“So, in default of any better prospect, he is forced to make do with just a mere Marquis. It’s a great sacrifice for him, of course, but a man must do the best he can!”
Selina chuckled, appreciating the way his dry wit matched her own. She was unused to men who talked with this kind of drollery as John Gardner’s friends got drunk and bawled with laughter at infantile jokes.
“Well, you must not give in. Not just for your own sake, but for hers. How can this poor girl marry you if she loves another man?”
“Not every woman is as brave and spirited as you,” the Marquis observed. “She would never dare run away.”
“I suppose you could run away,” suggested Selina, “but you’d have to hurry if he is coming here tomorrow.”
“I have a better idea if you will agree to it.”
She looked at him in
