Chapter 3
“Prudence, there really is no need to be nervous,” Caroline soothed. “I know that today is your wedding day, but take heart. Things will not be as bad as you seem to fear they will.”
“It’s understandable that she should be nervous,” Arabella countered.
The two sisters were seated on either side of Prudence, and she had the distinct feeling that each of them wanted to take her hand.
They knew her well enough to know better.
Prudence was not someone who responded well to feeling restrained in any way.
Of course, there would be a rush to restrain her if she dared to do what she really wanted, which was to jump up and flee this room without looking back. There was no part of her that wanted to be here.
She couldn’t believe how quickly the day had arrived. How easily permission had been obtained. And now, she found herself about to walk down the aisle.
She took a deep breath and released it slowly, trying to take heart—to hold on to hope. All was not yet lost. There was still reason to hope that things might be all right.
But at the moment, that hope seemed tenuous indeed.
Prudence’s mother stared at the front door of the church. “Where is that man?” she murmured under her breath. “He should have been here by now?”
“I’m sure Lord Hall will arrive very soon, Mother,” Arabella said soothingly. But Prudence knew her sister well enough to read the worry on her face. Arabella might be staying calm for the sake of the family, but she was nowhere near as composed as she seemed. She was worried.
Prudence glanced at the duke, who had been at the church already when her family had arrived.
He was up in front of the altar, pacing back and forth with his hands clenched behind his back.
He looked deeply angry, and if Prudence hadn’t known better, she might have guessed that he knew something the rest of them did not.
Remain calm, Prudence. This will all be over soon.
Her father pulled out his pocket watch, took a look at the time, and scowled.
Prudence couldn’t help feeling a surge of satisfaction.
She liked that he was frustrated, that things were not going the way he had hoped they would.
He’d pushed her into this position against her will, and Prudence saw no reason she would want things to be easy for him.
He strode over to the duke. “Where is your brother?” he demanded. “He is overdue.”
The duke raised an eyebrow. “Baron Highgate,” he said, stressing the first word, “I remind you that my brother and I are doing your family a favor. I will thank you not to speak to me like an errant schoolboy. Remember your place.”
Her father flushed at the reprimand. “I only meant…I worry for his safety. In case something might have… happened. To delay him.”
“Ah,” the duke said dubiously. “How kind.”
Prudence’s father hesitated, lost for words, and then retreated.
In spite of the understanding she must have had that it would be undesired, Caroline did now reach out and take Prudence’s hand in hers.
Prudence stiffened and forced herself not to pull free.
Caroline was only trying to be comforting, she reminded herself.
And besides, it was possible that her sister wanted to take a bit of comfort too.
At that moment, the door to the church flew open.
Prudence’s heart leapt into her throat. For a moment, she was sure that Peter had arrived and that the wedding was about to commence.
But then she registered the man who had come in. He was dressed like a servant, and he was much too short to be confused with Peter. Prudence’s fear had gotten the better of her.
The servant rushed down the aisle, directly to the duke, who bent his head to hear the message.
The two conferred in hushed tones for several minutes, and the whole time, Prudence could see the duke’s expression growing darker and angrier.
She swallowed hard and took her hand back from her sister, anxiety mounting and making her heart race. What was happening?
The servant broke away from the conversation, and the duke turned toward Prudence’s father and began to make his way over slowly.
“Your Grace?” The baron closed the distance between the two of them. “Is something the matter?”
“I’m afraid…” the duke paused as if choosing his words with care. “It seems that my brother has decided to run away.”
“Run away?” Prudence’s father repeated, as if the words were unfamiliar to him. “What on earth do you mean?”
“He left a note indicating that he was not interested in this wedding and fled,” the duke explained. “I understand you have some experience in these matters, Highgate—is this not the same thing your daughter did when you arranged a marriage on her behalf?”
The baron puffed himself up. “We are not here to discuss the past,” he snapped.
“We are meant to be discussing the future, Desford, and your brother was meant to marry my daughter today. Now, you mean to tell me that the marriage is not going to take place after you gave us your word that it would?”
“Oh, no,” Prudence’s mother moaned, a hand rising to her throat. “What are we to do now? Prudence will be ruined!”
Prudence knew that she ought to be fearful of the very same thing. She should have been thinking, too, about the implications this would have for her family. It would be very difficult for them to recover from this latest scandal, the third of which she had been the cause.
Instead, all she felt was relief and joy.
She would not have to marry that odious man today. She would not have to marry any man at all. Her mother was right—nobody would want her after all this, and that was for the best.
She would be able to go back home and live the life she preferred.
She would be able to feel free and happy.
And, really, the scandal would not be too bad.
They would survive it. Her sisters had married well and would have no trouble moving on with their lives.
They would not be tainted by Prudence’s actions, and that was what mattered most of all.
I will be ruined, but I don’t mind. And everyone else will be all right.
It did not seem to be a commonly held opinion. Both of her sisters’ husbands had gotten to their feet and joined in the conversation, and they seemed distressed.
“Had we not better go and try to find the man?” That was from Arabella’s husband, William, the Duke of Redmayne.
“Yes, I think we should,” Levi agreed. “We cannot allow him to treat Prudence in this way. We should hunt him down and bring him back. Bring him to the altar by force if we must, but he must take responsibility for his actions.”
“That’s right,” William seconded. “Your Grace, with respect, Prudence was not the only one on the balcony that night. You have been right in your assertions that a gentleman may escape scandal, but a true gentleman stands to his responsibility. And your brother has a duty to Prudence. Do you mean to let him run from that?”
“I wouldn’t make accusations if I were you, Redmayne,” the duke said. “I have no intention of allowing my brother to get away with what he’s done here. You may rest assured I will find him.”
Once again, things were being decided too quickly and without Prudence’s participation. She jumped to her feet and ran over to join the men. “Begging your pardon, Your Grace,” she said. “I respect your desire to make things right for me, but there is no need.”
The duke turned to her, and his glare deepened. Prudence shivered, but she stood her ground.
“I do not offer this for your sake, Lady Prudence,” the duke said. “Redmayne is correct. My brother has a responsibility here, and a failure to see it through will bring shame upon us both. I won’t allow that.”
“But I don’t think you’ll be able to avoid it,” Prudence said rather desperately.
“We had a small wedding here, of course, but even so… people are going to hear about this. People are going to know that there was supposed to be a wedding today and that there wasn’t one.
There’s no way to avoid the gossip that is sure to take place.
We simply have to accept it and weather it as best we can. ”
“She may be right, Your Grace,” Levi said quietly.
“I like it no more than you do, believe me, but she has a valid point. People are going to find out. The moment we leave this church with no marriage having been conducted, we run the risk of word starting to spread. I think the decision to have a small wedding, with no guests in attendance, was a wise and fortunate one, but that will not stop speculation from taking place.”
Prudence held her breath, hoping that he would let the matter go.
It was almost too good to be believed that she might get away from all this unscathed.
That she might be able to leave this church with her parents instead of with Peter Hall.
That she might be able to resume her life as if nothing too dreadful had happened at all.
The duke looked around the room slowly as if he might find the answer to their conundrum hiding in one of the corners.
Then he let out a sigh. “I suppose you’re right, Mowbray,” he said. “Little though I like it, my brother has left us in a bind. And bringing him back now might not mitigate the damage.”
“I’m sure we’ll find a way to control the rumors, Your Grace.” Baron Highgate sounded fearful. “I understand that what’s happened here doesn’t reflect well on anyone.”
“There aren’t going to be any rumors,” the duke said. “We’re going to have a wedding.”
“We can’t have a wedding,” Prudence said. “We don’t have a groom. And Levi is right. By the time he could be brought here, people would know. This is going to get out.”
“I assure you, Lady Prudence, it will not.” The duke looked at her. “Surely you are familiar with how this sort of thing is usually handled? You of all people must know.”
Prudence felt a chill run down her spine.
“We came here for a marriage, and there will be a marriage,” the duke said. “I will be the one to marry Lady Prudence in my brother’s absence. It is the only appropriate thing to do under the circumstances.”
There was silence.
Prudence felt as if she was falling. No. This was the last thing she’d wanted.
Her father’s face registered shock, but after a moment, he nodded slowly.
“I think that’s quite right, Your Grace,” he said.
“I think that’s the best way you can make up for what has happened here and the best way to protect all of our interests.
I will allow a marriage between you and my daughter. ”
“Don’t act like you’re doing me a favor, Highgate,” the duke warned. “I concede this is not an ideal situation for me, but it’s a far more precarious one for you. I expect your gratitude for this.”
“Of course,” Prudence’s father agreed, backing off quickly.
“Your Grace, no,” Prudence said. “We don’t have to do this. This is going too far. You must see that.”
“What I see,” the duke said, “is that, largely through your own actions, Lady Prudence, you and I have found ourselves in an unmanageable situation, and this is the only way out of it. I must marry you. It is the only way forward. And I expect you to stop being obstinate and naive and to accept that this is the way things are. After all,” he added, meeting her eyes, “you are to be my wife. And what I expect from you should matter to you more than anything else.”