Cursed & Cherished--The Duke's Wilful Wife (#2 Love's Second Chance Series) Page 3

  The only thing Edmond could not unravel was why the women of the family went to such drastic measures to ensure that he would choose Miss Anna for his bride. Because clearly that was the purpose of their charade.

  Chapter Four − A Proposal

  Allowing the evening to play before his eyes, Edmond sat back in his armchair, a glass of brandy in his hand. Although his visit had been unexpected, the staff of his townhouse had seen to everything in a matter of moments and ensured a relaxing evening. Golden flames danced in the fireplace, warming his chilled limbs. The cold March air still clung to his skin, and he downed the brandy hoping to warm himself from within.

  What was the purpose of this ruse? He wondered. Were they ‘saving’ the more amiable sister for another suitor? Feeling slightly snubbed, Edmond wondered who could possibly be a more welcome suitor than he. One who is not bankrupt, a small voice whispered.

  The question remained; what ought he to do? Should he walk away and find another daughter with a sizable dowry? Or should he just make his choice from among Mr. Hanford’s daughters? The man had clearly indicated Edmond could take his pick, and he would not refuse his proposal.

  If he followed his acquaintances’ suggestions, his choice should fall on Miss Hanford, de-spite her strangely ill-mannered behaviour that night. From the glimpses he had caught of her true self, he could tell that she was an amiable, young lady who would cause him no trouble. She would be obliging, obedient and observant of his needs.

  Yet, his mind kept dragging him back to the mischievous twinkle in Miss Anna’s emerald eyes, the way her lips curled up or even how she rolled her eyes at him when she thought he wasn’t looking. There was something to her that tempted him, and he realised he wanted to know the depth of her character. Would she be trouble? He wondered. Hearing his own laughter echo in the room, he knew that she would be. She’d be a challenge. But would she also be his match?

  ***

  “Do you think it went well?” Judith asked, pacing the front parlour in quick strides. Occasionally, she glanced out the window, eyes lingering on every passers-by, before she would resume her wanderings about the room.

  Anna sighed, “You’ve asked me this very question a thousand times in the last three days! Of course, it did!” Narrowing her eyes, she snapped, “And would you please sit down!”

  At the harsh tone in her sister’s voice, Judith all but dropped down on the nearest armchair, twisting yet another handkerchief in her hands. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “It’s all I can think about.”

  Anna nodded, feeling her anger subside at her sister’s honest anxiety. “I know. I feel the same way, I assure you.” As one day after the other passed following the night of the duke’s visit, their nerves were on edge. Day after day, there was no word from him. Occasionally, Anna would rejoice at having triumphed in every possible way since no communique could only mean that the duke had decided to seek his bride elsewhere. These feelings of elation, however, never lasted long but were quickly replaced by a sense of doom waiting to announce itself. “I cannot believe he hasn’t sent word yet!” she exclaimed, startling her sister with the sudden outburst. “That arrogant, pompous−”

  “Anna!” Judith exclaimed, pressing a hand to her chest in shock. “How can you speak of him in such a way?”

  “Because it is the truth!”

  Judith took a deep breath, her gentle blue eyes seeking Anna’s green depths. “But if we in-deed succeeded, then the one you speak of in such a manner is your future husband.”

  Still unable to believe the reality she suddenly found herself in, Anna crossed her arms in defiance and shook her head. “That does not make it any less true!” she insisted, well aware that she sounded like a stubborn child.

  “Girls.” The door opened, and their mother walked in, her face a strained mask of indifference. Underneath, Anna detected the same anxiety that plagued both her and Judith ever since her father’s cheerful announcement. Her mother closed the door, but not before once more glancing through the narrow gap into the hall. “He is here,” she whispered.

  “He?” Judith breathed, but her eyes betrayed that she knew exactly to whom her mother was referring. How could she not? It had been all any of them had been able to think about for the past three days. Finally, the moment of truth had come.

  “The duke,” their mother said, her own hands unable to keep still. “He is in your father’s study right now.” She took a deep breath, then sat down beside Anna, only to rise a moment later and pace the room in Judith’s stead.

  For a long while, neither one of them said a word. Silence hung about the room, the only sound their mother’s dainty footsteps echoing quietly on the parquet floor. Here and there, they caught hushed voices as people walked by on the pavement, conversing easily without their future hanging like a dark cloud over their heads. The neigh of a horse sounded in the distance, and a door closed on the upper floor.

  When Anna thought she could bear the silence not a moment longer, footsteps echoed from the hall. Holding her breath, she listened as they advanced to the front door, which then opened, and her father’s jubilant voice wished his visitor a most wonderful day. The second the door fell shut, Anna let go the breath she had been holding. As her father’s eager steps drew near, she jumped from her seat, followed by her mother and sister, and pulled open the door, revealing her father’s overjoyed face.

  “Wonderful news!” he beamed, striding into the room. “Everything worked out the way I had planned!”

  Taking a deep breath, Anna grabbed her sister’s hand, noticing that all colour had drained from Judith’s face. Their mother looked as white as a sheet as well. “Did he make a proposal?” she whispered.

  “That he did!” her husband answered, his grin stretching wider than Anna had ever seen it. He took his wife’s hand, smiling down at her, before lifting his eyes to his daughters. “To tell you the truth, my dears, I had expected a slightly different outcome, but in the end it makes no difference.”

  Anna felt her sister’s hand tremble as they held on to each other, waiting for their father to deliver the verdict.

  In that moment, Anna couldn’t help but hope that fortune would smile on her.

  Then she noticed her sister’s silent tears as she clung to her arm, her whole body tense to the point of breaking, and guilt flooded Anna’s heart.

  “Judith,” their father said, and they all froze, breath stuck in their throats. “Do not fret! Tears are not necessary. If you truly did not wish to become a duchess, then today’s news will not disappoint you.”

  As her sister resumed breathing, Anna felt her own heart beat quickening its pace, straining against her ribs.

  Then her father turned his eyes to her, and she knew the answer before he even uttered a word. “Congratulations, Anna! The duke just now asked for your hand in marriage.” Letting go of his wife’s hand, he strode toward her, wrapping her in a quick embrace. “I am pleased that you have made such an advantageous match.” He chuckled. “At times, I feared this day would never come.”

  In that moment, Anna realised that the same had been true for her. Only it hadn’t been fear dwelling in her heart, but hope instead.

  A hope that now lay dead at her feet.

  ***

  After their father had returned to his study, Judith had nearly sunk to her knees, thanking Anna profusely for drawing the duke’s attention while at the same time apologising for allowing it to happen. Ultimately, their mother had sent her to her bedchamber, ordering her to rest and collect herself. Unable to argue, Judith had left, leaving Anna to their mother’s watchful eye.

  “Say what you wish,” Anna urged, casting an uneasy glance over her shoulder.

  Sitting down beside her, her mother took her hand. “Please, believe me when I say that I do not intend to make this harder on you than it already is. I merely wish to help you see the truth so that you will be better prepared for the future that now awaits you.”

  Eyes cast downward, Anna re
mained silent, wondering what her mother was referring to, but afraid to ask. What could be so terrible about marriage other than the loss of freedom? Was her mother truly unhappy in her own marriage? Anna had never considered the idea. They were her parents, always had been, and while they had never appeared particularly in love with one another neither did they look at the other with resentment in their eyes. What could her mother be speaking of? Strangely, for the first time in Anna’s life, she did not feel the confidence to face a problem head-on. Right in that moment, she would have preferred to hide under the covers of her bed and pretend none of this had ever happened.

  And yet, it had, she reminded herself, feeling disgusted at her own cowardice. “Do not worry yourself, Mother,” she said, lifting her gaze to her mother’s face. “I may not be aware of everything marriage entails, but I have no doubt that I will manage whatever the future holds. After all, it is just marriage. From what I have observed, few married couples spend a great deal of time in the other’s company. So with any luck, I’ll see my husband occasionally for an event or dinner invitation, but otherwise will be free to plan my days as I prefer.”

  An indulgent smile came to her mother’s lips, but Anna quickly looked away, pretending she hadn’t seen it. “You met him yourself, Mother. He did not appear a great thinker or someone interested in waiting on his wife hand and foot. I doubt I shall see much of him. After all, he only chose to marry me because of the dowry father provides. He does not care for me. How could he? He doesn’t even know me. However, I truly believe that this is the upside of this messed-up arrangement. We will simply continue our lives as we did before, living side by side without interfering in the other’s dealings.”

  Patting her hand, her mother nodded, the indulgent smile still plastered on her face. “Child, if you truly believe this, I know I cannot sway you. All I ask is that you do not close your mind. Observe the world as it truly is, the world and its people. For I have learnt that few people ever show their true face to a stranger. It takes time to learn who someone truly is. Do not allow your prejudice to prevent you from finding something that could make you happy, simply because you believe it never could.”

  At that, her mother stood and left the room, her footsteps echoing on the parquet floors in the hall.

  Anna stayed behind. She sat on the settee, eyes focused on the window and the people passing by. She wondered about their lives. Where were they going? Were they happy? Were they married? Did they have a family?

  Never had Anna looked at others with envy. Never had she wished for her life to be different. Never had she given much thought about her future. Until now. Now that her future was set, taken out of her hands, Anna couldn’t help but wonder if she could choose, what would be her choice? What kind of a life would she want?

  Sighing, she shook her head. It didn’t matter. She didn’t have a choice. That was the only thing she knew. Everything else remained in the dark. She knew she should go see her father, ask for details, find out when the wedding was planned. But she couldn’t move.

  Anna spent the rest of the day staring out the window, wondering.

  Chapter Five − An Agreement

  Breaking her self-inflicted isolation, Anna opened the door. Loud voices and sobbing had woken her from a drowsy dream full of shadows and unknown things lying in wait. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she walked down the hall, casting a cautious look down the staircase leading to the ground floor. Strangely, all was silent now. The door to her father’s study was closed, but as she drew near, she could hear her parents’ voices. While their words were swallowed up by the heavy door, their emotions drifted to her ears, and she wondered what they could be arguing about. While her mother’s voice remained calm, Anna detected a sharp edge to it that felt unfamiliar. Her mother was usually a very soft-spoken woman, who had never raised her voice in Anna’s presence. Her father on the other hand, whose usual cheerful mood was generally expressed quite loudly, sounded defensive as though pleading his case, hoping to convince his wife.

  Knowing she ought not disturb them, Anna hurried back upstairs. Maybe Judith knew what this was about. As she lifted a hand to knock on her sister’s door, heart-wrenching sobs echoed through it.

  Without thinking, Anna pushed down the handle and hurried to her sister’s side.

  Judith lay buried in her pillows, ragged breaths shaking her small frame, her eyes red and swollen. When the door opened, she lifted her head, and new tears spilled forth as she beheld her sister’s worried eyes.

  “What happened?” Anna urged, climbing onto the bed and pulling Judith into her arms. “Why are you crying? Did you have a spat with John?”

  At her beloved’s name, her sister’s hysterics increased until Anna felt she would faint any moment. When shaking her didn’t help, Anna drew back her hand and gave her a quick slap across the cheek.

  Instantly, her sister’s wailing stopped.

  “I’m sorry,” Anna whispered, drawing Judith back into her arms. “Tell me what happened. I’m sure we can fix it.”

  “All is lost,” Judith sobbed into her shoulder. “All was for nothing.”

  “What is lost?” Anna asked, pushing her sister an arm’s length away so she could look into her face. “You’re not making any sense. Tell me what happened.”

  Sniffling, Judith dabbed a handkerchief to her reddened eyes. “John went to see Father this morning.”

  “And?” Anna asked, wondering what her sister was about to tell her and wondering all the more about her disheartened state of mind.

  Another sob rattled Judith’s chest before she answered. “Father declined.”

  “What?” Anna snapped, feeling her father’s rejection like a slap in the face. “Why would he do that?”

  Taking deep breaths, Judith tried to force air down her lungs, making herself hiccough. “He believes that I ought to hold out for a more advantageous suitor, now that you are marrying the duke.” Anna could see it took all of Judith’s self-control not to break down and tell her what happened. “He said our standing will increase and soon others will become interested. He said John was a decent man, but of no consequence.” Having told her story, Judith once more succumbed to her wailing, although she fought to keep it to a minimum.

  Too stunned to say anything, Anna once again pulled her sister into her arms, rocking her back and forth, desperately trying to soothe her broken heart.

  After a while it started to rain, almost drowning out the silent knock that sounded on Judith's door. As they looked up, their mother entered, her cheeks red with anger. Upon seeing her daughter’s misery, her eyes softened, and she hastened to their side. “Judith, my dear, I am sorry. I tried to plead your case, but your father is adamant.” She shook her head, resigned. “I don’t know what else to do.”

  “Thank you for trying,” Judith whispered, trading her sister’s arms for her mother’s, clinging to her as though she was about to be pulled under by a strong current.

  Anna stood back, watching the two women dearest to her heart. Their pain entered her own, and she ached with the burning desire to help them. But what could she do? Her mother had already tried to persuade her father without success. What could she do that her mother couldn’t?

  The answer came to her like a match lighting up in the dark of night.

  Tiptoeing, Anna left the room and found her way downstairs. She stopped by the hall mirror to make herself presentable, then knocked on her father’s study door.

  As he called for her to enter, she pushed open the door, chin raised, eyes narrowed.

  When he lifted his eyes off the papers on his desk, the smile vanished from his face as he beheld the scowl on hers. “Is something wrong, my dear?” he asked, leaning back in his chair, eyeing her carefully. “You seem troubled.”

  “I am.” All her life, her father had been a cheerful, friendly man, who had indulged her every whim. Few things he had ever refused her, always concerned for her happiness. Now, as she looked at him, knowing the decision he
had recently made with regard to Judith’s happiness, Anna realised that there was a hidden layer to her father’s character. He smiled a lot, and yet few of these smiles ever touched his eyes. Watching him, she recognised the calculated gleam that lay almost hidden in their depths, and she realised that as much as he loved her, he would not hesitated to sell her if he believed it would advance his standing. If she tried, could see dissuade him from insisting on her marrying the duke? Would he care that she did not want to marry a man she didn’t know?

  The answer was plain on his face, and Anna abandoned every thought of appealing to his conscious. Her own battle she could not win, but her sister’s was a different matter.

  Not love or affection would aid her, but greed.

  “I came to speak with you about Mr. Miller’s proposal.”

  Her father sighed. “I already told your mother all I wish to say on the subject.” Resting his elbows on the desk, he nodded his head at the door before turning his attention back to the papers lying neatly stacked all round him. “If you’d be so kind as to leave me to my business.”

  When she didn’t move, her father once more looked up, eye brows drawn, a questioning look in his eyes.

  “Father, may I be blunt?”

  He snorted. “Aren’t you always?”

  Nodding in acknowledgement, Anna smiled. “Generally, yes. However, right here, right now, I intend to go a step further.”

  Again her father’s eyes narrowed, all humour gone from his face. He nodded his head for her to continue.

  “You may have noticed Judith’s and my strange behaviour the night of the duke’s visit.” He nodded. “Then let me tell you that, from the moment you announced that one of us would be his wife, we decided it would be me.” His eye brows rose in surprise. “Judith has already given away her heart, and marriage to the duke would have made her miserable. But there was something we didn’t consider.” As she approached the desk, her eyes didn’t waver from his. “We thought you would be satisfied having one daughter married into the peerage. We did not consider your long-term plan.”