Chapter Four #3
“You could have the same,” Lady Annalise said softly.
“No one wants to take on a man whose face is scarred and whose leg is turned inward,” he stated before he could reword his response or control his tone.
“You err,” Lady Beaufort declared as she playfully swatted his arm in protest. “Lady Freya Cunningham is more than a bit interested in renewing your acquaintance.”
“She is Iain Cunningham’s daughter. You saw for yourself how much the man despises me,” Aaran argued. “If his wife and daughter had not been traveling with him, he would have spent the night in the woods alone rather than to accept my assistance.”
Lady Annalise caught his hand and brought the back of it to her lips for a gentle kiss. “I guarantee Lady Freya is not immune to your charms, my lord. She has recently befriended Miss Whitchurch…”
“It is my understanding that Lady Cunningham has praised Miss Whitchurch’s work,” Aaran argued. “And before you confess it, I am aware that Lady Freya and her mother called at Macalhey House. Such does not mean…”
“Lady Freya,” she said over his protests, “has conveniently joined me, Lady Emma, and Victoria on a couple of occasions, each with a different mixture of parties. Only yesterday, we went to a tearoom together, after we called upon Madame Emmeline’s modiste for Miss Whitchurch’s final fittings for her marriage clothes. ”
Aaran did not know what to say. He concentrated on controlling his breathing, but his mind raced in complete confusion. “Such does not mean the lady would accept my attentions,” he continued to argue.
Lady Annalise frowned. “Why are you men so hard to convince? We women are an open book. Did you not notice Lady Emma’s interest in Orson before Richard did? Even with her scrambled memory, was Her Ladyship not obvious? It was you who convinced her to propose to Orson.”
“Yes, but…” he began.
“Did you or did you not warn Lady Theodora not to mistake my brother’s interest in me, as Alexander wished to prevent Jacob Moreau’s abuse of my person? You even went so far as to make a marriage pact with Dora.”
“Yes, but…”
She continued without his participation. “And I do not need to remind you of your encouragement of Navan’s attentions in Alexander’s absence.”
“But, you two were…”
“Did you not discover the tragic end of Miss Cassandra’s passing so Lord Thompson and Miss Whitchurch could move forward?”
“It was Duncan who arranged the means to guarantee the child’s legitimacy,” he stated with a frown.
“Yet, you laid the bricks upon which Duncan designed his plan. None of this family operates without your hand on the strings to keep it moving forward,” she said smugly. “Both Beaufort and I often comment on how you are essential for Duncan’s family to survive.”
Aaran leaned back heavily into the cushions. “Even if all you say is true, Cunningham would not agree to my courting his daughter. The man would rather give her to…”
“Sir Patrick Hodge,” Lady Annalise said over him.
“Hodge?” Aaran sat forward again. “I thought,” he began, but he did not want to disclose that Thompson had already shared this information.
“Hodge is twice Lady Freya’s age. Is the baronet not still in mourning for his wife?
” Like it or not, and Aaran assuredly did not like the smugness marking Lady Annalise’s features, he could not disguise his dismay.
“How does Lady Freya feel about these choices?”
Lady Annalise smiled knowingly, which continued to irritate Aaran, but he held his tongue, while she said, “Lord Cunningham has indicated that Hodge’s year of mourning ends in March, and the baronet wishes to remarry in June or July.
Sir Patrick still requires an heir. I have not taken the baronet’s acquaintance, but Beaufort says the man was close to Cunningham’s age.
Lady Freya is appalled by the prospects. ”
“I am well aware of Hodge’s age,” Aaran murmured, as his mind raced for a solution. “Still, there is little I can do. Cunningham would never permit me to court his daughter.”
“But you would be interested in doing so?” Lady Annalise asked with a lift of inflection in her voice.
“Wipe that smile from your lips, Lady Beaufort,” Aaran warned, yet his own heart was calling for succor.
Her Ladyship reached for his hand, and he interlaced their fingers.
“What would you say if we asked Mrs. Dove-Lyon to arrange a marriage for Lady Freya? You could be one of the contenders for Lady Freya’s hand and prove yourself worthy.
Lady Orson thinks it would be a good idea.
Orson claims Sir Patrick is too poor to bid on the girl, but obviously you are… ”
“Why involve Mrs. Dove-Lyon?” Aaran asked. “I could offer Cunningham more than Sir Patrick. Even Freya’s father is not so foolish to turn down what I can bring to the table.”
“Well… You see, when we had tea yesterday, Lady Emma convinced Lady Freya that it might be possible for Mrs. Dove-Lyon to arrange a marriage with a worthy suitor. If I know Emma, the wheels are already in motion, with Lord Cunningham not having a clue.”