Secrets of a Viscount Read Online Free Page B

excitedly. “This provides the perfect solution. Now that you have money, nobody will care about the scandal in your past and we can marry.”
    “ I see,” she said softly. If one were interested in the truth, Isabelle would admit she had no real love for Edmund. She tolerated him well enough, and she enjoyed his company from time to time, but by no means did she love him. Nor did she think she could grow to have such an emotion for him—even as a friend. She really wasn’t sure why he thought the two had such a profound love for one another to begin with—or perhaps he knew they didn’t but because of his age, just didn’t care. She’d learned from spending the past few years in his company that his mind worked in ways she might never understand.
    “ Just think, you can go to balls, soirees, and musicales.”
    “ Why would I wish to do that?”
    “ To reenter Society, of course,” Edmund replied offhandedly. As if she’d ever wanted to enter Society in the first place. “You can go to London for the Season to flaunt your money and at the end, you can snag an earl.” He winked at her to let her know which earl he had in mind for her to snag.
    “ Lord Kenton,” she began softly, “I know you hold me in high esteem. But you do realize there’s a significant age difference between us, do you not?”
    He shrugged. “It’s of no account. Men are supposed to be older than their wives. It’s the perfect arrangement actually. See, we men get to have our bachelor freedom until we’re ready to settle down and take a wife, then we find a beautiful young lady like yourself and marry her.”
    “And what does the young lady get from such a perfect arrangement?” Isabelle asked, cocking her head.
    “ A skillful lover,” Edmund said automatically.
    Isabelle dropped her head to her hands and tried not to laugh. The idea of going to bed with him was not what young ladies dreams were made of. He wasn’t fat exactly, but he could stand to lose at least a stone or better. His hair was greying—or gone. It was easy to tell his face had been very handsome when he was young, but as he’d aged, time had left its stamp.
    “ You’d get a title, too.”
    “ I don’t care about titles, you should know that,” Isabelle said flatly, all laughter gone from her voice.
    Edmund’s large hand rested on her shoulder. “I know,” he said softly. “Are you worried you’ll see him there? Is that what’s holding you back?”
    Lifting her head, she met his gaze. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “I haven’t seen him in so long.”
    “ You’re a strong woman, Isabelle. If he confronts you, just incline your chin, stiffen your spine and give him the cut direct. He doesn’t deserve the right to even look at you after everything he put you through.”
    “ You’re right,” Isabelle said with a confidence she didn’t feel. “He probably won’t be there anyway. Last I heard he was having a grand time cavorting around the continent.”
    Edmund nodded. “See, nothing to worry about.” He pushed to his feet and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’ll see if my aunt can act as your chaperone.”
    “You’ll have no trouble convincing her,” Isabelle supplied, shaking her head ruefully. For the past four years Mrs. Finch had tried every trick she could to get Isabelle to go to London. Isabelle suspected it was more so that Mrs. Finch would have a reason to participate in the activities and entertain a lover or two before it was too late, not so that Isabelle could find a husband.
    “ I know I won’t,” Edmund agreed smugly. He walked to the door and turned around. “Isabelle, I want you to know something.” He withdrew his right hand from his pocket and ran it through his thinning hair. “I know I’ve expressed interest in marrying you many times, but I don’t expect you to make a promise to me yet.”
    Isabelle stared at him and licked her lips, thinking up a tactful reply. She’d never seriously considered