the Astrids and how I had taken her from Dubois.
No one was going to be saying that I was cheap or hard up. That would lead to speculation about financial trouble. And that was unacceptable.