Mistress - Amanda Quick [104]
Another rule broken, thanks to Iphiginia. “I am aware of that.”
“Would you mind telling me what brought about this sudden transformation?”
“I have had time to reflect and upon reflection, I feel I was mistaken.”
Bennet eyed him closely. “What about the other business?”
“What other business?”
“Juliana said that you not only threatened to cut me off if I married without your approval, you also announced your own intention to wed.” Bennet tilted his head curiously. “Was that a bluff, too?”
“No.”
Bennet smiled. “I am pleased to learn that.”
“Are you?”
“Of course I am. I’ve been telling you for an age that it is high time you remarried. I warned you that if you were to continue along your present path you would be in imminent danger of turning into one of your own clockwork automatons.”
“I trust I shall avoid such an end.”
“So?” Bennet gave him an inquiring look. “Who is she?”
“I am not prepared to make a formal announcement yet. There are, ah, certain details to be worked out.”
“Yes, yes, I know.” Bennet made an impatient movement with his hand. “If there is a great deal of business to be gotten out of the way in my marriage, I can envision how much there will be in your situation. After all, you’ve got the future of the tide to consider.”
“Yes.”
“But surely you can confide in me, Marcus. I’m your brother.” Bennet chuckled. “Is it the Chumley chit?”
“No.”
“Elizabeth Anderson, perhaps?”
“No.”
“Let me see.” Bennet tapped his finger on the mantel. “I know, Henderson’s daughter. What’s her name? Charlotte?”
“I am going to marry Iphiginia Bright.”
Bennet’s mouth fell open. “The devil you are.”
Marcus frowned. “You are not to say a word about this until I tell you that you may do so. Is that understood? This must remain a secret for now.”
Bennet opened and closed his mouth twice before he managed to speak. “Damnation, Marcus. You cannot possibly be serious about marrying Mrs. Bright.”
“But I am serious.”
“She’s your mistress, for God’s sake.”
“She is the lady I intend to wed. I told you that I will not tolerate any disrespect.”
“But you’re the Earl of Masters.” Bennet slammed his hand against the mantel. “It’s one thing to conduct a liaison with a woman such as Mrs. Bright. It is quite another thing to marry her.”
“Give me one good reason why I should not marry her,” Marcus challenged.
“One? I can give you a dozen. A man in your position is expected to marry a young lady, not a mature woman. Someone from a good family. Fresh out of the schoolroom. Unstained. Untouched. Your bride should be a respectable innocent—a virgin, to be perfectly blunt—not a notorious widow with whom you have been having an affair.”
“Iphiginia Bright is just the right age for me.” Marcus propped his elbows on the arms of the chair and steepled his fingers. “She is from a good family. She is respectable. You may put the word about that anyone who disagrees with me is free to do so over a pair of dueling pistols.”
“Damn it to hell, Marcus, you cannot mean that.”
“I find your objections to my forthcoming marriage every bit as irritating as you found mine to yours.”
“But this is a different matter entirely.”
“No, it is not.”
“Good Lord, the woman has bewitched you.”
“Do you think so?” Marcus considered that. “As a man of science, I have never believed in witchcraft.”
Bennet flushed with outrage. “I would not have believed this if I had not seen it with my own eyes.”
“Seeing is believing. And that, my dear brother, is the essence of sound scientific investigation. Now that you have, indeed, witnessed my decision to marry, you may believe it. And you will keep silent about it for the time being.”
“You’ve gone mad. Marcus, you’ve inherited an earldom. You have certain responsibilities and duties to the tide. You cannot allow passion to rule your actions.”
Marcus started to smile. “I beg your pardon? Would you care to repeat that? Surely I did not hear what I thought I heard. Surely my brother the romantic poet did not just advise me to turn my back on my passions.”
Bennet’s mouth tightened. “You know what I mean.”
“Yes,