Taming the Rebel Tycoon: Wife by Approval / Dating the Rebel Tycoon / The Playboy Takes a Wife

Having helped her up, he rebuttoned her blouse before pushing her gently into the nearest chair. Then, having fastened his own shirt and tucked it into the waistband of his trousers, he stood looking down at her.

All trace of mockery gone now, he said, ‘I want you to listen to me. You’re right in thinking that I’m hoping to be married…’

Fool that she was, she had still half hoped that he might deny it.

‘However, you’re quite wrong in believing that the lady in question is Helen O’Connell…’

‘Oh…’ Tina said in a small voice.

‘At one time Hannah may have had hopes in that direction but, when she mentioned the Reverend Peter getting his wish, you were mistaken in thinking she was referring to Helen.’

Feeling foolish, Tina stared blindly down at her hands clasped together in her lap.

When she said nothing, he went on evenly, ‘Because Hannah’s been part of the family for so long, I told her my plans…Though I must admit I hadn’t expected her to say anything until I’d had a chance to discuss those plans with the woman I’m hoping to marry.’

When Tina continued to sit in silence, head bent, the mockery back in his voice, he suggested, ‘Now aren’t you going to ask me who that woman is?’

She shook her head. It didn’t really matter who it was. The mere fact that he had found a woman he wanted to marry had turned her own short-lived happiness into dust and ashes.

‘Does that mean you’re not interested, or you feel reluctant to ask?’

Apart from saying that his intentions were in no way casual, he’d made no commitment, had promised her nothing, so what right had she to ask?

‘Well?’ he pressed.

‘I feel I’ve no right to ask,’ she admitted dully.

A hand beneath her chin, he lifted her face and said firmly, ‘After the way I’ve treated you, you’ve every right to ask.’

Her breath taken away, she gazed up at him mutely as he went on, ‘I got you to come here by offering you a job. A job you turned down on the grounds that, because we’d been to bed together, you would find it awkward to work for me.

‘That shows a rare sensitivity in this day and age, when a lot of women wouldn’t have given it a second thought or would have regarded a sexual interest as a plus.

‘Well, now I’m offering you a different kind of job, a job where a sexual interest is not only a plus but absolutely vital…’

When, her blue-violet eyes wide, she continued to stare up at him, he said, ‘I want you to be my wife.’

‘What?’ she whispered, unable to believe her ears.

‘I want you to be my wife,’ he repeated. ‘Or, as Marlowe put it, “Come live with me and be my love…”

‘It’s sudden, I admit,’ he added quizzically, ‘but there’s no need to look quite so taken aback. After all, I did make it plain that my interest was far from casual…’

‘Yes, I know, but I…I never thought…I never dreamt…’ Wanting to believe it, but afraid to, needing desperately to be reassured that this wasn’t some kind of cruel joke, she asked huskily, ‘Do you really want to marry me?’

‘Yes,’ he answered, a touch of amusement in his voice, ‘I really do.’

When, still struggling to take it in, she said nothing, he offered teasingly, ‘Would you like me to say it again?’

‘I—I’m sorry, but I just find it hard to believe,’ she admitted.

‘But my proposal isn’t unwelcome, I hope?’ A finger tracing the curve of her cheek, he asked with apparent irrelevance, ‘When we saw the evening star and both made a wish, what did you wish for?’

Seeing her colour rise, he smiled, as if that was answer enough, and told her softly, ‘You are what I wished for.’ Bending his head, he kissed her lips. A light coaxing kiss. ‘All you have to do is marry me to make my wish come true.

‘I would have waited a little and proposed to you in a more romantic setting,’ he added seriously, ‘if Hannah hadn’t let the cat out of the bag.

‘However,’ he went on after a moment, ‘I hope the setting won’t make any difference to your answer?’

The setting wasn’t important, Tina thought, winging her way up to cloud nine—Richard loved her and wanted to marry her; that was all that mattered.

She would have been content with his love—more than content, deliriously happy. The fact that he wanted to make her his wife was more than she had ever dared to hope for and her heart swelled with joy and gratitude.

Watching her glowing face, he was almost sure that he’d pulled it off. But he needed to hear her say it out loud.

When she continued to sit as though in a trance, her eyes soft and full of dreams, growing impatient, he took her shoulders and, lifting her to her feet, urged, ‘I’m still waiting for an answer. Will you marry me?’

She gave him the most glorious smile and answered simply, ‘Yes.’

That smile made him feel despicable and, for a split second, in spite of everything, he wondered if he was doing the right thing.

But he couldn’t afford to weaken now.

Shrugging off the feeling, he hardened his heart.

Though it was over in an instant, she picked up that fleeting doubt. ‘But perhaps we should have time to think it over?’

He frowned. ‘Do you need time?’

She shook her head. ‘No, not really. But I thought you might.’

‘I don’t need time to think it over. I know exactly what I’m doing.’

‘But you don’t really know enough about me.’

‘I know everything I need to know.’

Though he sounded certain, a lingering unease made her ask, ‘On the drive here you talked about your wife and children living at Anders…Suppose I dislike children and don’t want any…?’

‘Do you dislike children?’

‘No, of course I don’t. I don’t think a marriage is complete without children, but—’

His mouth covered hers, stopping the words, before he said, ‘Then I know everything I need to know.’

‘How can you be so sure when we only met a couple of days ago?’

‘The first time I saw you I knew you were all I’d ever dreamed of or wanted in a woman.’

Though his answer was sweet and romantic, something impelled her to say, ‘It just seems so sudden…’

He brushed her lips lightly with his. ‘Have you never heard of love at first sight?’

‘Of course, but—’

‘I had hoped the feeling might have been mutual.’

After a moment she admitted softly, ‘It was.’

Making no attempt to hide his elation, he pulled her into his arms and began to kiss her in earnest.

For a while they stood embracing, lost to the world, like Donne’s ecstatic lovers.

Eventually, the intrusive thought that there were still things to be done, one final hurdle to surmount, disturbed the blissful mood.

Lifting his head reluctantly and opting for a change of scene, Richard suggested, ‘It’s a lovely morning—shall we get some fresh air?’

A fountain of happiness welling inside her, she nodded. ‘Let’s.’

‘Sure the ankle’s up to it?’

‘It’s as good as new this morning.’

‘Oh, wait a minute, you won’t have had anything to eat yet…’

‘I haven’t, but—’

‘There’ll be bacon and eggs and coffee keeping hot in the breakfast room.’

‘I’m not hungry, but I’d like a cup of coffee before we go.’

When they’d each had a coffee, wondering how best to play it without appearing to rush things, he suggested casually, ‘Would you like to stroll down and see the horses?’

‘I’d love to.’

‘You said you used to ride.’

‘Oh, yes. Though I haven’t been on a horse for some time now, I rode a lot when I was younger.’

‘Then perhaps we could take them out.’

He captured her hand and laced his fingers through hers as they left the breakfast room and made their way along the length of the hall.

Beyond the servants’ quarters, the kitchens and a flagged outer hall—all of which appeared to be deserted—a huge studded-oak door opened on to a wide area of decking and a sturdy wooden bridge.

‘The tradesmen’s entrance,’ Richard told her with a grin as they crossed the bridge hand in hand.

It was a beautiful morning, calm and sunny, the balmy air full of the oddly poignant scents of autumn: freshly sawn pine logs, late wallflowers, decaying leaves and woodsmoke.

On the far side of the bridge was a paved carriageway, one fork of which served the garden area, while the other, running between smooth lawns, sloped gently down to an old-fashioned stone-built stable block and coach house.

The large central archway was surmounted by a cupola, on top of which a black wrought iron weathervane—a horse taking the place of the traditional cock—stood motionless in the still air.

On all four sides of the cupola was a large clock with a blue face and golden hands that declared it was almost ten-thirty.

In the stable yard a short bow-legged man wearing a flat cap, a flannel shirt and riding breeches was grooming a large black stallion, whose coat gleamed with good health and care.

‘Morning, Josh,’ Richard said cheerfully. ‘I’d like you to meet Miss Dunbar.’

‘Good morning, miss…Morning, Mr Richard.’ The groom touched his forelock in a gesture Tina had thought obsolete.

Indicating a chestnut mare with pricked ears and gentle eyes who was regarding them quietly over one of the stable doors, Richard told her, ‘This is Juno.’

‘Well, hello…’ Tina stroked the waiting head and was nuzzled in return. ‘You’re beautiful…’

‘And, as you’ve no doubt guessed, this is Jupiter.’ Richard clapped the black horse on the shoulder.

Taking a liking to the big placid-looking animal, she stroked his velvety muzzle and told him, ‘My, but you’re a handsome fellow…’

Lifting his head, he snuffled her cheek appreciatively.

‘If you were thinking of taking un out,’ Josh said, ‘I can have un saddled up in no time at all.’

‘What about Juno?’ Richard asked.

‘Yesterday when ’er was out, ’er cast a near hind shoe. I’m waiting on Tom Ferris. Said ’e’d fetch ’er some time this morning, so if you were wanting to take ’er out later…’

As if sensing Tina’s disappointment, Richard glanced at her and suggested, ‘If you fancy a ride now, Jupiter will easily take both of us.’

At her eager acceptance, he nodded to the groom. ‘Saddle him up, Josh.’

As soon as the horse was ready, the groom disappeared, to return almost immediately with two riding hats.

‘There be yours, Mr Richard, and I fancy the mistress’s old un’ll do fine for Miss Dunbar.’

The protective headgear buckled into place, Tina climbed the two steps to the mounting block and in a trice was astride Jupiter’s broad back, taking care to leave the stirrups free for Richard.

He swung himself lightly into the saddle behind her and a moment later, with a wave to Josh, they were off.

Holding the reins in his left hand, his right arm securely around Tina, for a while they ambled along, heading south through pleasant undulating parkland.

After they had gone some half a mile, in response to Jupiter’s urging, Richard gave the beast his head and, making light of his load, the big horse broke into an easy canter.

It was exhilarating and Tina laughed aloud with the sheer joy of it. In response to such spontaneous gladness, Richard’s arm tightened around her.

When a shallow stream came into view, unwilling to overtax the horse, he reined him in and they ambled down to the water’s edge.

There, where the grass was still green and lush and the trees made a dappled shade, he slid to the ground and, having lifted Tina down, looped the reins over a low branch.

Then, leaving the horse to graze peacefully, they took off their riding hats and went to sit on a fallen tree trunk by the fast-flowing stream.

Held in the crook of Richard’s arm, Tina watched the glittering water as it ran leaping and chuckling over its stony bed and knew what perfect happiness and contentment felt like.

After a while he broke the silence to say, ‘I’d like us to be married as soon as possible.’

When something in his tone, a kind of tension, made her glance up at him, he added almost roughly, ‘I sound impatient, I know, but I just can’t wait to make you mine.’

Her heart fluttered and swelled with gratitude that he should feel so strongly about her.

‘If you were hoping for a big wedding with dozens of guests and all the trimmings,’ he went on, ‘we can always have a second ceremony later.’

Nestling against him, she said simply, ‘I don’t need a big wedding and all the trimmings,’ and heard his quick sigh of relief.

‘That’s my girl.’ His arm tightened round her. ‘So shall we say tomorrow morning?’

Thinking he was joking, she laughed and said, ‘Why not? Except that it can’t be done so quickly.’

‘As we have our own priest and our own chapel, all we need to do is warn the Reverend Peter and arrange for two witnesses.’

Realising he wasn’t joking after all, she said breathlessly, ‘B-but surely we need a…a licence of some kind?’

‘I have a special licence lined up.’

Through lips gone suddenly stiff, she said, ‘Then you must have intended it for someone else.’

‘You are the only woman I’ve ever wanted to marry.’ His green-gold eyes on her face, he added, ‘I told you earlier that the first time I saw you I knew you were the one I’d been waiting for.’

She half shook her head. ‘I realise that being who you are, you must have quite a pull. But, even with your own chapel and your own family priest, I don’t believe you could have got a licence in the time. You hadn’t set eyes on me until Friday…’

‘That’s where you’re wrong,’ he told her quietly.

CHAPTER EIGHT

‘I DON’T understand,’ Tina protested, puzzled.

Richard brushed a strand of silky blonde hair away from her cheek with his free hand and said, ‘It’s over three weeks since I first saw you.’

‘Three weeks?’

‘I was visiting Cartel Wines when I caught sight of you coming out of De Vere’s office. I thought you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen and I knew I had to have you…’

She was still endeavouring to catch her breath when he went on, ‘Unfortunately, the following day I was forced to travel to the Far East on an extremely important business trip, so I couldn’t follow things through myself.

‘However, I had some checks made and, finding you were free, I discussed getting married with the Reverend Peter, who made all the necessary arrangements—’

Completely flabbergasted, she protested, ‘But you hadn’t even spoken to me. How could you be so sure I’d marry you?’

‘I couldn’t be sure, of course…’ With a trace of arrogance, he added, ‘But I usually get what I want.’

She could easily believe it. Especially when it came to women.

‘The trip dragged on until the middle of last week,’ he continued, ‘but for the first time in my life I found I couldn’t keep my mind on business matters. I kept thinking about you, planning how to meet you when I got back.’

‘And then we met by accident…’ But, even as she said the words, some sixth sense made her wonder—had running into her been an accident?

Oh, don’t be a fool, she chided herself. What man in his right mind would do such a thing deliberately when there were plenty of other ways he could have met her?

For instance, if he’d wanted to get to know her so badly, why hadn’t he spoken to her in the car park at midday, while she had been disposing of her ruined lunch? It would have been a perfect opportunity.

Or, failing that, surely the next time he visited Cartel Wines he could have made some excuse to—

No, she wouldn’t have been there.

Though he couldn’t have known that she was leaving.

Or could he?

Somewhere at the back of her mind, a memory, an impression, tried to struggle to the surface and she knew that if she could only recall what it was she would have the answer to her question.

She was still cudgelling her brains when Richard glanced at his watch and said briskly, ‘We ought to be starting for home. You must be famished and, as we’re being married tomorrow, we have a lot to do.’

Though she wanted to marry him more than anything in the world, a vague uneasiness still nagging at her, a feeling that something wasn’t quite right, she began, ‘I don’t understand why we have to rush into it like this…Couldn’t we wait until—?’

Just for an instant his beautiful mouth tightened. Then he said coaxingly, ‘You’ve agreed to marry me, we have a priest, a chapel and a marriage licence, so why wait?’

‘I’ve nothing to wear,’ she pointed out. ‘I need to go back to the flat and fetch some clothes—’

He bent his dark head and kissed her mouth, nipping delicately at her bottom lip, distracting her, as he whispered, ‘I’d rather have you without any clothes.’

Trying to collect herself and sound severe, she began, ‘That’s all very well, but I must have something to get married in—’

‘Failing anything else, you could always wear the dress you wore to dinner last night.’

‘But it got marked when we walked though the tunnel,’ she pleaded.

‘I’ll ask Hannah to see that all your things are laundered and we’ll make time to buy you a whole new wardrobe before we go on our honeymoon.’

Diverted, she asked, ‘Are we going on honeymoon?’

He looked surprised. ‘Of course. I thought we’d stick with the old tradition of spending our wedding night at Anders, in the nuptial bed…’

The nuptial bed… A little shiver of excitement ran down her spine.

‘Then go on to our chosen honeymoon destination the following day.’

It all sounded so solid, so conventional, that, her uneasiness taking flight, she teased, ‘I dare say you’ve already got it all arranged?’

He grinned appreciatively. ‘’Fraid not. I decided to find out where you wanted to go before I made any definite plans.’

‘How long will we be going for?’

‘A month. Longer if you wish…’

There was no harm in delaying the showdown; in fact it might be all to the good to allow a breathing space while they really got to know one other.

‘So, if you’d like to give it some thought and let me know,’ he added, ‘I’ll have Murray standing by.’

‘Murray?’

‘Captain Murray Tyler. I have a small private jet.’

That casual mention of owning his own plane made Tina realise afresh what a wealthy man she was marrying. But it wasn’t his money or his lifestyle that had attracted her. She would still have married him if he hadn’t had a penny.

‘We’d best be moving.’ He stood up and, taking her hands, pulled her to her feet. ‘Matthew Caradine, my solicitor, is coming at two o’clock.’

Surprised, she said, ‘On a Sunday?’

‘There are one or two things that need to be settled before tomorrow,’ he told her casually.

When they had both donned their riding hats, he lifted her into the saddle, swung himself up behind her and a moment later they were heading for home at a canter.

Admittedly it hadn’t been quite as easy as he might have hoped, but he had achieved what he’d set out to achieve. Tomorrow he would be her husband; he would be in a much stronger position once she’d signed the marriage contract that Matthew Caradine had drawn up.

When lunch was over Richard asked for coffee to be served in their suite and, an arm around Tina’s waist, escorted her up the stairs.

Once their coffee cups were empty, he said seriously, ‘When we get married I shall use the wedding ring my mother bought my father…’

Knowing that some men preferred to hide the fact that they were married, Tina was only too pleased that Richard wasn’t one of them.

‘Until we have time to go and choose your rings,’ he was going on, ‘I’d like you to use my mother’s. If you’re quite happy with that?’

‘Are you sure she wouldn’t have minded?’

‘I’m certain. It was her stated intention to give her rings to my future wife—should she want them, that is.’

A warm feeling spreading inside, Tina assured him, ‘Then, if they fit, I’d love to wear them.’

‘Of course I’m talking about the rings my father bought her. Bradley, who apparently was very jealous, hated to see her wearing them, so when they were married she took them off and kept them in her secret drawer along with my father’s wedding ring…’

He went over to the writing desk where, placed centrally above several small drawers faced with oyster shell and inlaid with box, their handles made of mother-of-pearl, was a shallow recess.

Tina watched with undisguised interest as, a hand at either end, he reached into the space and a moment later what had appeared to be a solid back slid forward to reveal a drawer some thirty centimetres long, twenty wide and ten deep.

From it he took a small box covered in dark blue velvet and flicked open the lid to show a heavy gold signet ring, a delicate chased gold wedding band and an exquisite matching diamond solitaire.

‘Her fingers were very slim, like yours, so I think they’ll fit.’

He took out the solitaire and, lifting Tina’s strong but slender left hand with its pearly oval nails, slid it on to the fourth finger.

It fitted perfectly and she caught her breath as the huge stone flashed with internal fire.

Nodding his approval, Richard replaced the box containing both the wedding rings and sent the secret drawer sliding back into the recess. It seemed to catch slightly before finally settling into place.

The long-case clock in the corner was just striking two o’clock and at that instant Milly tapped at the door to announce that the solicitor had arrived.

‘Coming?’ Richard cocked an eyebrow at Tina.

‘I thought I’d stay here while you—’

He shook his head firmly. ‘There’s one thing that concerns you.’

‘What kind of thing?’ she asked as they made their way back downstairs.

‘We need to agree on a suitable settlement in the event of a divorce.’

A cold chill ran down her spine. ‘Oh, but I—’

Seeing that involuntary shiver, he said reassuringly, ‘Don’t worry, it’s just a formality. But it’s something that has to be gone through.’

The solicitor was waiting in the study. Almost as tall as Richard but a good deal heavier, he was a pleasant-looking middle-aged man with greying hair and jowls.

‘Good of you to come at such short notice,’ Richard said as the two men shook hands.

He turned to Tina and, drawing her forward, went on, ‘Darling, this is Matthew Caradine…Matthew, my fiancée, Valentina Dunbar.’

The solicitor took Tina’s proffered hand with a friendly smile and said, ‘It’s nice to meet you, Miss Dunbar…’

Then, to Richard, ‘I’ve drawn up the necessary documents to cover all the points you mentioned.’

‘Good.’

‘There’s really only the one pertaining to your marriage that concerns Miss Dunbar and, as you requested, I’ve kept it simple. So, if you’d like to get that out of the way first?’

At Richard’s nod he opened his black briefcase and, taking out a single sheet of paper, handed it to Tina. ‘Perhaps you’d be good enough to read that and, if you’re satisfied with the contents, sign it?’

She took the document and, sitting down in one of the armchairs, proceeded to read it while the two men stood and watched her in silence.

It was, as the solicitor had said, short and simple. It stated that if, for whatever reason, they were divorced, while Richard would be happy to buy her a house and pay her maintenance—the amount was so generous it made her blink—she had to relinquish any claim to the castle.

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