Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
“You … you wish to marry my stepdaughter. You wish to marry Lady Elinor?”
The question came from Elinor’s stepmother in an aghast whisper, a shocked doubt.
“Yes,” the duke answered simply. “I do.”
“As in Lady Elinor? And not … not my true daughter, Lady Bel—”
“It is Lady Elinor I have expressed my interest in. Repeatedly,” the duke cut her off smoothly, and Elinor’s stomach clenched. “I wish to marry Lady Elinor, and to be engaged as soon as possible.”
“I am sorry—what?”
Elinor’s blood froze when she heard Belinda’s voice from behind her. A horrible ringing started in Elinor’s ears, and she swore that the entire ballroom drew closer, even if nobody else could hear the conversation being had.
At least not yet. But they will. They all will, and they will speak.
“But … but—but her dance card,” Lady Morland spluttered. “It is full. Surely you ought to let her have the chance to—”
“I ought to do nothing,” the duke interrupted again. “Not when my mind is made up. I have made my intentions clear, Lady Morland. Do they not come across as such?”
It was a challenge, a demand that she collect herself, and her stepmother fell silent. Too silent, and Elinor felt the fear creep up her spine as she waited for the outburst.
What awaited her was only a shrill laugh, disbelief and hysteria combined to mask into something resembling a delayed, contented response.
“Gracious me.” Her stepmother pressed a hand to her chest and glanced down at the shattered glass at her feet.
Elinor felt a strange satisfaction when her stepmother winced at the evidence of her shock.
“Well, I am certain that Lord Morland will be delighted to have the Duke of Fairmont as his son-in-law.”
“And yourself, Lady Morland, as you are most present in Lady Elinor’s life?”
Her stepmother’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. “I—I would, too, be delighted.”
“Excellent.” The duke straightened, grinning, and turned to Elinor. His eyes narrowed slightly.
Elinor cringed, but fingers brushing her wrist discreetly had her realizing: she had let her focus on her stepmother overshadow her response to his proposal.
“I—I am honored, Your Grace,” she continued. “I would be, erm, honored to be engaged to you, but I am certain there are other ladies you would look at—”
“There are not,” he corrected immediately. “You are certain of this, surely.”
His knowing look had her snapping into better focus, and Elinor smiled demurely, playing the role of the perfect, blushing debutante who had just received the most eligible proposal of the Season.
Once, she had dreamed of such a thing. It came with heartache, for her father had retired to the countryside just before debut, and he had never overseen it, leaving her to her stepmother’s orchestration.
But she could imagine, just for a moment, that she had been a different lady. A less invisible one.
“I cannot wait to see what our future has in store,” she mustered, hoping that her joy was faked enough, even as she drowned in overwhelm and confusion. “And—and it will be an honor to plan to become your Duchess.”
“His Duchess?” Belinda repeated, but Elinor had still not dared to look behind herself at her stepsister. “His Duchess? What do you know of being a—”
“I affirm this engagement, Your Grace,” Lady Morland cut in, stopping Belinda before she caused a scene. “Whatever your wishes, allow me to grant them, whether Lord Morland is present or not. Although, I shall write to him with the … the good news.”
“Please, allow me to send the correspondence,” the duke said. “It is only right that it comes from the future husband. I know of Morland Hall, so no need for the address. But I thank you for the offer.”
Her stepmother did not know what to say. Elinor’s focus was snatched away by Joanna moving into her vision, embracing her tightly.
“I am terrified of Belinda’s rage,” she whispered, “but I am happy for you. You are the most deserving lady here of his attention. Congratulations, Elinor.”
Elinor was not certain of any of the sentiments, knowing they were false, and she had not truly done anything to deserve the duke’s attention other than pique his curiosity by tutoring orphans in a workhouse he had not asked to inherit. But she embraced her stepsister tightly, nonetheless.
“Thank you, Joanna,” she whispered right back. “And I am also scared of Belinda’s rage.”
“Between us, she has been dancing with Lord Alexander, and she seemed very smitten with him. Less false than usual. I think she strives for the notoriety of the title His Grace could have provided, but her heart’s attention may already be snagged elsewhere.”
Elinor could not help but hold Joanna tighter, a brief moment of kindness she did not want to lose.
When she pulled away, the duke took her hand, and kissed her knuckles. He held her gaze, and when he spoke, his words rang with sincerity. “I will send word to Lord Morland, and we shall be engaged, Lady Elinor.”
“We shall,” she affirmed softly.
“Then let us share the good news.”
And, with that, the ballroom came alive with their news.
That the bespectacled wallflower had somehow won the hand of the most eligible suitor in the ton.
Whispers picked up, and even Belinda had stalked off to likely gossip about the situation.
Elinor was only grateful that she had not been on the receiving end of her anger.
“Have you compromised yourself with His Grace?” she demanded, and Elinor’s eyes widened, her mouth dropping open.
At home, her stepmother had her cornered against the parlor wall before Elinor could remove her gloves.
“What?” Elinor gasped. “Of course I have not!”
Lady Morland just shook her head. “I cannot think of another reason why he would offer to marry you so quickly. I do not understand it, Elinor, so I needed to ask.”
Elinor stepped around her stepmother, trying to hide her hurt. “Nothing untoward has happened. He simply likes my company. I intrigue him.”
“It is most likely that he pities you,” her stepmother hissed. “Elinor, if you are hiding anything, I will find out, and if you have done anything to jeopardize yourself or my family, I will have you out of this house faster than you can apologize!”
“I have nothing to hide.” The lie sat heavy on her tongue. She had too many things her stepmother absolutely could not know. But she lifted her chin. “I am hiding nothing, and I have not compromised myself.”
Her stepmother stared her down for several seconds before she exhaled. “Fine. Go upstairs. I imagine I will have a great deal of consoling to do with Belinda.”
Elinor couldn’t escape fast enough. If her stepmother discovered any of her secrets, the punishment would be far worse than being forbidden to attend a ball.
She would see Elinor out of the house. And with the engagement only being a ruse, Elinor would have no options.
She could not rely on the duke taking her in through their marriage, because it would never get that far.
Back in her room, she sat on the edge of her bed, wondering what would happen next.
She found herself more excited than nervous now.
He had taken control of the situation as promised, and even if she worried about what would happen when they broke off their engagement, she had to think of the children in the workhouse.
It was all about them. That was Elinor’s singular focus. Anything else could wait.
“Well, well, well.”
Dominic’s voice cut through the hum of conversation at White’s the following day. “If it is not the most talked about bachelor in the ton.”
Lucien chuckled. “I am always the most talked about.”
“Yes, but this is for quite a big reason.” Dominic sat down opposite him. “A reason you did not tell me about. Why did you not say anything regarding Lady Elinor before?”
“When one knows, he knows,” Lucien said, and even as he heard the practiced ease in his own voice, something underneath it rang truer than he expected.
Dominic studied him, unconvinced. “You are not that sort of man,” You have not once mentioned wanting to settle down. Did you not escape the Morrows’ ball purely to avoid such situations?”
“I did,” Lucien said slowly. “But then I met Lady Elinor, and realized that perhaps it was not that I had an aversion to marriage, only that I had not met the right lady. She is … different.”
Of all the women, why had Lady Elinor given him pause? What was it about her that, despite their pretense, he still searched for her face first in a crowd?
Dominic watched him for a long moment. Then he set down his glass.
“I can see the walls you put up, and I will not pry them down. I will respect your defenses, whatever it is you need to get through each day.” He paused.
“Regardless, I want you to know that you can trust me. I am your friend, and I am here for you. It is only ever on you if you decide to let me in. I do not know what would make you not be able to trust, and I will not pry, but I want you to know.”
“Thank you,” Lucien said after a long moment. “I appreciate it.”
Dominic paused, as if thinking that his appreciation would extend to being trusted.
But Lucien only nodded. His mind cast back to a younger version of himself, the boy who had once thought his future would be so secure.
A version of himself that had not yet been tormented by fickle things like the heart’s desires.
Now, Lucien knew better, and he knew how to ignore his own thoughts, giving in to only simple pleasures. And yet, sitting across from the one friend who had never asked for more than Lucien was willing to give, every word he could have reached was lodged in his throat.
Self-protection had him silent, and for once, he could not even find another topic to smooth it over.