It would be too late, if it took Swann a few months to realize that Verity didn't belong on whatever pedestal he'd put her on. By then, the attorney would hopefully set about building an amicable marriage instead of one based on true love. But that wasn't as optimistic as Ford tended to be, so Noble scoured his mind for a different answer.

"Verity can be very charming," Noble said instead, "And — if he's presuming that they're meant to be, then that should be enough." It relied on Verity deciding to be charming for enough time to fall pregnant. It relied on Swann being silly enough to be drawn in by charm. But it was too late to change their minds on the engagement — although Noble had not been consulted for the permission — and so they had to rely on Verity's charm.

She'd been Head Girl once. Noble could find her grating, but that didn't mean everyone else did. Maybe they just had to have faith — in her, and in Swann.

He didn't like being in so tenuous a situation, but he suspected they did not have any other choice. Especially given the information Noble had about Verity's kidnapping — information he was fairly certain Ford lacked.

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