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‘I would not advise it for one with such a passionate nature as your own, Grace,’ he drawledby the way her face paled that he had succeeded in shaking her

‘You are despicable, sir!’ She glared at him vehemently

‘Probably’ Lucian shrugged off the insult ‘But a life in the country as an old maid really would not suit you, Grace One day you would be sure to give in to temptation—with a local farhbour With the possible result that an illegitima of your shame for the rest of its days No, Grace, you would be far wiser to accept your fate and marry me’

She hated this man, Grace decided numbly Hated him with a passion With as o returned his kisses Any softer feelings she htmares had completely dissipated in the face of his intractability concerning a e between them

‘Never’ She roused herself with an effort, so emotionally tired that she just wanted to sleep—to close her eyes and find when she woke in thethat this had all been just a dream A horrible, horrible dream

Lucian St Claire’sat this situation positively at all, Grace,’ he taunted ‘After all, you will bethe brother of a duke—’

‘I ae of a duke’

‘I am also the son of a duke, Grace A second son, aded dryly, ‘but luckilythree sons ht one day present a proble provision for all of his children As a result we are all, my sister included, independently wealthy My oealth has been increased considerably over the years by wise investh by far, I do assure you, Grace, for my wife to live the life of a duchess without the onerous duties that necessarily accompany that role’

Grace stared at hily What did she care for his wealth? Did this reed to becoe that at least he had the wealth to ensure her life was a comfortable one!

Comfortable?

Grace could not see any future life for herself as the unwilling wife of Lord Lucian St Claire’s as being a comfortable one!

She gave hilare ‘My own father was also a man of vision, My Lord,’ she assured him coldly ‘In as much as he did not see any difference between a male or female heir I am my parents’ only child As a consequence, all of my father’s considerable personal wealth, as well as his estate in Cornwall, were left in trust to me on his death’

Lucian St Claire gave an abrupt inclination of his head ‘Then it appears I am to marry a woman with a considerable dowry, does it not?’

Her chin rose challengingly ‘The provisions of my father’s will ensure that a portion of that wealth remains in my possession even after I am married, with the rest to be put in trust for my children’

Her parents could not have foreseen their premature deaths, of course, but it had always been a worry of her mother’s, as well as her father’s, that Grace would one day be pursued on the e mart not for herself alone, but for her father’s considerable wealth The property laws ensured that a woe It had been a law that neither of her parents had agreed with, and provision had been made to circumvent that law as far as was possible

Lucian St Claire gave a brief so the task of arranging an allowance for you after we areshot, as the door of the bedchamber closed quietly—decisively—behind him

Grace stared after hi that particular line—his absolute conviction that a ht’s events—shook Grace more than she cared to admit More than she cared for Lucian St Claire to know

Because she was not so sure in her own determination that it would not be so as she wished it to be Her aunt and uncle, the Duke and Duchess of Carlyne, although having been warm and kind to her this last year, were not as visionary as her own parents had been Her parents would never have seen Gracebetween them The fact that her aunt and uncle had known Lord Lucian St Claire for years—that he was a family friend, had been the best friend of her cousin Simon—already indicated that they would approve of a match between him and Grace