A Little Bit Sinful(53)

“Are you quite certain you want to go through with this?” Ella whispered next to her.

“Yes, it is the only way,” Clarissa said.

Ella shook her head vehemently. “Not true.”

“What are my other options?”

“You could not marry George.”

“He is the man I’m supposed to marry. We’re a perfect match.” Or at least they were supposed to be the perfect match. She’d spent so much time believing that, could she question it now? Especially in light of what she’d seen of George. Still, Clarissa intended to follow Rebecca’s recommendation. She knew from experience that her own personal instincts left much to be desired. So despite her doubts, Clarissa intended to adhere to her late sister-in-law’s suggestion.

If she were to rely on her own choice, she’d end up married to a gaming hell owner, not at all a suitable choice for a lady. Besides, she’d been pursuing George her entire adult life—she couldn’t turn back now. If she walked away from George, then who was she? What did she know of herself if she didn’t know that she was meant to be his wife? And who would she marry? There weren’t any other men lining up to pursue her. She wasn’t eccentric enough to be a successful spinster.

Ella shook her head, her perfectly coifed curls bounced with her movement. “I don’t think so. I don’t believe you suit at all. You’re vibrant and funny and I hate to see you waste your life married to him. I don’t trust him.”

“You’re only saying that because you’ve known him forever. Since you were a girl. You don’t know him the way I do.” But even as she said the words, they felt false to her.

“Well, you’ll certainly be able to say that after tonight.” Ella eyed her. “I wish you would reconsider, but I know you and once you have your mind set, nothing will change it. I will help, as I promised I would, but know that I’m not happy about it.”

Clarissa swallowed hard and nodded. “Duly noted. I promise to do the same someday when you set your cap for some gentleman I don’t approve of.”

“How do you know that will happen?”

“I know you and no doubt you’ll fall for some poet who has no income and doesn’t like to wear undergarments.”

Ella’s eyes widened. “My goodness but you’ve become rather worldly.”

Clarissa turned her attention back to George. When he came to retrieve her for his dance, Ella was supposed to send him to meet her elsewhere. The room she found was perfect and no one would be the wiser. It wouldn’t even take a kiss or a touch. Once they were found alone together, she’d be compromised. George would be urged to marry her. He’d come to his senses and propose.

Now was the time. She looked at her friend. “Wish me luck,” she said.

“Most definitely.” Ella grabbed both of Clarissa’s hands and looked her straight in the eye. “I’m not leaving you in there for very long. I don’t want him to ravish you. Oh, Clarissa, do be careful.”

Clarissa squeezed her friend’s hands and nodded. She made her way to the room where she was to meet George. It was a billiards room, but one that was apparently no longer in use. Lord Wooten had recently purchased all new billiard tables and had moved them into a larger room upstairs, leaving this smaller room completely unused.

There were currently three billiard tables in the room and it looked as if they’d also brought in some unused chairs stacked against the far wall. There was a door at the other end of the room that she assumed led into a closet. There were no windows and no one had passed through the corridor outside while she had stood there earlier in the evening.

It was perfect. She would grab his attention by letting him know that she knew of his favorite game. Then when Ella found them alone, he would do the honorable thing and marry her.

George was a good man.

She paused, considering what she was about to do. Never did she think she’d be one of those women who trapped a man into marriage, but she needed to do this before she did something with Justin Rodale she couldn’t undo. Once she was officially betrothed to George, then she and Justin could simply be friends.

She had been so close to asking him to make love to her the other night. She’d so wanted it, with him, but that was the terrifying part. She was supposed to be with George. Not Justin Rodale. Rebecca had never cared for Justin; she’d always said he was too surly. Of course that wasn’t the way he was now, and Clarissa couldn’t help but wonder what her dear sister-in-law would think of Justin the man. She didn’t have long to consider it though as the door creaked open.