Devil in Spring (The Ravenels #3)(59)

Pandora blinked and focused on him alertly. “Any amount of earnings?”

“As long as you’re seen to perform work that would justify it.”

“What does that mean?”

“In your case, you would have to take an active interest in the management of the company. You could also keep an annual bonus payment. I’ll ask Litchfield about sales commissions and a pension—you may be able to retain those as well. Here’s how we would structure it: Upon our marriage, when your business automatically transfers to me, I’ll put it in trust for you and hire you as the company president.”

“But . . . what about legal contracts? If I can’t sign anything, how could I enter into agreements with suppliers and stores, and how could I hire people—”

“We could hire a manager to assist you, on condition that he always comply with your wishes.”

“What about the company’s profits? They would go to you, wouldn’t they?”

“Not if you folded them back into the business.”

Pandora stared at him fixedly, her mind working over the idea, trying to comprehend what such a future would look and feel like.

The arrangement would give her more independence and authority than the law had ever intended a married woman to have. But she still wouldn’t be able to employ or fire anyone, or sign checks, or make decisions on her own. She would have to ask a male manager to sign contracts and agree to business deals on her behalf, as if she were a toddler. It would be difficult to negotiate for goods and services, because everyone would know that the ultimate authority lay not with her, but her husband.

It wouldn’t be ownership, but it would have the appearance of it. Rather like wearing a tiara and asking everyone to pretend she was royalty, when they all knew it was a sham.

Tearing her gaze from him, Pandora quivered with frustration. “Why can’t I own my business the way a man would, so no one could take it away from me?”

“I won’t let anyone take it from you.”

“That’s not the same. It’s all convoluted. It’s compromised.”

“It’s not perfect,” Gabriel agreed quietly.

Pandora paced in a small, tight circle. “Do you want to know why I love board games? The rules make sense, and they’re the same for everyone. The players are equal.”

“Life isn’t like that.”

“It certainly isn’t for women,” she said acidly.

“Pandora . . . we’ll set our own rules. I’ll never treat you as anything less than my equal.”

“I believe you. But to the rest of the world, I would be legally nonexistent.”

Gabriel reached out and caught lightly at her upper arm, interrupting her pacing. There was a ragged edge to his calmness now, like a hem that was coming unstitched. “You’ll be able to do the work you love. You’ll be a wealthy woman. You’ll be treated with respect and affection. You’ll—damn it, I’m not going to plead like a street beggar holding out his cap. There’s a way for you to have most of what you want—isn’t that enough?”

“What if our situations were reversed?” she shot back. “Would you give up all your legal rights and surrender everything you own to me? You’d never be able to touch a penny of your money, except by my leave. Think of it, Gabriel—the last contract you’d ever sign would be our marriage contract. Would marrying me be worth that?”

“That’s not a sane comparison,” he said with a scowl.

“Only because in one case, a woman gives up everything, and in the other, a man does.”

His eyes flashed dangerously. “Is there nothing to be gained, then? Does the prospect of living as my wife have no appeal at all?” He took her in both hands, bringing her closer. “Say you don’t want me. Say you don’t want more of what we did last night.”

Pandora turned scarlet, her pulse running riot. She wanted to sink against him right then, and tug his head to hers and let him kiss her into obliviousness. But some stubborn, rebellious part of her brain wouldn’t be subdued.

“Would I have to obey you?” she heard herself ask.

His lashes lowered, and one of his hands came to the back of her head. “Only in bed,” he growled softly. “Outside of that . . . no.”

She took an unsteady breath, aware of strange pangs and zings of heat all through her body. “Then you’ll promise never to stop me from making my own decisions, even if you think it’s a mistake? And if you decide someday that my work isn’t good for me, that it poses a risk to my health or wellbeing or even my safety, you’ll guarantee that you’d never forbid me from doing it?”

Gabriel let go of her abruptly. “Damn it, Pandora, I can’t promise not to protect you.”

“Protecting can turn into controlling.”

“No one has absolute freedom. Not even me.”

“But you have so much of it. When someone has only a little of something, they have to fight to keep from losing any of it.” Realizing she was on the verge of crying, Pandora lowered her head. “You want to argue, and I know if we did, you’d score points and make it seem as if I were being unreasonable. But we could never be happy together. Some problems can never be solved. Some things about me can never be fixed. Marrying me would be just as impossible a compromise for you as it would be for me.”