Chapter Twenty-Three #2
“That is enough!” Cunningham ordered with a bit of venom in his tone, but, thankfully, Mrs. Turner ignored him.
Instead, the woman said, “Come, Freya. Let us hear your father’s complaints. We know he likely has many nonsensical ones regarding the possibility of your marrying the man you affect and who affects you in return.” She seated Freya beside her on a nearby settee.
“Yes,” Lady Cunningham said in a tone Aaran had not expected, as she eyed her husband in a manner no one in the room, except for possibly Mrs. Turner, had expected, for Lady Cunningham, like her husband, was known as a stickler for decorum.
“I wish also to hear your reasons, my lord, as to why you are not happy to place your youngest daughter at the side of one of the United Kingdom’s most wealthy earls.
Please explain why you would want her to be a mere baronetess when she could be a countess. ”
Cunningham came to his feet. “I am not required to explain myself to you, madam.”
“Then to whom should you explain your reasons?” Lady Cunningham challenged.
“I am your wife, sir. We have lived under the same roof for more than twenty years. I have tolerated your berating me for not presenting you an heir. I have nearly lost my life upon two occasions in an effort to please you. However, I shall not permit you to make Freya’s life miserable.
Did you not listen to Mr. Hartley’s explanation of what occurred here in Kent? ”
“I do not understand you, my lady,” Cunningham declared with a deep frown.
“Then listen carefully, for I intend to say it only one time. You have created this feud with the Grahams because the previous Lord Graham produced two sons. One with Miss Bellton and one with Lady Eímear Boyde. You think I do not realize you wanted to marry Miss Bellton. You despise all the Grahams for foiling your plans. You thought the current Lord Graham should not be Earl Graham, that he should have been your son. You despise Lord Duncan for assisting the current Lord Graham in claiming the earldom.”
“Maeve,” Cunningham said quietly. “It was not that way.”
“Was it not?” his wife challenged. “Do you not think it ironic that the man of whom you have disapproved all your days has won our daughter’s heart?
That he can become part of your family? While the woman you have desired for more years than I care to name is the one who meant to kill our dear Freya, as well as her own son.
Are you as deranged as the woman upon whom you once placed your hopes? ”
The room was eerily quiet. Aaran looked to Freya, but she was studying her fingers, as was her aunt. A quick glance to Duncan said His Lordship wished to shout for joy.
Lord Cunningham appeared to wish to swallow his own tongue, but he said, “Do you wish to marry Lord Graham, Child?”
Freya sent Aaran a surprised look before she said, “I have given Lord Graham both my assent and my heart, Papa.”
Cunningham looked as if swallowing his objections would choke him to death; however, he said, “Then we will do what is necessary. It will be good for your mother to have one of her children in Scotland where she might visit when she wishes to do so,” he said with more calm than Aaran had ever thought possible.
Freya said, “I hope you will also visit with His Lordship and me, Papa. I do not wish to lose you out of my life.” Her chin, however, notched higher, indicating her stubbornness in the matter.
“When you have finished your negotiations with Lord Graham, perhaps you might also speak to Uncle Philip. Obviously, we do not want any of our family serving Lord Rayland, especially after this situation becomes common knowledge. Although both you and Lord Graham could likely manage a position in Scotland, please also consider something near Suffolk so Aunt and Uncle could be close to their children and their grandchildren. Such would be an excellent means of repaying them for all they have done for me.”
Aaran smiled upon his future wife. She had a large heart meant for caring for those she loved.
“I imagine it will not take us long, my dear, to locate an appropriate position. Thank you for the reminder. You and your aunt should show your parents to their quarters. They are near yours. Once everyone is settled, Lord Duncan and I are at your leisure, my lord, to discuss the marriage settlements and to answer any questions regarding what occurred with Lady Rayland and Mr. MacAlasdair and the former Miss Bellton. As to the marriage settlements, just know I plan to be quite generous to Lady Freya and any future children we may have.”
It turned out, without Aaran’s knowledge, but Thompson’s assistance, Mrs. Turner had also sent her sister a lengthy letter regarding all the happenings at Thom Manor and the Rayland estate during her niece’s stay in Kent.
Freya’s aunt had advocated for a marriage between her niece and Aaran and had encouraged her sister finally to place her foot down when it came to Cunningham’s authoritative manner.
According to Freya, Lady Pittboro and some of the others at the house party the Cunninghams had attended had already laid the groundwork for Lady Cunningham to take back some of her dignity.
Freya and Lady Emma had jokingly warned Aaran that a new age for women was just around the corner.
Aaran had offered to arrange for their wedding to take place in Scotland or London, but it was decided by all in the house party that it would be easier to silence some of the gossip they would surely face in Town if they, too, married in Kent.
“Fewer people from the haut ton will wish to travel to Kent, though I despise it, for Freya deserves her glory, just as did her sister,” Lady Cunningham had bemoaned.
Aaran had promised to host a large supper or even a ball in Freya’s honor once they all had returned to London.
“We have executed nothing for which we should be ashamed,” Aaran had declared, “and we shan’t hide from society.
We all know if one presents the upper crust of society with the appearance of guilt, they will take advantage.
Lady Freya and I will dare them to find fault, will we not, my dear? ”
His betrothed squeezed his hand. “As long as we are together, I shall be content.”
Lord Cunningham had gone with them to speak to Thompson’s vicar, mainly because Freya was still short a couple of weeks from meeting her majority, and her father’s permission was required.
Moreover, in order to be married with a bishop’s license, one of them must have resided in the area for three weeks, though three Sundays would work also.
Both Freya and Graham had been in the area for eight days.
Tomorrow would be the second Sunday, and so, with Thompson’s encouragement, Mr. Deven agreed to the Monday after the third Sunday, which would be the twenty-second of February, for their marriage.
Freya would, however, be expected to remain in Kent, while the rest of them traveled back to London to finish all the arrangements.
The duties of the wedding were divided among all of Aaran’s family.
Lady Emma, for example, would make arrangements for Madame Emmeline to create a trousseau for Freya in time for the wedding, while Lady Cunningham would oversee the other matters in London.
“Do you have room for Freya’s sister and Lord Dickerson or should I seek out an inn?
” Her Ladyship asked Thompson. That is when it was decided that Lady Theodora would remain at Thom Manor to assist Lady Victoria in planning the necessary wedding breakfast and other suppers.
Theodora had the most experience in such matters of all of Duncan’s daughters.
Duncan, Cunningham, Aaran, and his brothers, and their wives, with the exception of Lady Annalise, who at the last minute, decided she would also remain in Kent, using her obvious increasing as the reason not to travel back and forth between London and Thom Manor, departed en masse early Monday morning.
Aaran was thankful for Annalise’s kindness. They all knew Theodora could be a bit overwhelming, for she had been presented much latitude by Duncan, and Freya might require an ally in making decisions.
Before Aaran departed for London, he left Boyde waiting in his carriage and, instead, went looking once again for Freya.
When Aaran found her, he dragged her into an empty room to claim a series of kisses to sustain him until he could return to Kent.
He had kissed her quite thoroughly before she snuggled deeper into his embrace.
“I will have your quarters properly aired out and new touches added. You may, of course, change anything you like at Graham House or on our Scotland estates.”
“I do not care for any of those things now,” she murmured against his chest; her warm breath penetrated the fine threads of his shirt. “Everything will fall in place. Before you depart, what I wish to know is why you chose me?”
He bent to kiss the top of her head. “My reasons will sound quite self-centered. A man who has been seen by many as an imposter earl and regarded as not a whole man can…” She started to pull from his embrace to argue her point, but Aaran tightened his arms about her.
“Permit me to finish.” When she settled against him once more, he continued.
“Under such circumstances, one attempts to ignore the obvious, but it wears heavy upon a man’s self-respect.
Yet, never once did you look upon me with disdain.
Your faith in me was revolutionary. You demanded nothing of me but my trust. My heart screamed your name repeatedly. ”
She kissed him then. This time when they came up for air, Aaran braced her chin with his fingertips.
“Thank you for agreeing to marry me, Lady Freya Cunningham. You have truly made me happier than I deserve. I will not fail you, though I may occasionally disappoint you.” He sighed heavily.
“For me, a life without you would be intolerable.”