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squeezing his hand in hers that startled him so much as the fact that, in her excitement, she was also pressing it against her chest. He didn’t think she even realized what she was doing. Truly, the woman was beyond excited and it left him completely bewildered until what she’d said sank in. Frowning, he asked, “You’re rich?”
    “Oh, goodness yes. My grandfather Sefton divided his wealth between myself and my sisters when he died, leaving it to be dowers for each of us. So you see, I have that fortune you need. Isn’t it wonderful?”
    “Sefton you say?” he asked slowly, recognizing the name at once. Everyone knew the name Sefton. The man had surpassed even Richard for having the Midas touch and had earned the name Old Money Bags Sefton decades ago. They said he’d amassed more wealth than the king himself. There had been some rumors when he’d died that he’d left his money to his dead daughter’s husband and his daughters. What was the name? he wondered, but found it hard to think with his hand nestled in the valley between Suzette’s breasts. It was clasped in her hands and he wasn’t actually touching any flesh, but just the sight was rather distracting. Fortunately, she eased her hold on him then and let his hand slip away and he was able to think again. A name came to him then. “Madison?”
    “Yes, Suzette Madison.” She nodded, practically dancing on the spot with a glee he didn’t quite understand. “And my sisters are Lisa and Christiana.”
    Daniel frowned, thinking back over what she’d said. She needed a poor husband? That just didn’t even make sense. A woman only married a poor man for love, and then most noble women wouldn’t even allow love to sway them into such a marriage. Wealth was everything in the ton. So why would a rich woman need a poor husband? There was no reason he could think of . . . unless she was in dire straits and needed a man who was poor and desperate enough to marry her at once. Which led him right back to the first reason he’d supposed she needed to marry so quickly.
    “You are with child?” he asked uncertainly, his eyes dropping to her petite waistline. She didn’t look pregnant, and that wouldn’t explain how the father was involved.
    “What?” she asked with surprise, but rather than be offended, merely snorted and rolled her eyes. “No, of course I’m not with child. What kind of woman do you take me for?”
    A good question, Daniel thought dryly because really, he hadn’t a clue what kind of woman she was. He’d never met anyone quite like her and all he really knew so far was that she was in some sort of trouble and full of surprises. “Then why do you need a poor husband? And didn’t you say you needed to find one tonight? What other reason is there for such a need than to avoid the scandal of an illegitimate pregnancy?”
    Suzette sighed, some of her excitement slipping away as she admitted, “To avoid a different kind of scandal.”
    When Daniel raised one eyebrow, she hesitated and then said, “I suppose I really should explain if you are going to marry me.”
    His other eyebrow flew up at that, but Suzette didn’t notice. She was looking about, and spotting a bench under a tree a little further into the garden, caught his hand and dragged him that way, saying, “Come, I shall explain all.”

Chapter Two
    “S o you see, I need to marry and claim my dower so I can pay off Father’s gambling debts before they become common knowledge and we are all sunk in scandal,” Suzette finished in a rush. Truthfully, she had rushed through the entire explanation of the trouble their father had got them into as quickly as she could. Fast as she had been though, she’d included everything, even that Robert Langley’s letter had drawn their father to town to check on Christiana. Now she bit her lip and waited, watching as Daniel Woodrow considered all she’d revealed.
    Suzette was desperately hoping that he wouldn’t be put off by what