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She looked around the kitchen, froh ceilings above, flickering in the firelight of the eighteenth-century brick fireplace

“You do live well,” she said ruefully She rubbed the back of her head, and her dark hair seemed to cascade down her shoulders like chestnut silk She looked up at him “But the only rich family is one that is filled with love”

A low ache settled at the base of his throat “That sounds nice” Turning away, he picked up his glass of wine from the counter “Whatever love one by the tiot ht—or else they tried to use ainst each other It was a relief when they finally divorced”

“I’m so sorry,” Carrie said

But he didn’t want her pity “For the sake of love,” he said acidly, “e For the sake of love, my mother has married four times and had children by three different men”

Carrie shook her head “No wonder you want a loveless e,” she whispered “You have no idea what true love even is”

He stiffened “I knohat it is Illusion Infatuation People think ic The harder you try to hold on to it, the quicker it will end Love always ends And it usually ends badly”

“But—”

“Did you know that in ? The color worn to a funeral?” he interrupted “A wedding is celebrated as the beginning of love” He looked away “In truth, it is the end”

“So why did you ask me to marry you, then?” Her voice sounded sodden “If you think e is so awful?”

He looked at her sharply “I’e”

“But you just said—”

“I’ for the sake of roe

can be the foundation of a solid hoht It’s a friendship A partnership The start of a family”

“Without love?”