To Love a Scoundrel (Zebra Historical Romance) (36 page)

"Good God, is everyone in on this conspiracy?" he
asked, shaking his head in amazement as the children
gathered around. "Poor Mandeville hasn't a chance"

Eleanor only shrugged. "Can I help it if I wish for my
brother to find love? To be as happy as I am?"

"Yes, and isn't it romantic?" Katherine asked dream ily. "Nothing like the two of you, with an arranged marriage and all."

Frederick began to sputter in indignation. "Why, I'll
have you know that-"

"Yes, yes, I know," Katherine said with a sigh of boredom, as if she'd heard it a million times. "You fell in
love anyway, despite your best intentions. Still, it did
start as an arranged match, did it not?"

Frederick looked to Eleanor, who only shrugged
helplessly, a mischievous gleam in her indigo eyes.

"It did, indeed," he answered, his gaze not leaving his
wife's.

"Not very romantic at all," Emily declared. "I shall
marry for love, or not at all."

"I'm hungry," Freddie put in.

One day they'd have quite the story to tell their children, Frederick realized. But not today. For now, let
them think their parents entirely unromantic.

He and Eleanor knew the truth. And for now, that was
enough-lucky scoundrel that he was.