They both lived in a ruthless time, when most of what mattered was the society’s opinion on one’s self. Reputation was therefore as valuable as gold and to have one’s own tarnished was sometimes worse than being disowned by the family, for it was the rest of London’s upper class who was disowning the person. Because of this, Nicholas understood what made Claire very upset. However, what he did not know yet was whether or not to believe in what the young woman just told him. 

He had listened with his mouth in a flat line, and his face blank. She had stared at him the whole time, those green eyes desperate and pleading for him to believe the truth in her words. Yet there was nothing to support her words. It was indeed Mr. Wallace’s word against hers. The unfortunate thing was that in the world where they lived in, a man’s lie weighed more than the truth professed by a woman. Nick had no reason to believe her neither did he any reason to discover the truth of the matter. Her mishap made it possible for their arranged marriage to happen, and he needed the marriage to complete his mission. Therefore whether or not what she was saying was true, he was thankful that her reputation was damaged.

Whatever he was thinking need not surface though. On the outside, Nick held his wife who was trembling like a leaf in autumn. His arm tightened around her then he planted a soft kiss on her forehead. “Hush,” he murmured into her hair. “That is all in the past, Claire. You have me now.” [i]For now,[/i] he thought. [i]For a short while.[/i]

“I am married to you, and I have every reason to trust you.” Nick turned to his side so he could look her straight in the eye. When he agreed to marry Claire, both he and Bennett thought that she was an adulterer, whose fondness in involving herself with other married men would not complicate Nick’s secret life. He planned on allowing her to do as she pleased, even if it meant sleeping with other men. But here was a woman whose life was allegedly broken into pieces by a single lie. 

Nick’s free hand touched her face. He used his thumb to wipe the remaining tears on her face then he smiled and hoped that his expression looked sympathetic and reassuring. She was correct. Everyone assumed that she was a whore and by everyone, it meant including him. But as a good husband, he cannot admit that to her face. At the same time, he cannot give in to the temptation that was her soft body pressed against him. If what she said was true, then more than ever, he could never deserve her. 

Nick was already using her as a tool. He thought it utterly unfair to take advantage of their situation. After him, she could find a suitable husband whom she could really spend the rest of her life with. Maybe that man would marry her for love, or maybe not, but that man could never be him.

“It doesn’t matter that we got married because of our fathers. I agreed to take you as my wife even after hearing about the rumors about you circulating in London. This means I will accept and will tolerate you whether or not the rumors are true. So don’t cry, Claire,” he told her. And by saying those words, he did lie, but what was he to say that will not make her more upset? That he married her because she was what Bennett called the lowest hanging fruit? Meanwhile, the same hand that wiped her tears moved to her hair to pull the ribbons out one by one. Then he made sure her hair was free by running his hand on its soft length. “I like you better smiling, even if you are smiling because you have thought of a perfectly evil plan to get back at me for something I did to upset you. And I like touching your hair. Not to mention kissing you. Here.” His thumb brushed over her lips lightly then the same hand touched her chin and tilted her face up so he could have better access to her soft lips. Nick kissed her, gently at first, gaining momentum until they were both out of breath. He pulled away only to turn his attention to the line of her jaw, which he traced with light kisses. “You are a wonderful person, Claire Elizabeth Rochford,” he whispered to her ear, breathing heavy, deliberately attaching his name to hers. “And now we are stuck with each other. Together.” 

He withdrew and lay down on his back, while her head was on his shoulder and her arm rested on his stomach. Staring up at the ceiling, he added, “Stop thinking about the past or what London thinks. You have me now. As your husband, it’s my duty to stand by you so go to sleep. Everything is going to be alright.” Nick smiled and looked at her sideways. “Trust me, everything is going to be alright.”