Part 19 (2/2)
Arabella was still following him with her gaze when Lady Freemantle found her.
”I would call the Loring sisters' return to society a triumph,” Winifred declared with delight. ”And you *
have Lord Danvers to thank for it.”
”Yes, we do,” Arabella agreed with a smile. ”I have already expressed my grat.i.tude to him.”
Winifred's gaze narrowed on her. ”I think you ought to accept his offer of marriage, my dear. He would make you a good husband.”
Arabella felt her smile fading. ”Winifred, I know you mean well-”
Her ladys.h.i.+p held up her hands. ”I realize you don't want my interference, but it would ease my heart to see you well settled. But that is the last I shall say on the subject for this evening. For now I will take myself home. Give my love to Roslyn and Lilian.”
Arabella couldn't help but laugh as Winifred moved away. But when she turned to scan the crowd for her sisters, she found her mind wandering to her friend's comment.
Was it true that Marcus would make her a good husband? More crucially, what kind of marriage might she have with him if she agreed to become his wife and bear his children?
n.o.blemen of his stamp didn't readily give their hearts, and no matter how much she appreciated his kindness and protectiveness, she wasn't ready to risk the humiliation and pain of opening her own heart again and having it rejected. And without genuine, indisputable, mutual love, she had no desire whatsoever for marriage.
For the first time since his proposal, however, Arabella allowed herself to wonder what a union with Marcus would be like. If she were his wife, she would have a life of ease and comfort, with no financial worries. And she would be given the respect due his countess. As Marcus had pointed out, Lady Danvers would be able to lord it over all their haughty neighbors. Of course, marrying for status and fortune did not ensure happiness, nor could it prevent the kind of misery her parents had endured.
But could their courts.h.i.+p possibly develop into deeper feelings between them? Or was she just indulging in wishful thinking?
For the most part, she was content with her life. Her school was fulfilling, and she had wonderful sisters and friends. Yet admittedly she was lonely at times and found herself wanting something more. Four years ago, Arabella reminded herself, she had earnestly wanted a husband and family, just as Roslyn did now.
What if she were to seriously consider Marcus's proposal? Could they come to love each other over time? What kind of marriage could she hope to have with him?
More importantly, did she dare risk the hurt she had faced once before? She couldn't deny the thought was a little frightening.
Yet she didn't have to decide now, Arabella reflected. Their wager would last for one more week.
When it was over, she could declare her independence from Marcus. But meanwhile...what if she were to pretend their courts.h.i.+p was genuine?
She spied her sisters just then, and when they joined her, Roslyn was smiling serenely and even Lily looked pleased by the evening.
”I gather the ball was not as painful as you feared?” Arabella teased her youngest sister.
”No,” Lily agreed good-naturedly. ”It was indeed more pleasant than I expected. No doubt because everyone was eager to gain the earl's favor.”
”But you found him amiable and charming yourself,” Roslyn said, laughing. ”Come, admit it, Lily, your opinion of the earl has improved significantly.”
”True,” she conceded. ”Perhaps he isn't so very bad after all.”
As Arabella ushered her sisters toward the entrance doors, she had to acknowledge that Marcus had risen significantly in her own opinion. Not enough to affect her willingness to marry him, of course. She would have to think long and hard about taking so drastic a step.
But for the next week at least, she could perhaps allow their courts.h.i.+p to be real.
Chapter Ten.
It is foolish to let your heart become vulnerable when your dreams have been shattered once before.
-Arabella to f.a.n.n.y ”Perhaps you will condescend to explain,” Drew drawled as Marcus strode into the study of his London mansion the following afternoon, ”just what the devil you are up to, Marcus. There are rumors flying about that you are engaged to one of your wards. Pray tell us it isn't so.”
”The eldest ward, to be precise,” Heath added in a slightly more forgiving tone.
When Marcus had sent his two friends missives yesterday, asking for their company at the theater Wednesday evening, they'd demanded to know why he had avoided them all week. So he'd driven to London just now to spare them the trouble of hunting him down in Chiswick.
The n.o.blemen were waiting for him when he arrived and gave him no time even to sit down before launching into their inquisition.
With a sigh of resignation, Marcus settled on a sofa, prepared for a long debate. ”I am not engaged to Arabella at present, no. But it is true that I proposed to her.”
Drew stared at him, clearly troubled.
”It is also true,” Marcus continued, ”that she refused me out of hand. So for the past week, I've been at Danvers Hall, engaged in a campaign to change her mind.”
”Have you lost your own mind, old chap?” Heath said after a moment's silence.
”I am touched by your concern for my mental health,” Marcus replied dryly, ”but I believe I am in full possession of my faculties.”
Heath grinned. ”Well, I can fathom no other explanation for your demented behavior. You went to Chiswick last week for the purpose of settling your wards' futures, to arrange proper dowries for them so they could entice some suitable marital candidates. It sure as blazes was not supposed to be yourself.
I was only jesting before when I ragged you about proposing to one of them.”
”I know you were. And at the time I had no intention of offering for Arabella.”
”So what in h.e.l.l's name happened?” Drew asked with grave seriousness. ”We knew you were attracted to her, Marcus. But that doesn't mean you should willingly hang yourself in a marriage noose.”
”Contain your enthusiasm for me, will you?”
Drew's scoffing sound held impatience. ”Come now, you know we can't help but be alarmed and disappointed when you make such a momentous decision that will affect the rest of your life-and ours as well-without so much as a word to either of us.”
Marcus smiled faintly. ”Perhaps I said nothing because I knew you wouldn't approve.”
”You're claiming you actually want to be leg-shackled for life?”
”I'm afraid so. Don't look so glum, my friend. I haven't expired. It is only the avowed bachelor in me that has met his demise. It happens to the best of us sometimes.”
Drew's gaze narrowed in a scowl. ”I never expected it to happen to you-to any of us-for a long time to come.”
”Nor did I, believe me,” Marcus murmured. ”It caught me entirely by surprise.”
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