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."There is no need to delay the event, is there?"It dawned on Iphiginia that, in his own way, Marcus was as ill at case as she was tonight.How odd that, having been through so much together, they should suddenly find themselves nervous around each other."No," she said.Marcus nodded once, satisfied."I shall make the arrangements.""Very well."Marcus took a swallow of brandy and moved on to study the statue of the Roman centurion."I thought we managed quite nicely this evening.""People are amazed that you are going to marry your mistress, you know.""You are not my mistress." Marcus set his glass down on a nearby table."You are my fiancee.The gossip will vanish once we are wed."Iphiginia glanced at the copy of Illustrations of Classical Antiquities on her desk."Are you certain?""Quite." Marcus sounded without any humor."Marriage fixes everything, you see."Iphiginia recalled the circumstances of Marcus's first marriage and winced."Yes.""It silences scandal before it can flower.It renders titillating gossip of an affair into extremely dull tea conversation.In short, Iphiginia, once we are married, we shall become a very boring subject so far as Society is concerned."Iphiginia gazed at him very steadily."Is that the reason you wish to marry me, sir? I would sooner return to Deepford than he wed in order to silence the threat of scandal.""No," Marcus said."It is not why I wish to marry you.I wish to marry you because you are the only woman I know who can keep me from becoming a clockwork man.«Marcus.» Iphiginia was shocked at the analogy."You cannot mean that.""But I do mean it." He hesitated, as though gathering himself to jump off a cliff into a rolling sea."I need you to keep me from becoming a victim of my own rules, Iphiginia."Iphiginia felt the talons of his deeply buried torment as though it were her own flesh they pierced.She knew.without a trace of doubt what his admission had cost him.Another rule broken, no doubt, she thought.She got to her feet and went around the corner of her desk.She stepped into his arms and framed his hard face with her hands."Marcus, pay close attention.You are in no danger of becoming an automaton.You are a warm, passionate man with extremely refined sensibilities.""Do you think so?" The dark intensity vanished from his voice.He grinned briefly."Well, in that case, it would probably be best not to delay our marriage.I'm not at all certain my refined sensibilities could withstand the strain of waiting.""No." Iphiginia stood on tiptoe to brush her lips against his faintly curved mouth."We would not want to stifle your warm, passionate nature any longer than necessary.""Or yours." Marcus folded her into an unshakable hold and kissed her thoroughly.He deepened the kiss until Iphiginia sighed softly and went limp in his arms."I love you, Marcus," she murmured against his throat.She was not certain he had heard her, but when he raised his head a moment later, his eyes were the color of ancient amber."I shall come for you at three tomorrow.I trust you will be ready."Iphiginia smiled."Should I wear white?" "You may wear whatever you wish." Marcus moved reluctantly away from her to scoop his hat up off her desk."Or nothing at all.Good night, Iphiginia.I shall look forward to tomorrow night.Do you realize that it will be the first time we will be able to make love in a bed?""How very convenient should you suffer another collapse after the event, my lord.""Adam will he coming by again today at five O'clock to take me for a drive in the park," Amelia announced at breakfast the following morning."What do you think I should wear, Iphiginia?"Iphiginia frowned over the gossip column in the morning paper.The article she had been reading featured a very recognizable "Mrs.B" and an equally obvious "Lord M." The news of the impending nuptials had been related in arch prose.The Polite World is agog this morning to learn that Lord M.has reportedly broken his most infamous rule."What did you say, Amelia?""I said, will you help me select something to wear for a drive in the park this afternoon?"Iphiginia looked up and saw the hopeful anticipation in her cousin's eyes.She smiled."You and I are very near the same size," Iphiginia said."You shall wear my saffron yellow walking gown and the pale yellow pelisse that goes with it.The color will be perfect on you."Amelia's eyes widened."But you have not yet had an opportunity to wear that gown and pelisse yourself.""It is yours with my blessings." Iphiginia refolded the newspaper and set it aside."Very kind." "Think nothing of it.We must both go shopping as soon as possible.You need some brighter gowns and I am weary of white.""It is very becoming on you." "Thank you, but white attire grows exceedingly dull after a while.I do not know why the ancients favored it." Iphiginia paused."You look very happy, Amelia.""I am happy." Amelia smiled slowly, as though surprised by the fact."Do you know, I have not felt this… this unburdened in years.To think that I was always terrified of coming face-to-face with Dodgson again.Yet when it actually happened, I experienced nothing but acute loathing and disgust.""And rightfully so.It was extremely satisfying to see his expression yesterday when he learned that you had the power to deny him entry into the investment pool.""Do you think that it is wrong of me to take such satisfaction from my revenge?""Don't be ridiculous.You exacted retribution and justice.You are entitled to a sense of satisfaction.""Adam says that Dodgson will probably not he able to recover from his recent financial reverses," Amelia confided."Apparently he is too far under the hatches to crawl back out on his own.""I shall certainly not waste any sympathy on him.And I cannot tell you how delighted I am to know that you care for Mr.Manwaring.He has been attracted to you since the moment you met, you know."I "I think I did know.I always felt a certain warmth toward him.But for some reason I could not allow myself to admit it.Then, yesterday, after I confronted Dodgson and watched him go down in defeat, I suddenly felt free to turn to Adam." Amelia smiled."Oh, Iphiginia, I do feel glorious today.""Excellent.Then you can help me deal with what I believe may be an extremely nasty case of wedding nerves."Nerves? You? Iphiginia, are you telling me you are anxious about this marriage to Masters?""Yes, I believe I am
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