Once Upon an Irritatingly Magical Kiss by Bree Wolf
Chapter Nine
In Service of a Friend
For a moment, Christina felt as though the room was suddenly spinning. Her vision blurred, and a strange rushing, gurgling sound echoed in her ears. She continued to stare at Mr. Sharpe like a simpleton, as though she could not make out the words he had said. Yet they echoed within her mind over and over again.
We shall be married.
Yes, his reply had taken her aback. She had not expected him to respond in this manner. Had he not seemed rather obstinate before when it came to his impending union with Sarah? Why now the sudden change of heart?
Of course, from a rational standpoint, it should not matter to him whether he married Sarah or her. In fact, objectively speaking, Christina would be the better match. After all, her father would bestow a generous dowry upon her—which considering his own fortune would perhaps not have much sway with Mr. Sharpe—and her family’s connections would no doubt see Mr. Sharpe elevated in position, opening doors for him and assisting his business ventures. So, yes, she understood why he was so ready to agree to this marriage.
Blasted man! Had all this been nothing but a ruse to secure her hand in marriage? Had it not been a coincidence that he had stumbled upon her here in the library? Indeed, with each passing second, that scenario seemed more likely than any other.
Fury once again burned in her veins, and for a split second, Christina was tempted to fling herself at him, determined to inflict physical pain however she could. Who did he think he was? Coming here, to London, into her sister’s home and manipulate her in such a way? Had everything been nothing but a ploy? The way he had…looked at her, reached for her?
Christina still felt the warmth of his hands upon her waist. She still remembered the fleeting brush of his breath against her lips. Indeed, she had lost herself in that moment. She had allowed herself to be manipulated. She had been so cautious and suspicious of him from the start, and yet in the very moment when she had needed her wits about her, his mere presence had robbed her of every rational thought.
Angry at herself, Christina felt her hands ball into fists, and she quickly hid them in the folds of her skirts. She did not want him to know how deeply he unsettled her, angered her. She did not want him to know that he had outsmarted her.
He had, had he not?
Shame sent heat to her cheeks, and Christina held onto the thought that at least now she would have the chance to refuse him. To put him in his place. To reject him. Never, no matter the circumstances, would her parents force her to accept a man she did not wish to marry. Yes, her reputation would be in tatters; however, there were worse fates than—
Christina paused as a new thought slowly found its way into her mind. Indeed, she did not want to marry him. No woman in her right mind would want to marry him. Neither did Sarah. Nonetheless, if he were to marry her, Christina, Sarah would be safe.
Aware that everyone in the room was staring at her, waiting for her reply, for her answer, Christina turned away and began to pace, her gaze falling on her slippers, still lying by the foot of the armchair she had sat in before…when the world had still followed its usual rotation.
“Nothing has to be decided right now, does it?” her sister Leonora asked, her eyes slightly widened and deep concern in her voice as she looked toward their parents.
Not long ago, Leonora had almost been blackmailed into marriage for the sake of her sisters, worried that her ruined reputation might harm them all. Ultimately, however, all had ended well, and Leonora had married a man she genuinely loved, a man who had come to her aid without a moment’s hesitation. Still, Christina could see that the threat of a forced marriage still lingered in her heart, giving her voice that touch of fear as though she were the one standing at this crossroad.
“Of course not,” their father replied, his face tense as he was no doubt torn into various directions. Of course, everyone knew that recovering from such a scandal was almost impossible for a woman. Nonetheless, their parents had always insisted their children make their own decisions, for better or for worse. Free will: it was the only way to live one’s life and find happiness. Her parents had always believed that to be a universal truth.
Never would Christina have thought that only days after Leonora, she herself would find herself in a similar situation, forced to decide between her own wishes and what might be best for those she loved. Indeed, if she married Mr. Sharpe, it would certainly protect her family’s reputation as much as it would protect Sarah.
Christina turned and looked at Mr. Sharpe, trying to imagine spending the rest of her life at his side. Yes, he was a nuisance of a man. Teasing and mocking, and those sharp eyes of his saw more than she would have liked. However, as far she could tell, he was decent enough for her not to worry about her well-being as the man’s wife. Indeed, she had always been made of sterner stuff than Sarah or even Leonora. Yes, she would be able to handle him. She would not allow him to bully her into submission. No, she would hold her head high and perhaps she would even be able to teach him how to treat a lady. God knew, he needed the lesson!
“Mr. Sharpe,” her father addressed him, “I have heard it said that you hail from the North?”
Mr. Sharpe nodded and provided a quick overview of his business dealings, including the cotton mill in Manchester.
“And what brings you to town?” Leonora’s husband, Drake, inquired, that look of protectiveness in his gaze that Christina had come to appreciate. Before it had only ever been directed at Leonora. Now, it seemed he was extending it to the rest of her family. Indeed, her sister had made a wise choice.
Christina looked at Mr. Sharpe, wishing that she, too, would have had such a chance. Even if she refused him, no decent gentlemen would now seek her favors. If she refused him, she would be worse off than Sarah.
“I believe,” Mr. Sharpe began, the look upon his face determined as his gaze moved from Drake to Christina’s father, “that fair labor should be a requirement in all business dealings. I have seen far too many workers injured or killed because of unsuitable working conditions. It is something, I believe, needs to be regulated by the law.”
The expression upon her father’s face relaxed, the look in his eyes becoming intrigued. “You seek to rally support?”
Mr. Sharpe nodded. “Quite frankly, I feel very much at home in Manchester. However, London is the place where one must travel to see any changes made to labor laws. I came here to see those I am responsible for, as well as others in their position, better protected. Thus far, it rests within each mill owner’s discretion to determine working conditions. Unfortunately, few take this responsibility seriously.” His voice darkened, and Christina was surprised to see his teeth grind together, his jaw tensing, as he spoke of something that clearly stirred anger within his heart.
Her father nodded in approval, and it was obvious that Mr. Sharpe had risen in his opinion. “That is very commendable. I would like to hear more of this issue,” he glanced at Christina, “at another time.”
Christina was not certain whether or not she liked the fact that hearing Mr. Sharpe speak with such compassion about the needs of others somehow endeared him to her…at least a little. It seemed he did possess a kind and caring side, somewhere below that obnoxious surface he generally portrayed in her presence. He was perhaps not the worst sort of man after all. However, he was not a gentleman. A gentleman would not have done what he had. A gentleman would not have maneuvered her into a position where she had no choice but to comply with his wishes.
Christina frowned as she realized her own thoughts were far from accurate. Yes, somehow, she wanted there to be good people and bad people. People who could be trusted, and people who could not. Would that not make the world a simpler place? Only the truth was far from simple. Indeed, there were those who were considered gentlemen who would surely commit deeds most heinous in order to achieve their goals. Had she not just learned that very lesson when Leonora had been blackmailed by a gentleman of the ton? Indeed, he had possessed breeding and standing, fortune and connections, and yet he had been the vilest sort of man.
He still was a most vile man.
Perhaps Mr. Sharpe, in comparison, was indeed the lesser of two evils. Perhaps, Christina thought, she simply ought to see this as a challenge. After all, she possessed strength and daring and no small measure of forthrightness.
“Very well,” Christina said into the momentary stillness, her eyes drifting from her parents to her sister and then to Mr. Sharpe.
“Very well?” she heard her sister ask, her voice slightly trembling with anxiety. “What do you mean?”
At her words, Mr. Sharpe’s gaze narrowed, yet a slow smile teased the corners of his mouth as he looked at her, watched her and waited. She could see amusement and curiosity dancing in those eyes of his, teasing her and mocking her as he always did. However, she saw nothing that frightened her or made her worry about her well-being. Perhaps, just perhaps, he was a more or less decent man after all.
And she would certainly be able to handle him. How hard could it be?
And Sarah would be safe.
At least for now.
“Yes,” Christina replied to her sister’s question; her gaze, however, never veered from Mr. Sharpe’s. “I will marry him.”
Silence fell over the room before all their voices seemed to erupt at once. While her parents urged her to delay and think this through, her sister objected outright to her decision. Mr. Sharpe, on the other hand, smiled at her, the look in his eyes reminding her of his earlier question.
How far would you go? Would you take her place?
Never would Christina have expected this day to end in such a way. Yet here she was, all but betrothed to a man she had only yesterday considered a scoundrel and the worse sort of man imaginable. Today, well, she had to admit that he was not…all bad. To her utter shock, it seemed they shared certain similarities. They both had a way of speaking their minds that was rarely appreciated by those around them. In fact, Christina could not say that she appreciated his outright manner. Still, perhaps, with time, they would learn to get along.
And perhaps a kiss would be worth the bother of teaching Mr. Sharpe proper manners.
If only she did not have to wait!