Grace hated showing signs of weakness, and the tears she was unable to push back would more than qualify. Sitting in the salon of Hardwicke House near her aunt and uncle, surrounded by Lord Alexander’s family and friends, she berated herself for her vulnerability.

And then he walked into the room.

Lord Alexander glanced about as the door closed behind him. Grace stilled when his gaze settled upon her, and wished more than ever that she was strong enough to hide her tears.

His gaze remained on her for several moments. He pulled in a deep breath of air. His eyes changed before her, from frantic and bothered to relaxed and calm. And still, he watched her.

After another long moment, he broke his stare and included Aunt Dorothea and Uncle Laurence in his gaze. “Lady Grace, Sir Laurence and Lady Kensington, it is wonderful to see you in London.” He bowed to them and her aunt spoke to him.

Grace paid no attention to her aunt’s words. Without a doubt, the woman would effuse Lord Alexander with a barrage of admonitions and unsubtle hints geared toward accomplishing what Grace’s father had just informed her would happen.

Hence, the reason for her tears.

She had tried so hard over this time since they first met each other to convince Lord Alexander to stay away. However much she may love him, and she had now given up all hope of convincing herself otherwise, he deserved better than her—a ravished woman, due to give birth to another man’s child.

He deserved a lady with her virtue intact. A lady who felt at home in society. A lady he loved, not one he was forced to wed for honor’s sake.

Honor be damned, alongside myself.

Another wave of tears threatened to spill onto her cheeks. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the wave of Aunt Dorothea’s handkerchief through the air. “We are delighted you are here, though. I know our Gracie has missed you dreadfully.”

Grace blushed more fiercely than she could ever remember blushing before at her aunt’s words, replacing the tears she would have otherwise shed. How could Aunt Dorothea embarrass her in such a way, and in front of his family, no less? Lord Alexander’s eyes returned to hers and she looked away, unable to face him.

Then her father cleared his throat. “Pardon my interruption, Lord Alexander, but might it be possible to have a private word with you? There is something I wish to discuss.” She dared not look up to see Lord Alexander’s reaction. Lady Charlotte had already informed her of the events at this afternoon’s tea.

After several moments, the Duke of Somerton spoke. “You may use my private library if you wish. I believe that will suffice your needs, Lord Chatham.”

Nothing more was said, but Grace’s father followed Lord Alexander from the room.

Minutes passed in silence, broken only by the sounds of someone sniffling. Grace didn’t recognize the sniffles as her own until the women of the Hardwicke family surrounded her.

The dowager sat on the sofa next to Grace and placed her arms around her as one of her daughters, Grace was uncertain which, passed her a handkerchief.

“There, there sweetheart,” the dowager said. “Lie down and rest.”

The arms about her tugged gently until she lay across the sofa with her head on the older woman’s lap. The sisters patted her and held her hands, and someone brought a cold compress to place against her head.

“He’ll treat you well, Lady Grace,” Lady Sophia said. “Our brother is a good man. Certainly better than Lord Barrow.”

Lady Charlotte cut in. “But why are you so distraught, Lady Grace? Don’t you want to marry Alex?”

“Leave her be, Char. Let her cry until she’s finished. It’s never a good idea to interrupt a good cry—you ought to know that as well as anyone.”

“Girls, please be quiet,” the dowager interrupted. “We’re overwhelming her, I’m afraid.”

Gentle hands stroked her hair and soothed her spirit. Somehow in her crying jag, the tears had become sobs that bordered on hysterics, but now returned to simple tears. And then Grace remembered where she was and who she was with. Dear Lord, she had become a maudlin watering pot! She shot up from her prone position to sit straight, and glanced around the room.

The Duke of Somerton had left, along with Lord Neil, Sir Jonas, Lord Sinclaire, Lord Rotheby, and even Grace’s aunt and uncle. She was alone with the three Hardwicke women—women over whom she had just bawled like a baby.

Women who would soon be her family.

“Oh goodness, I must apologize for such unbecoming behavior. How terribly rude of me.” She fumbled with her gown to straighten it and wiped her tears with the handkerchief she had been given.

“Nonsense,” said Lady Sophia, the one with the reddish-blonde hair. “You’ll be our sister soon, so we’ll treat you as our sister. And if you can’t cry with your mother and sisters, who can you cry with?”

“Oh, but I’m mortified because you will be my family soon. We’ve hardly met, and I’m behaving like a fool.” Her eyes cleared, and a rather large wet patch appeared on the front of the dowager’s muslin. Grace eyes widened to the point she thought they would pop out of her head. “Ma’am, I’ve ruined your gown!” She tried to mop up the mess with her handkerchief, but it was so full of her tears that she only made the matter worse.

Lady Somerton placed her hands over Grace’s to still them. “Never mind that, my dear. Now, Grace—may I call you Grace?”

“Of course, ma’am.”

“Now Grace, why don’t we discuss what has you so upset? Don’t you love my son?”

“Mama, what a silly question,” said Lady Charlotte. “Of course she loves Alex. Didn’t you see the way she looked at him?”

“Charlotte, please allow her to speak for herself.” The dowager squeezed Grace’s hand.

She wanted to speak the words aloud to someone, anyone. But she feared that once they were said, her heart would break even further than it already had.

But fear had controlled her for far too long.

“I do love him, Your Grace.” And the tears burst forward again like a broken dam.

“Of course you do, sweetheart. So tell us, what is all this about?”

“I can’t marry him.”

“Why ever not? Alex wants to marry you, you love him. What’s the problem?”

Grace looked up at Lord Alexander’s sisters before she answered. “I can’t answer that question in front of your daughters. Your Grace, they would be scandalized. You would be scandalized.” She took a calming breath. “No, I cannot answer at all.”

Lady Sophia sat on Grace’s other side, forcing her closer to the dowager, and reached up to smooth a few escaped strands of hair behind her ear. “I can assure you that living in Town during a Season is more than enough to guarantee none of us shall be scandalized in the slightest. You can’t shock the Hardwicke women.”

Grace looked around at the other ladies who all nodded their heads in eager assent. “Very well. I have—” She broke off when another tear fell down her face. Lady Charlotte took one of her hands and held onto it.

She steeled herself to go on. “I have been ruined, ma’am.”

The words were out. She couldn’t take them back. Grace waited for shocked looks, expecting the women to pull away in disgust. But none of that happened. They continued to hold her, to stroke her, to comfort her.

The dowager spoke first. “And is Alex aware of this?”

“Yes, ma’am. He is aware.”

“Then it hardly signifies. He still wants to marry you.” Lady Sophia held a stern look and regarded her with knowing eyes. “But there’s more, isn’t there? Something you haven’t told Alex, from the looks of it. What have you not told us?”

How could Lady Sophia tell? Grace wracked her mind to find something she could tell them so they would stop asking questions. But she most certainly couldn’t tell them the truth.

The dowager duchess held up a hand, stopping the conversation. “That is enough for now, girls. Grace has only just met us. She’ll have to learn to trust us, and we’ve done nothing yet to earn her trust. Why, we’ve berated her while she was in the midst of a crying spell.” She placed her hand over one of Grace’s for just a moment. “Look at me, sweetheart. Whatever it is, whatever is bothering you, it will be all right.”

“I wish I could believe you, ma’am.” But how could anything be all right?

“You insist I do what?” Alex asked, almost choking on the words.

“Marry Grace. And you will do it. You admitted to me yesterday you had done more than merely compromise her in public, so you have no alternative.” Chatham looked more grim and determined than Alex had seen him in their few meetings to that point.

“I’m bewildered, my lord. You’ve been so adamant against me. What did my mother say to you to make this change?” Could this be happening?

“Well, I apologized for my deportment.” Chatham took a moment, seeming to consider how much he should say. “She asked me about Grace, and before I knew what was happening, she had me telling all about how my wife died when Grace was a little girl.”

He paused here for several moments. “I loved her mother, you know—at least at first. But she never wanted me. She strayed from our marriage many times after Grace was born, and then she contracted a disease and died.”

A single tear fell down Chatham’s cheek. “I was devastated, and I took to drink. I’ve neglected Grace far too long, and your mother helped me realize it. Grace deserves to be happy, and I intend to see to it you make her happy. I can’t do it myself. But I can see from your perseverance and from your family you will do well by her. Far better than I have done.”

Alex sat behind his brother’s heavy desk and waited for lightening to strike. He must be dreaming. Surely this was not real. It had all been far too easy.

But nothing else happened. “I assume you would like to negotiate the terms now?” Perhaps the marquess wanted even more money than he had already offered.

“You shall marry by special license, as soon as possible. Tomorrow, if you can arrange it.”

“Fine.” Better than fine. Alex didn’t want to wait. The longer it took for them to marry, the more likely scandal would follow.

“His Grace has offered to allow you to live at his estate in Somerton until you inherit your own property from Rotheby. You’ll take Grace there, so she will be close to her aunt and uncle.”

Peter had offered that? It would mean he had already discussed some of the terms with Chatham. Alex bit his lip to quell his frustration, but pushed it aside. He could deal with Peter later. “That is acceptable as well.” When would the man get to the financial arrangements? They, of all things, must weigh heavily on his mind. He waited for the marquess’s next provision, but it didn’t come. “Lord Chatham? What do you require in terms of financial compensation? Will the sum I offered yesterday suffice?”

Chatham flushed to a deep crimson. His words were clipped, choppy. “I require no compensation.”

Alex shook his head, certain he had misheard. “No compensation? Are you quite sure? I was sincere with my offer yesterday.”

“No compensation. Your mother is very…convincing. She helped me to see how distasteful it would be to take money from Grace’s future husband. It would be like selling her, like making her into…well, into the word I called her earlier.”

“Very well. Do you have any other requirements?” Alex was prepared to give the man just about anything.

“Just a request.” Chatham’s eyes darted about. “Allow me—after you and Grace are married, can I come to visit occasionally? I want to try to have a relationship with her. I know I’ve squandered many years when I could have spent them getting to know her. I’ve been a horrible father to her. But I want—I need to change that. Please.” He lowered his eyes to the floor.

Alex didn’t give an immediate response. He gave this last request thorough consideration. “If Grace is willing, you may visit. However, the decision will rest in her hands. She has a mind of her own, and I refuse to force her to do anything she is uncomfortable with.”

Chatham breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

“Do not thank me. She may not wish to see you. And she may change her mind at any time.”

“But you’ll allow it, so I thank you. So now, what are your terms? What will you expect on my end of the bargain?”

“I have only one requirement. You will never use the word whore in regard to Grace again. Not to me, not to her, not to anyone.”

“That’s all? You require no dowry?”

A dowry? Surely if he expected payment for her before, the man had no means to provide a dowry.

“No dowry. Grace is enough on her own. I’ve no need for money, Chatham, as I’m positive you are aware.”

“Then we have an arrangement.”

Alex nodded. “It seems we do.”

But now he must convince Grace.