What Rumours Don't Say Read Free Page B

that is all?”
                “You seem displeased.”
                “As you said, my lord, I am quite in shock,” Axelle said. “After all, I have never given any thought to marriage until now. As you perhaps already know, I have not attracted a single offer since my first Season, and if truth be told, I was under the impression I was already on the shelf, so to speak.”
                “Apparently, you are not,” Reeve told her.
                Axelle sighed, knowing impending defeat when she saw it.
                Just as she had said earlier, she had never dreamed of marrying, contrary to her cousin and all the other unattached ladies in society, content to live out her days as a spinster in a quaint cottage of her own in the country. In the few moments that she did contemplate marrying, she had hoped it would be to a man she understood, a man after her own heart, not someone she had only just met, barely knew and who certainly was not in love with her. The Earl of Ravenhall had made it clear that it was a marriage of convenience, nothing more.
                Still, to refuse the Earl of Ravenhall’s offer would mean a blow to her reputation, given the circumstances. There would be talk, no doubt, that she only refused him so she could be free to lift her skirts for other men and the very thought of it made Axelle cringe. It was one thing to be called eccentric and another to be labeled a harlot.
                “I trust you have no further objections,” Reeve said, as if reading her mind.
                “No, my lord,” she acceded. “Though I have a few requests.”
                “Requests?” His eyebrows arched, his expression a mixture of curiosity and impatience.
                “Yes, my lord,” she said, steeling herself. If it was to be a marriage of convenience, she might as well make it as convenient as possible for herself. “First, I would like to be treated an equal as much as possible when we are in private.”
                “An equal?”
                “I do dislike condescending talk, my lord,” she explained. “I have always believed myself to be a woman of strength and intellect and I would prefer for you to treat me as such. In fact, I do not mind at all if you consult me on some business matters, just as my father did.”
                “We have already established that your father was a most unusual man,” Reeve said. “I would appreciate it if you did not liken me to him.”
                She paid him little heed. “Also, I understand that married men are not averse to keeping mistresses. I would not mind at all if you did – or perhaps I would not mind as much – but I would like to know, my lord, for I despise being made a fool of as much as I do being looked down on.”
                “Rest assured, my lady I have no intention of keeping a mistress,” Reeve said solemnly.
                “I see,” Axelle said, feeling relieved for some unknown reason. “And finally, my lord I would like to be free to choose my own reading materials. Since I started living with my uncle, that freedom has been curtailed, and I should so like to have it back.”
                “I imagine you would.”
                “Oh, and I would like to have your assistance, my lord, in procuring the rest of my father’s books. They are quite valuable.”
                “I’ve already ascertained as much,” he answered. “And I have no qualms in lending you my assistance. In fact, I would prefer that you leave the matter to my hands entirely, seeing as your devices are quite unreliable.”
                “I would have you know, my lord, that before this last…blunder, I was able to secure the other books just fine,” she pointed out.
                “Very well, you may continue to check