far.”
“You are not afraid to die?”
“I’ve seen death before. It is not gentle, but no, I’m not afraid.” He shifted farther into the darkness, away from prying eyes and ears. “You want a husband, Tess. There are many here to choose from.”
“None as biddable as yourself.”
Her honesty was refreshing. “You think me such easy prey that you can manipulate me?”
“You live a secret life you do not want the world to know of. I want my freedom.”
“You think blackmailing me will solve your problems.”
“I know it will.”
Her smile reached her eyes and suddenly Aiden found himself smiling back. He couldn’t help himself.
“Do I not have a say in this marriage of ours?”
“It is simple. We marry and then you go back to your world of stealing and I will go elsewhere.”
“Where exactly would that be? And how will you live? Or do you have an endowment to support you?”
She went to speak, but clammed up and Aiden witnessed the sudden slam of reality in her expression and the slight fall of her shoulders. It tugged at his conscience and worse. Could he in all faith leave her to the perils of that repugnant uncle? He’d abandoned his duty before and had lived with the guilt ever since. But marriage?
After Lillian’s deception, Aiden had vowed never to enter that world again and now he was so close to Nash he could not, would not, allow anything, or anyone, to get in his way. Not even the delightful Tess.
“I had not thought that far,” she finally admitted.
Just as he expected. “So this is another harebrained scheme.”
“It is not!” She took umbrage, cheeks heating to a tender blush of pink.
“Sorry, Tess, but I will not be bludgeoned by you, or any woman, into marriage. May I suggest you try a different tactic for your next victim? The usual is batting one’s eyelashes or offering flattery, neither of which you have offered me.”
“My uncle, whom you’ve met—”
“Unfortunately.” His mouth soured. He’d also witnessed her uncle’s tête-à-tête earlier with Nash. Why was Nash with Gibbs? He’d wanted to slam a fist into the bastard then and there, but remembering the bigger picture had restrained him from an attack.
“He has…had someone in mind.”
“So marry him.”
Horror washed over her expression in an instant. “Never. Never to that man.”
“Is he old?”
“No.”
“Then what caused you, a young woman of…” He hesitated, allowing his gaze to skim her length, imagining her dressed again in the trews. He lifted his gaze slowly with the knowledge his inspection rankled. “You are a passable beauty, Tess. Why would you rush to the highway of ruin, and later, accost me and demand I marry you, post haste?”
She hitched her chin up a fraction and Aiden found himself quite enamored with her determination.
“Because the man Luther has in mind is in his own image.”
For a moment, Aiden didn’t understand. Then he remembered her uncle’s none-too-subtle threats. “Your uncle beats you.”
Tess disconnected her gaze from him and looked away.
“Tess?”
Even in their dimly lit grove, Aiden witnessed the telltale threat of her tears. “Tess?”
Finally, she lifted her gaze back to his. Her mouth trembled slightly, but there was a determination in her eyes. And desperation. “His fists may not have connected as yet, but that is only because he prefers…other ways. A pinch here, his fingers digging into my arm. Things no one would see, but vicious nevertheless.” She straightened and pushed her shoulders back. “The man my uncle deemed I should marry is no better. He is a violent man and drinks too much. His first wife died. I saw her bruises and it was not once.” She offered a tentative and sad smile. “I have lived the last eight years in a violent household, Aiden. I will not subject myself to such a life in a marriage.”
“And you want to marry me instead?”
Long lashes glistened, tipped with the hint of tears, then lifted,
“You are not afraid to die?”
“I’ve seen death before. It is not gentle, but no, I’m not afraid.” He shifted farther into the darkness, away from prying eyes and ears. “You want a husband, Tess. There are many here to choose from.”
“None as biddable as yourself.”
Her honesty was refreshing. “You think me such easy prey that you can manipulate me?”
“You live a secret life you do not want the world to know of. I want my freedom.”
“You think blackmailing me will solve your problems.”
“I know it will.”
Her smile reached her eyes and suddenly Aiden found himself smiling back. He couldn’t help himself.
“Do I not have a say in this marriage of ours?”
“It is simple. We marry and then you go back to your world of stealing and I will go elsewhere.”
“Where exactly would that be? And how will you live? Or do you have an endowment to support you?”
She went to speak, but clammed up and Aiden witnessed the sudden slam of reality in her expression and the slight fall of her shoulders. It tugged at his conscience and worse. Could he in all faith leave her to the perils of that repugnant uncle? He’d abandoned his duty before and had lived with the guilt ever since. But marriage?
After Lillian’s deception, Aiden had vowed never to enter that world again and now he was so close to Nash he could not, would not, allow anything, or anyone, to get in his way. Not even the delightful Tess.
“I had not thought that far,” she finally admitted.
Just as he expected. “So this is another harebrained scheme.”
“It is not!” She took umbrage, cheeks heating to a tender blush of pink.
“Sorry, Tess, but I will not be bludgeoned by you, or any woman, into marriage. May I suggest you try a different tactic for your next victim? The usual is batting one’s eyelashes or offering flattery, neither of which you have offered me.”
“My uncle, whom you’ve met—”
“Unfortunately.” His mouth soured. He’d also witnessed her uncle’s tête-à-tête earlier with Nash. Why was Nash with Gibbs? He’d wanted to slam a fist into the bastard then and there, but remembering the bigger picture had restrained him from an attack.
“He has…had someone in mind.”
“So marry him.”
Horror washed over her expression in an instant. “Never. Never to that man.”
“Is he old?”
“No.”
“Then what caused you, a young woman of…” He hesitated, allowing his gaze to skim her length, imagining her dressed again in the trews. He lifted his gaze slowly with the knowledge his inspection rankled. “You are a passable beauty, Tess. Why would you rush to the highway of ruin, and later, accost me and demand I marry you, post haste?”
She hitched her chin up a fraction and Aiden found himself quite enamored with her determination.
“Because the man Luther has in mind is in his own image.”
For a moment, Aiden didn’t understand. Then he remembered her uncle’s none-too-subtle threats. “Your uncle beats you.”
Tess disconnected her gaze from him and looked away.
“Tess?”
Even in their dimly lit grove, Aiden witnessed the telltale threat of her tears. “Tess?”
Finally, she lifted her gaze back to his. Her mouth trembled slightly, but there was a determination in her eyes. And desperation. “His fists may not have connected as yet, but that is only because he prefers…other ways. A pinch here, his fingers digging into my arm. Things no one would see, but vicious nevertheless.” She straightened and pushed her shoulders back. “The man my uncle deemed I should marry is no better. He is a violent man and drinks too much. His first wife died. I saw her bruises and it was not once.” She offered a tentative and sad smile. “I have lived the last eight years in a violent household, Aiden. I will not subject myself to such a life in a marriage.”
“And you want to marry me instead?”
Long lashes glistened, tipped with the hint of tears, then lifted,
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