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married and I can’t have her honorably. Anything less than that would destroy her reputation and mine. The only sensible thing to do is make a new life for myself. You and I aren’t strangers. We’ve known each other, casually at least, for several years, and quite well for the past two. You have qualities I admire. We might not have the mostpassionate marriage of all time, but I think we can deal very well together. Right now, both of us are extra people in the world.”
    She hadn’t expected him to say that. She expected coaxing and even a display of passion to make her fall in with his plans. His honesty left her without a defense.
    He looked at her slowly, deliberately, until she blushed. One eyebrow lifted slightly. “You might enjoy being married, Claire.”
    â€œIf I marry you, it will be—it will be just as friends,” she stammered. “I won’t— That is, I can’t…”
    â€œYou can’t share my bed,” he said for her, and the smile grew larger. “All right. We’ll leave it like that. For a while, at least.”
    â€œForever!” she exclaimed, embarrassed.
    â€œWhy, Claire. How red you look!”
    â€œYou stop teasing me!” She shifted nervously. “And you must promise.”
    He put his hand over his heart. “I promise, most sincerely, that I won’t ask you to do anything that makes you feel compromised. Will that suffice?”
    She unbent a little. After all, he was doing her a tremendous favor to offer her the protection of his name and the security of a home.
    â€œI don’t want to be her stand-in, you see,” she mumbled, under her breath.
    â€œI can understand that,” he told her. “I hope that you’ll always be so honest with me. In return, I’ll promise neverto lie to you.” His dark eyes were very intent. “I think we’ll get along.”
    She sighed wearily. “It seems an unlikely sort of business.”
    â€œGiven time, it may prove a blessing for us both. What sort of ring would you like?” he added, with a smile. “And suppose we shock Atlanta by getting married at the end of the month?”
    She almost gasped. “The end of the month? It will cause a scandal!”
    â€œProbably, but a nice one.”
    â€œI have no one to give me away.” She nibbled her lower lip and looked up at him, not realizing that she was capitulating. “You have family, surely. Will they want to come?”
    â€œMy family lives far away,” he said stiffly, not wanting to tell her why he couldn’t invite them to his wedding. “They won’t be able to come.”
    â€œOh. I see.” She sighed. “I shall have to walk down the aisle alone.”
    He smiled. “You’ll be a lovely bride, Claire. And I promise, it will be a very small wedding. Only the necessary people.”
    She didn’t give that another thought, for the moment. Oddly, it never occurred to her just who the necessary people would be…until it was too late.

3
    BECAUSE CLAIRE HAD BEEN SO DEVOTED TO HER uncle, and so involved in helping him, she hadn’t tried to make friends of the few other single women in the community. She felt that lack keenly as she was helped to get ready for the wedding ceremony by an excited Gertie. At least she had someone who was “family” at the most exciting event of her young life.
    â€œI wish your uncle could see you now, Miss Claire.” Gertie sighed. “You look pretty as a picture.”
    â€œOf course I do—the veil covers my face!” Claire teased, smiling. She didn’t have a traditional wedding gown. She wore an elaborate white silk-and-lace dress that she’d made for a debutante’s coming out. The debutante had decided at the last minute that she didn’t want it. It was Claire’s size, so she’d kept it for herself. She was glad now that she had. With the addition of a