Page 35 of So Wild A Heart

Miranda gazed back at him levelly. “Are you threatening me, Lord Ravenscar? Perhaps someday we should have a contest. When I accompanied my father on trading expeditions, we went to some of the wildest places on the continent of North America, places where there was no law and never had been. I learned how to use a gun at an early age. In fact, I was taught by one of the best backwoodsmen in the country.”

Devin stared at her, then, unexpectedly, began to laugh. He dropped her arms and moved away, saying, “I am sure you were, Miss Upshaw. Anything else would be uncharacteristic. Next you will tell me that you know the art of fisticuffs, as well.”

“No. That I do not. My size and strength generally kept me at a handicap. However, I was taught by trappers how to use a knife to slice and skin and kill, as well.” She gazed back at him blandly.

“Touché.” He shook his head. “You are without a doubt the most unusual woman I have ever known.”

“I shall take that as a compliment,” Miranda said briskly. Her breathing was still a little uneven. It unnerved her that he could affect her so, but she was not about to let him see that. “I think perhaps you misunderstand me. The truth is, I have no wish to control you. My only limit is on your spending my money, and I think you will find that limit not an onerous one. I do not force people to do what I want. I generally find I am able to accomplish that with reasoning.”

He chuckled. “Still, you get your way.”

“I often do,” Miranda admitted. “I do not insist upon it, however, certainly not in a marriage. However, I have as little desire as you to be ruled by another, so I have taken steps to prevent it. That is all.”

“I see.” Devin nodded.

“Does that offend you?”

“Of course.” A glint of humor flashed in his eyes. “Actually, once the slap in the face is over, I think I feel…relieved. I am, as you may have guessed, terrible with money. Witness my present predicament.”

“That is understandable. You are an artist.”

Devin let out a derisive snort. “Hardly that. No, I fear that I am just a gentleman of leisure, and I am not terribly good at anything except a number of ‘gentlemanly’ pursuits. Riding, hunting, card playing.”

“Oh, there are places where you might find those things would stand you in good stead,” Miranda remarked. “So, my lord Ravenscar, do you wish to rescind your offer? Or will you accept this marriage ‘contract’?”

He thought with amusement of what Leona would think once she found out what her ‘mouse of an heiress’ was really like.

“No domination by either of us, eh?” he said thoughtfully.

“That is correct.”

“I think I would be agreeable to that.” It was, he told himself, the only sensible thing to do. His reluctance stemmed from nothing but a pride that was, frankly, too large for his present circumstances. He had to marry, and irritating as Miss Upshaw was, well, as Richard had pointed out, at least life with her would not be dull. And getting an heir with her would be anything but an onerous duty.

“Good. I would hate to have to make another search for a suitable spouse,” Miranda said.

“That won’t be necessary,” Devin replied curtly, a little surprised to find how much the idea of her marrying someone else displeased him. “My offer still stands. Will you marry me, Miss Upshaw?”

“Yes, my lord, I will,” Miranda replied promptly, then went on, “I think we should do it quickly, don’t you? There is little point in waiting. We need to start clearing up the debts and restoring the estate. I think a short engagement is preferable.”

“That’s fine.” He felt a trifle dazed by her brisk, businesslike manner. It seemed that an engagement should entail something more—some celebration, a kiss, at least….

He reached for her, but Miranda neatly turned and walked away, saying, “Now, as to the details…I think a wedding away from London, don’t you? There will doubtless be enough gossip as it is, without giving them weeks and weeks to build it up.”

Devin resumed his position at the desk and watched her thoughtfully. Had she seen the kiss coming and skillfully eluded it, or had she not realized what he was about to do? “You know, Miss Upshaw,” he began, “one has to wonder. This is all very well for me. The advantages of marrying you are clear. But why do you wish to marry me? Given the fact, after all, that you find me arrogant and—what was the other quality? Unlikeable?”

“It is more the idea of an arranged marriage that appeals,” Miranda explained calmly, sitting down in a chair facing him. “At first I did not like the idea, as you know. But then, as I began to think about it, I could see the wisdom of marrying not for love or passion, but for practical reasons. As I mentioned the other night, I would like to restore your estate. The house and the lands. I enjoy dealing in real estate. There’s nothing quite as much fun as taking a piece of land and making it turn a profit.”

“Indeed?” He looked doubtful.

Miranda chuckled. “It appeals to me. I would like to restore Darkwater to its former beauty. And I would like to see what can be done to turn your estate around, modernize it, whatever it takes to make it begin to produce again.”

“Odd reasons to marry. One would suppose you could simply buy an old house and restore it.”

“Ah, but then it would not be one’s own. I would have no real, personal connection to it. That makes it much more special. Besides, there is the allure of your social standing. My stepmother would greatly enjoy seeing Veronica have her debut here in London. It would be nice to be able to do that for her. Veronica will enjoy that kind of thing.”

“So you are marrying in order to bring out your sister in a few years, thereby making your stepmother happy, and to restore Darkwater.”

“Partly. But as I told you before, those things were not enough to make me willing to marry you. But as I thought about it, I realized how freeing the whole arrangement is.”