The Chosen Bride
he said matter-of-factly.
"You're not going to buy me with that... I wasn't your first choice, Ima was; otherwise, you wouldn't have asked her to accompany you first..."
"You're right; you weren't my logical choice," he pointed out without hesitation. "I knew well that you weren't made for this life, but after realizing that you didn't want to take away my position, my power, and especially my place and money, as well as making me the laughingstock of the world... You turned out to be the most sensible choice: you're reserved, no one knows you, and you're not ambitious. I couldn't ask for more."