Midnight Rider. Diana Palmer

“What a wonderful idea! If his prospective bridegrooms haven’t left, they certainly will after this!”

      “I intend to displace them,” he said shortly. “If your father wants a noble for a son-in-law, he can have me. I’ll take a damned sight better care of you than he does, and I won’t drag you off to Europe to die.”

      She stared at him with delight. “You really want to marry me?”

      He nodded. “It won’t be a love match,” he said, his voice quiet and calming, “but you’ll have freedom and independence, and I’ll take care of you.”

      “I’ll take care of you, too,” she replied gently.

      He was shocked to discover that he liked the idea of someone taking care of him. It wasn’t acceptable to admit it, of course, and he wasn’t going to. But it touched him as few things in his recent past had.

      “Have you eaten anything?” he asked.

      She laughed, pulling her blanket closer. “I had a roll and some cold chicken that Maria packed for me, but nonetheless, I’m hungry,” she said simply.

      “So am I.”

      “I don’t suppose you brought anything to eat?”