“I told you,” he said, “I was born an orphan. I haven’t any family.”

She looked up at him. This mysterious, fascinating, complicated man that would soon be her husband. Her heart thumped hard. “You do now.”

Chapter 16

Alex stood in front of the rickety wooden washstand in Teddy’s bedroom, lathering his jaw with lemon verbena-scented shaving soap. After accepting his proposal, Laura had insisted he come inside and refresh himself from his journey.

There was little alternative.

He had no accommodations in the village yet. And the vicar wasn’t likely to welcome him back at the vicarage—not now that he knew the shameless way Alex had exploited George.

“A marriage of convenience.” Teddy sat across the room in his wheeled chair, watching Alex shave with a doubtful expression. “And Laura’s agreed to it?”

“She has.” Alex’s chest tightened to recall it.

He hadn’t known what to expect when he’d approached Laura in the garden. And when she’d consented to marry him—when he’d slipped the ruby ring on her finger—there was a part of him that couldn’t quite take it in.

She’d been right to accuse him of being a chameleon. His life since he’d left North Devon was one of artifice and illusion. But his proposal to Laura had been all too real.

Had she refused him, it would have been a devastating blow.

“When?” Teddy asked.

Alex wiped his hands on the wet cloth that hung beside the basin. “We haven’t set a day yet.” He picked up his shaving razor. “But soon.”

“Tomorrow,” Teddy said.

“If that’s what your sister wants.”

The door creaked open a crack. It was the cat, poking its head through. When it saw Teddy, it trotted the rest of the way into the room and jumped onto his desk.

Teddy gave the beast a cursory stroke. “She will. Her birthday is on Saturday. She’ll want to be married before then.”

“You’re very certain.”

“I know my sister. She’ll do what she thinks is best for everyone—even if it makes her unhappy in the end.”

Alex’s hand stilled on his razor, midway through a downward stroke along the edge of his jaw. He met Teddy’s gaze in the mirror. “You don’t sound as if you approve of our marrying.”

“I don’t disapprove. If not for you, she’d have drowned at Margate. I know that. So does my aunt, though she won’t admit it. You saved Laura’s life. But that doesn’t give you the right to make what’s left of it a misery.”

“I don’t intend to. Which is why I’ll likely be leaving at some point in future.”

“Huh.” Teddy appeared unimpressed by this revelation. “Where will you go?”