Chapter 25
ARABELLA
M y chest felt hollow as I walked into our poorly lit drawing room above Newbury’s. Freddy sat on the sofa with a book, a lone candle flickering just enough to illuminate the words on the page.
And my tear-streaked cheeks.
Freddy stood, dropping the book on the sofa behind him. Of all the qualities he lacked at his young age, sympathy was not one of them. His brows drew together as he hurried to meet me near the door. “What’s the matter?”
I sniffed, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat.
How could I possibly explain all that had just occurred?
I was still processing every piece of my conversation with Mr. Campbell.
Clark Campbell. When I had received his letter inviting me to Pulteney Bridge that evening, I hadn’t known what to expect.
I certainly hadn’t planned on being proposed to.
Or told how very loved I was.
Strangely, I had believed that part. Perhaps Clark had fallen in love with me, but I could never tell him that I felt the same.
The fact of the matter was that even if I did come to forgive him, I still couldn’t trust him with information about Freddy’s plight.
And I couldn’t marry him, because he did not, in fact, have a fortune.
What I had said to him was true: I was a fortune hunter.
I had no choice but to be one until Freddy was safe.
Fresh tears escaped my eyes as my brother stared at me with concern.
His large brown eyes, youthful features, and messy dark hair were all so familiar and endearing.
How could I hate him? I wanted to blame him for the answer I had given to Clark’s proposal, but even without my responsibility toward Freddy, how could I have possibly said yes?
The man had deceived me for weeks and wasted my time.
He had wounded my pride possibly beyond repair.
To find himself caught in his lie and then to propose to me had been very badly done.
Surely Clark understood that a few heartfelt words couldn’t undo the damage he had caused. The entire town was gossiping about my courtship with his twin. If I tried to spread the truth about him, who would ever believe my word above Colin Campbell’s?
No one.
Freddy gripped my shoulders, tearing me from my whirlwind of thoughts. My vision blurred, but then his face came into focus again. “Where have you been? Are you all right?”
I shook my head. My throat was still too tight to speak.
I took a deep, shuddering breath in an attempt to calm my emotions.
I still felt the warmth of Clark’s hands around mine.
Had he been telling the truth about the debt he owed his brother?
How could he have claimed that he meant no harm?
I bit my lip, a fresh wave of anger rising up inside me.
Of course, at the beginning, I had been deceiving him too.
I hadn’t planned on falling in love with him.
He seemed to have experienced a similar turn of events, leading us both straight into this horrible, disastrous mess. As heartless as he believed me to be back then, he must have thought me even more heartless now. He didn’t know my motivation behind obtaining a fortune—and he never could.
Freddy still awaited my reply, so I walked with him to the sofa and explained everything from the impersonation to the proposal. He listened in stunned silence. His face gradually darkened a shade. “I’ll call him out.” He seemed prepared to leap off the sofa and begin the duel that very moment.
“Colin or Clark?” I asked weakly.
“Colin, of course.” Freddy stood, pacing in a straight line in front of the sofa.
“Surely you must see who your true rival is. Colin. He was the one who forced his brother to impersonate him. Initially, Clark believed your character to be severely lacking, and so he agreed to the scheme.” Freddy collapsed onto the sofa again, a deep furrow in his brow.
Slowly, his features softened into despair.
He took a deep breath, turning to face me.
“You should marry him, Arabella. I can see that you love him.”
“No.” I shook my head fast. I had made a mistake in allowing Freddy to see my tears. I had been acting strong for him, and I needed to continue to do so. “He wouldn’t be able to afford your debt.”
“Have you asked him?”
“Of course not,” I whispered. “Aunt Julia doesn’t even know of the situation. Why would I trust Clark Campbell? At any rate, he’s a solicitor. The two thousand pounds you owe would be far too much.”
Freddy’s jaw tightened. “I will face the consequences of my actions. If you marry Clark before the truth comes out, the two of you can move to the countryside and avoid any connection to me.”
“Stop.” I gave him a scolding look, though fresh tears burned behind my eyes. “I have always looked after you, and I will continue to do so.” I took his hand, but he tugged it away.
“Father encouraged all of us to marry for love.” Freddy’s voice fell. “He wouldn’t have wanted this.”
“He wouldn’t have wanted you to be hanged either.”
Freddy flinched. “Perhaps the forgery can be pardoned if John claims responsibility for the note.”
“You know he won’t.” Despair crept into my voice. “Even if he did, he cannot afford it. I will obtain the money, and you must be the one to deliver it on behalf of John. He must never know that you signed with his name.”
“But how will you obtain the money now?” Freddy put his forehead in his hands. “We are nearly out of time.”
“I will find a way.” I gritted my teeth and untied my bonnet, removing it from my curls.
I couldn’t allow my emotions to control me any longer.
I had to be strategic, or else see my brother executed.
I couldn’t waste another second. The only hope I had was to ask John to extend our time in Bath.
I would continue excusing Freddy’s absence to Mr. Russell.
If Mama had relayed the news of my courtship to John, then he should see that as reason enough to allow us to remain in town until I was engaged.
I would write them a detailed letter and pretend that I was still courting a wealthy gentleman. And then I would resume my pursuit of Sir William in earnest.
My heart ached as I thought of Clark. Would I ever see him again?
I shut him out of my thoughts, closing my eyes tightly.
I could not lose focus. If I was to accomplish my plan, I couldn’t be distracted by my heart and all its ridiculous demands.
It would betray me just as it had the first time, just as it had tonight when I had been tempted to accept Clark’s proposal.
The single candle flickered weakly on the side table, the fire slowly shrinking. I stared at it, pretending that the flame represented every last shred of affection I had for Clark Campbell.
And then I watched it disappear.
There were few things more unsettling than Aunt Julia’s disapproval.
She didn’t voice it freely, but it was written on every feature of her face. My constant companions on my way to Sydney Gardens were her pursed lips, tense eyebrows, and the occasional flare of her nostrils as she watched me in the dark carriage.
I knew I was treading dangerously by meeting Sir William in such a public place, but it had to be done.
Aunt Julia didn’t understand why I had shifted my attention away from Mr. Campbell, but I didn’t have the heart to explain the details to her.
Not yet, anyway. She was still oblivious to Freddy’s situation and my fortune-hunting endeavors.
If there was one thing I didn’t trust that woman with, it was a secret.
“I did dance with him at the viscount’s ball.” I had been trying to reassure Aunt Julia that Sir William’s interest hadn’t come out of nowhere. “His attention has been reliable thus far.”
Aunt Julia turned her gaze out the window, lips pursed once again. “You will greatly disappoint Mr. Campbell if you are seen meandering about on Sir William’s arm. And your reputation will be under great scrutiny. You mustn’t have it assumed that you are courting two men at once.”
I interlocked my gloved fingers in my lap, drawing a deep, shaky breath. I had been trying to avoid my nerves, but Aunt Julia had a way of heightening them. “I am no longer courting Mr. Campbell. If that is not obvious to society yet, it will be soon. I am quite intent on avoiding him altogether.”
“Why will you not tell me what happened?” she snapped. “I have half a mind to send you home to John.”
My heart thudded. “I told you. Mr. Campbell and I agreed that we are not well-suited.”
Her eyes narrowed. “That cannot be all.”
“It is.” I clamped my mouth shut, glancing out my own window.
I had been failing miserably at my efforts to not think of Clark.
I desperately hoped he wouldn’t be at the gardens that evening.
Now that the ruse was over, he wouldn’t have any reason to impersonate his brother.
But if he did happen to be there masquerading as Colin, I knew I couldn’t speak to him.
We were to become strangers again. It was the only way to untether my heart from him and give it to Sir William instead.
After my conversation with Freddy, I had planned to go to the Pump Room the next morning.
There, I had found Sir William and begun a conversation.
The rumors of my courtship with Mr. Campbell were surely still swirling through town, but I had made sure to speak casually of him to Sir William, conducting myself with my finest manners, and laughing at nearly every joke he made.
To my surprise, I had managed to receive a bouquet of roses from him the next morning.
He had informed me that he would be attending the illumination of Sydney Gardens that evening, and had expressed his hope that I would be in attendance. My plan was progressing perfectly, yet the knots in my stomach refused to settle.
Our carriage stopped at the end of the row.
Aunt Julia followed me out onto the path.
Sydney Gardens felt different from the rest of Bath, softer and quieter.
Flower beds, hidden benches, trees, and neatly trimmed shrubs lined the various paths that wound through the gardens.
On the open lawn, hundreds of people gathered to watch the fireworks that would later fill the dark sky.
I felt slightly underdressed in my simple silk gown, but the pale gold fabric shimmered in the faint glow of the lanterns. Kate had told me that she would be attending, but locating her amid the crowd would be a challenge.
How did Sir William plan to find me? I stopped with Aunt Julia on the outer edge of the lawn.
Music drifted through the air, and a couple held hands as they walked on the path alongside the canal.
There were many hidden alcoves and tall hedges in the gardens, even mazes and other structures that couples might hide themselves behind for a moment of privacy.
As dark as it was, escaping a chaperone would be far too easy for any conniving young lady.
And I was perhaps the most conniving young lady there.
During my intense planning, I had concluded that I could not afford to waste time on another courtship.
In order to speed up the process of securing a husband, I would have to ensnare one.
My conscience didn’t agree with the practice, but the idea of Freddy’s execution was enough to silence it.
I had visited Kate that morning, and she had agreed to assist me.
If I could lure Sir William out to a hidden corner of the gardens, Kate would ensure that we were seen not only by herself, but by the Viscount and Viscountess Huntington.
My task was a little more difficult than hers, of course.
There would have to be something slightly scandalous taking place if Sir William were to be forced into marrying me.
A kiss would suffice…if I could manage to do it.
My heart pounded as I anticipated the details of my plan.
I did not want to kiss Sir William. I knew it wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable as kissing Clark.
I knew how very betrayed my heart would feel, but the sooner I was engaged to someone else, the sooner I could forget him.
The sooner Freddy would be safe.
Sir William was a good man. If we were discovered, I had no doubt that he would do the honorable thing and marry me, even if he hated me for it. I had no doubt that after we were married he would fulfill the demands of Freddy’s loan.
All I had to do was play my part. And then it would all be over.