Velvet Chains (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon Page B

was pledged to marry a Lord Ransford, until he caught her in a very compromising situation with a stable boy. The talk is she isn't too selective about whom she beds. She is no innocent maiden."
    "That could explain many things. Do you think you are being used to cover the rumors about the lady's past . . . indiscretions?"
    "Damned right! I'm being made the scapegoat. By marrying her, I give her respectability."
    "You could always say no," Lucas suggested lazily.
    Edmund shook his head. "No. That is a luxury I can't afford. I was told by my father that the lady brings with her a large dowry, and I'll be assured of a promotion in the army. My father suggested it wouldn't be wise to offend my uncle by not accepting my cousin's hand in marriage."
    Lucas studied his fingertips. "Oh well, take heart, Edmund. You can always keep your little wife in the country and visit her as infrequently as possible. I have never put too much importance on marriage vows."
    Edmund looked at his cousin sourly. "That's easy for you to say. You aren't being forced to take a wife against your will."
    "Let's just say that I, like you, enjoy the free life. I refuse to be tied down to just one woman. Cheer up, being married doesn't mean you have to be the model husband."
    "Dammit, Lucas, in my mind's eye, I can already see her! Most probably she has a horse face and twitters or giggles excessively. I can only imagine that she is a wretched creature if her father sent her from England in disgrace."
    "Well, as for myself, I would never allow anyone to force me to marry—especially if the lady's reputation were tarnished. You had better consider long and hard before you give your final consent, my friend," Lucas warned.
    "Would you take the lady in question as your wife if you were offered a country estate of two thousand acres and a yearly income of fifty thousand pounds?" Edmund wanted to know.
    "No, my friend, not even then. If I ever do get married, it will be to someone of my own choice."
    "Let's talk about something else," Edmund said, changing the subject. "Why didn't you accept General Clinton's offer this evening? I'm having very little doubt he would see that you got a worthy commission."
    "It doesn't suit me to be a soldier. As I told the general, I am but a humble planter from Virginia."
    Edmund frowned. "If you are a humble planter, then I'm a Whig sympathizer, Lucas. There has never been anything humble about you."
    "Don't associate me with your ambitions, Edmund. You are the one who won all the honors at swordplay when we were at Eton—you are a natural-born soldier."
    Edmund stood up. "Let's join the ball. There are some pretty misses with whom I would like to dance, and I have little doubt that my intended bride will arrive shortly. It wouldn't be wise to keep her waiting."
     
    The coach stopped in front of the large stone mansion where the ball was already in progress. Sounds of music and laughter drifted through the air as Colonel Tibbs led Lady Season Chatsworth up the steps. When they reached the top, Season took a deep breath. She felt very young, and frightened. It had been her wish to be introduced to her cousin at the formal ball, since she had been nervous about meeting him in private. She now wondered if that had been such a good idea. Tonight she was in a foreign country, surrounded by strangers. One of those strangers would soon be her husband.
    Season had dressed carefully, hoping to make a good impression. Her ice-blue velvet gown was adorned with yards and yards of silver trim, and silver lace flowers were sewn along the hem. In the center of each flower was a tiny seed pearl. Season's matching floor-length cape was lined with rich mink, but she felt no warmth from it at the moment. She didn't know if her hands trembled from the cold or from fright. Molly had arranged Season's hair atop her head, except for one long curl which hung over her shoulder, and although Season had given in with ill grace when her maid had insisted