Suzette nodded again, her mouth twisting bitterly. She really wished the man was dead. It would only be justice considering that what he’d done was forcing her to marry so hurriedly.

“Did he take your father to the gaming hell the first time?”

Suzette blinked with surprise. “No,” she said at once and then frowned and said, “Actually, maybe.”

Daniel raised his eyebrows. “Which is it?”

Suzette bit her lip. “I’m not sure. I was reading in the attic when Dicky arrived at Madison and I overheard his conversation with Father.” She paused to explain, “The attic stretches across the house and for some reason you can hear what’s said in Father’s office in one spot up there and it just happened to be where I was reading.”

“It just happened to be, did it?” he asked with an amused grin.

Suzette blushed, but continued, “Anyway, I heard when Dicky offered to pay Father’s debts in exchange for Christiana’s hand in marriage and he did say something about feeling responsible for Father’s gambling that night.” She frowned. “I don’t recall him saying why he felt responsible though . . . but it could have been because he took him there that time too, don’t you think?”

“It’s possible,” Daniel agreed quietly, his expression turning thoughtful.

Suzette sat fidgeting for a moment, but finally asked, “So? Will you marry me?”

Daniel seemed startled by the question and suddenly sat up straight. “Oh . . . er . . .”

“It is the perfect solution for both of us,” Suzette pointed out anxiously. Truly, she was almost desperate to convince him. She simply abhorred the idea of having to marry Lord Willthrop or any of the others she’d danced with tonight. This man, however . . . Well, she found him attractive at least. And so far he hadn’t displayed any unbearable habits like picking at spots, though to be fair, he didn’t seem to have any spots to pick at. But he also hadn’t leered at her once, there was no incessant sniffling and she hadn’t noticed him having bad breath.

Frowning at that last thought, she leaned a little closer to him on the bench seat, put her nose by his mouth and sniffed delicately, but didn’t notice any unpleasant smells.

“What are you doing?” he asked with amazement.

“Nothing,” she said, straightening quickly. Suzette then continued with her argument, pointing out, “You need a rich wife to gain the money to repair your estate and lands, and I have that money. And I need a husband willing to allow me access to some of my dower to pay off my father’s debts and . . .” She hesitated and bit her lip, worried this next part might be an issue, but really she would have to bring it up eventually if she stuck to her plan so plunged on, “And I should like an agreement stating that I may live my own life.”