School For Heiresses 2- Only a Duke Will Do Read Free Page A

comfortable in society, more confident.” He scowled. “Too confident, if you ask me.”
    “Trouble in paradise, Your Majesty?” Simon said dryly.
    George glowered at him. “Your sister has told you about it, I suppose.”
    “Regina and I do not discuss Louisa.”
    The king began to pace. “The willful chit is driving me insane. She refuses every suitor, says she’s never going to marry. At first I didn’t believe her, but she’s twenty-six and still hasn’t let a man near her.”
    He shot Simon a dour glance. “Then there’s her activities. I didn’t squawk when she was over at that blasted Widow Harris’s school, giving the girls advice on how to behave at court. I figured it would keep her busy, since Louisa took my daughter Charlotte’s death very hard, as did we all. But now she’s got herself mixed up with reformers, and she’s hieing herself off to Newgate—”
    “The prison?” he said, curious in spite of himself.
    “Exactly. She and her London Ladies Society go with those Quakers from the Association for the Improvement of Female Prisoners in Newgate to bring aid.”
    That surprised him. Louisa had never struck him as the sort to pursue reform, much less the unsavory kind of reform. “And her brother allows it?”
    “Draker approves, damn him. Even lets Regina go off with her. The fool thinks it’s good for them to do something ‘useful’ and ‘worthy’ with their time.”
    Simon shrugged. “Charity work is a time-honored pastime for ladies.”
    “Unmarried ones? Who should not have their tender minds besmirched by the debaucheries they might witness there?”
    Remembering his one visit to Newgate years ago, Simon shuddered. The man did have a point. The inmates he had seen had acted little better than animals. And to think of Louisa there…
    But it was none of his affair.
    “And when Louisa isn’t trotting off to Newgate, she and her London Ladies Society raise funds for the Association.”
    “That’s why she was speaking to Lady Trusbut.”
    “Oh, she wants more from Lady Trusbut than money. She wants the silly featherhead to join the London Ladies Society so that—” George stopped abruptly.
    Simon’s eyes narrowed. “So that what? What is wrong with Lady Trusbut joining Louisa’s charitable group?”
    The king glanced away. “Nothing. Except that they’re trotting about the prisons, of course.”
    That clearly was not what worried the king. Not that it mattered. “Why would your daughter’s new pastime possibly concern me?”
    His Majesty’s gaze swung back to him. “Do you still fancy Louisa?” When Simon tensed, George added hastily, “What if I were to say you could have her?”
    A thrill coursed down Simon’s spine that he ruthlessly squelched. This was a trap. “I am sure Louisa would have a strong opinion about that.”
    “Perhaps if she knew. But I intend this arrangement to stay between us.”
    Simon dragged in a sharp breath. “If you think I will once more play—”
    “I’m not suggesting anything underhanded; this time I mean marriage. She needs a husband to keep her safe. And you’re the logical choice.”
    “Me!” The suggestion staggered Simon. “You cannot possibly be serious. What happened to your assertion years ago that she should marry for love? That I was incapable of it?” Which just happened to be true, unfortunately.
    “I thought she’d find someone. But she hasn’t, and I fear she never will.”
    “Unless I marry her?”
    “Exactly. Wed her and bed her and get her with child. Do whatever’s necessary to keep her safely at home.”
    Simon burst into laughter. This was not the conversation he had expected to have with His Majesty. “
    Surely you see the irony. Me and Louisa…married…”
    “You found her attractive enough once.” His face clouded over. “Or did her request that you be sent off turn your tender feelings to hatred?”
    His amusement vanished. “I have no feelings for her one way or the other.”
    Liar.