Wronged (Book 1) Read online

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  Louis didn’t like the way he’d left Marian’s house but he didn’t know how to change her mind. He’d underestimated her and should have realized she would recognize his reasons for marrying her were false. His thoughts had centered on his desires, not love, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t eventually come. People married for business reasons all the time. She’d made him seem evil for considering the idea of marrying her. Eventually she’d tire of being involved with the business and miss spending time with her children. What would she do then?

  Most of the time he could charm what he wanted from a woman, with little or no consideration for her feelings, until this morning.

  But Marian was not as easily persuaded. She recognized he wasn’t sincere and yet somehow leaving her upset and angry this morning troubled him. Confusion seemed to fill his mind, not knowing what he really wanted the most, Marian, Cuvier Shipping, or that damn mill he was so intent on acquiring.

  He’d never been good at honesty, but last night she’d been warm and sincere and this morning he’d lied to her, though it wasn’t a total lie. He wouldn’t mind being married to Marian.

  And why would she marry him if he were honest with her about his reasons for the proposal? Not a single reason came to mind. So he lied and tried to somehow convince her that he wanted to marry her because he loved her.

  Coming from his lips the words rang false even to his own ears. He had shuddered at the sound of the lie clanging like a gong between them. He should never have attempted to persuade Marian to marry him for love. Yet most women would have jumped at his proposal without a declaration from the heart.

  Marian had to be unique.

  A knock interrupted his thoughts and he went to the door of the rooms he rented in the French Quarter.

  He opened the door to see a messenger standing there and signed for the note. Breaking the seal he quickly scanned the message.

  Dear Mr. Fournet,

  I have a party interested in Cuvier Shipping. Please contact me at your earliest convenience.

  Sincerely,

  Stephen Hudson, Attorney

  Louis stared at the missive, feeling more pressure than ever before. Someone wanted to buy the business. He could finally obtain his goal once he sold Cuvier Shipping! But first he had to convince Marian that he really desired to marry her.

  How did you convince a woman she should marry you, when she recognized you for the obsessed, business-oriented bastard that you were?

  A man serious about marriage found a woman he wanted for a mate and courted her until he expressed his undying devotion. Louis considered himself an amateur at courting, a professional at seduction.

  Even Anne, his first wife, he never really courted. Good friends all their life, they married young, very much in love, or so he believed. Now he wasn’t sure he believed in love anymore. He tried to remember how he felt about Anne, but it seemed like one day they were happy, decorating the nursery, and then she was gone. He remembered feeling lost, like everything important had departed, leaving him alone.

  No, he couldn’t remember what love felt like. He just remembered the loss, the empty feeling of Anne’s death, the guilt he felt that their marriage cost her life.

  With a sigh, he walked over to the window and stared down into the street. He still wanted to buy the mill but he needed Marian to sell Cuvier Shipping. Getting past Marian’s barriers to gain control of the business seemed impossible. There could only be one solution.

  Courting. How hard could it be to convince a woman he wanted to marry her? Seduction or courting, they were both the same game, though with different results.

  Marian Cuvier was about to be swept off her feet and he intended to begin right after he spoke with the attorney.