Love With the Proper Husband by Victoria Alexander Page B

of the sun, the change of seasons, and other attributes of nature.”
    “And what makes you think that you and I are not as inevitable as nature? That we are not as fated to spend our lives together as the stars are fated to light the night sky. Or as the day is destined to follow the dawn?” His words were as offhand as if he were speaking of nothing of any consequence, but there was an intriguing gleam in his eye.
    “I would scarcely call a plot hatched by our fathers to ensure the continuation of our—or more specifically your —family line to be fate.” Still, it was a surprisingly lovely idea, the possibility that he and she could be destined for each other. Lovely and completely farfetched.
    “Really? You do not think the fact that you quite literally fell into my arms before we even knew of this arrangement to be an indication of destiny?”
    “Oh, that is good, my lord.” She applauded with polite sarcasm. “Excellent strategy. Taking what is essentially no more personal than a business arrangement between misguided fathers and molding it into something mysterious and romantic. How did it go again? Ah yes.” She rested the back of her hand against her forehead and adopted a dramatic tone. “My dear Miss Townsend, we are fated to be together. Our destiny is written in the stars. It is…inevitable.” She straightened. “Well done indeed.”
    Thank you,” he said modestly. “I thought it was quite good myself.”
    “Still, I must point out I did not fall into your arms. You walked into me and nearly knocked me off my feet.”
    “Knocked you off your feet?” He raised a knowing brow. “And does that not say fate to you?”
    “It says only that you were not paying attention to where you were going. It is nothing more than mere coincidence that we both chose to visit Mr. Whiting on the same day at the same hour—”
    “Some would say there is no such thing as mere coincidence.”
    “—and chanced to cross each other’s path.”
    “No such thing as chance.”
    “That’s utter nonsense and you know it.” She shook her head. “Honestly, my lord, I do not know why you persist—”
    “Why won’t you marry me?” he said abruptly.
    “Surely that is obvious.”
    “Not to me.”
    “Then I shall add obtuse as well as stubborn to your list of character flaws. Very well.” She heaved a long suffering sigh and counted off the reasons on her fingers. “First—I don’t know you. Second—I resent having my future determined by men, especially men long in their graves. And third—I have no desire to wed.”
    “Ever?” He raised a brow. “Or just not to me?”
    “Both.” She braced herself. Mr. Whiting certainly showed no understanding of her desire to remain unmarried. She didn’t doubt Pennington would share the solicitor’s opinion. “If a woman is not interested in children—”
    “And you are not interested in children?”
    She hesitated and he pounced.
    “Aha!” He smiled in a smug manner, and she added infuriating to the list. “All women want children. It is a facet of their nature.”
    “Perhaps.” Gwen was willing to concede this particular point, as she had often wondered if her dislike of children had more to do with those she had had in her charge than any lack of maternal instincts on her part. Still, the desire to procreate had yet to stir within her, and she was not certain it ever would.
    “Children aside, I do not see marriage as a desirable state for a woman.”
    “Why on earth not?” His tone was indignant, as if her distaste for marriage was a personal insult. Impatience swept through her. “I scarcely need explain my reasoning to you.”
    “As your intended, I believe I have a right to know,” he said in a lofty manner.
    “What I intend toward you at the moment has nothing whatsoever to do with marriage but is indeed just as permanent.” She tried to keep her tone firm, but his persistence was as amusing as it was irritating. She had never matched wits