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She snorted. “Will you carry the child in your belly and give birth to it?”
His face twitched. “No. But I am willing to marry you.”
Grace blinked, unable to respond in complete shock, millions of thoughts whirling in her mind. What a fabulous proposal, was her first thought. What a noble sacrifice, the second. The rest were so tangled she couldn’t quite make them all out. “You are willing to make a great sacrifice and marry a harlot?” she managed to push past her dry lips.
He turned away. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Well, have you thought, in all your benevolence, that perhaps I don’t want to marry you?”
He threaded his fingers through his hair. “If this encounter leads to a child, I don’t see that we have a choice.”
She raised a brow. “How is that?”
“I don’t want my child to be born a bastard, do you?”
She squared her shoulders. “I am a bastard.”
He reared back for a moment. “I was under the assumption you were privileged.”
“In a way, I was.” She shrugged. “Up to a point.”
“And beyond that point? Come, now, Grace. You know a bastard life doesn’t lead anywhere good. I am offering the best course of action if the child is in question.”
Grace tossed her head back in defiance. “I will not marry you. I will never marry anyone. I have too much to lose.”
He reared back. “You have a lot to lose? Like marrying a harlot will not plummet my reputation to the depths of hell?”
Grace filched but tried to keep her expressions impassive. She knew how he felt about her, but hearing it still cut deep. “I am not the one saying you have to marry me. I have a successful business and plenty of financial assets. If I marry anyone, that person gets all of it, including me. I am not going to be a possession.”
“Then you should have been more careful,” he said.
Grace reared back. “Oh, so it’s my fault?”
“I am not saying that. But if you do not want to be attached to me—”
“Attached? If I marry you, I cease to exist. I shall be your property.”
“That’s not what I want!”
“What do you want then?”
He threw up his hands. “I am offering a solution to a predicament which might not even come to pass. I wanted you—I will admit to that—and I still do. I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. I want you in my bed. Constantly. But I don’t want your possessions. I do not care about your brothel, in fact, I’d rather distance myself from it as much as I can. Our mutual passion, however, might lead to a child if we are not careful, and we were not careful. If we continue our liaison, then we need to talk about the possible solutions in case this happens again and you indeed become with child.”
Grace turned away, heat covering her chest and her neck and traveling up her face. She didn’t understand her feelings. She didn’t want a child. She didn’t want to be anyone’s property, much less Ford’s. He was a thief-taker. He was ashamed because he desired a harlot. Having a child with him, being tied to him forever, could turn out to be a nightmare. If she were to marry him, her brothel would legally belong to him. He could do whatever he wanted with it. He could sell it or close it without her knowing. And even though he would not do anything to hurt her now, who was to say he wouldn’t change his mind?
“Then we need to be doubly careful next time,” she said evenly.
“Good. I am glad you’re not discounting that there will be the next time.”
She huffed a breath.
There was a pause, then the sound of shuffling feet. For a moment, she thought he’d left only for him to appear by her side.
He stepped toward her, his hand outstretched. “I am sorry. I shouldn’t have implied that marrying you would ruin me.”
She watched his hand wearily. “It’s the truth.”
He didn’t deny it. “And what happened earlier… It’s my fault. You trusted me. I should have been more careful.”
