Chapter 18 #2
“So that there could not be another marriage between the families, no further connection between them both, there was written into this document that, should there ever be so again, then more than half of the Surrey estate would be surrendered to Lord Neath.” Lady Welton looked to her husband, who nodded.
“It seems to me, Lord Surrey, that your great-grandfather wanted to make certain you would never even look at another young lady from the Turnhill family.” Her eyes went to Lord Turnhill.
“And such was your own family’s dislike of the Neath line, they would never desire such a marriage either.
I presume that, somehow, the present Lord Neath discovered this piece of information? ”
Lord Turnhill nodded miserably. “He came to call upon me unexpectedly, telling me he had come to claim the money I owed him.”
“Money?” Miss Burnley’s eyes flared. “You owe him money?”
With another sigh, Lord Turnhill threw out his hands. “I gamble on occasion, I do not think there is anything wrong with that but… but one evening, I was far too much in my cups and, driven by my dislike of Lord Neath, decided to do whatever I could to drain him of every coin he had.”
“Except it did not work,” Lord Warwickshire surmised. “You lost.”
“A good deal, as I have said,” Lord Turnhill groaned. “My daughters, they cannot have their father’s name ridiculed in society, for what good match will they find then?”
“So you were driven by a desire to protect them from your foolishness,” Beatrice said, slowly as Lord Turnhill looked at her, only for Miss Burnley to burst into tears. The room fell silent aside from the sound of her sobs, and Beatrice, her sympathy and compassion flooding her, could only look on.
“I did not know what to do,” Lord Turnhill said, eventually. “When Lord Neath read the document, he was elated. I had no choice but to do as he said, else the coin would be demanded from me, and my name muddied – along with my two daughters.”
Lord Surrey drew in a breath and folded his arms across his chest. “You threatened my father?”
“I did not,” Lord Turnhill said firmly. “Lord Neath, he was the one who did so. His threats were… vile, and I could only stand there and listen to them.” A catch came into his voice.
“Offering you an apology seems so very trite, Lord Surrey, for I knew that it was wrong, but I went along with it regardless.”
Silence fell across the room, and Beatrice, tears in her eyes, looked up at Lord Surrey and saw the conflicting emotions spreading across his face.
There was anger there, but pain too, his eyes finding hers and holding there as she looked back at him.
She could not imagine what he was feeling at present, wishing she could go to him and, even if it was only by her physical presence near him, offer some comfort.
“Then it seems I shall have to speak with Lord Neath.” Lord Surrey’s voice was low, each word dragged out of him.
“You have done me a great wrong, Lord Turnhill, but what is worse, you have brought pain and sorrow to your daughter. Your sole cause, as her father, is to be responsible for her, to ensure her happiness and her satisfaction with her future, and yet, you were willing to put her into marriage with me.”
“But you are an Earl!” Lord Turnhill exclaimed, as Lord Surrey shook his head. “That in itself would be a blessing!”
“An Earl who would soon lose half of his estate,” Lord Surrey responded, making Lord Turnhill squeeze his eyes closed, his face whitening.
“Who would have the ton speak of his loss, who would have society whisper about him for many a year to come. Is that truly what you wanted for your daughter? What you would have been content with?” Without allowing him to answer, Lord Surrey looked directly at Miss Burnley.
“I am truly sorry, Miss Burnley. Had I known anything about this, I would never have stepped into a connection with you.”
Miss Burnley rose to her feet, a damp handkerchief in her hand, but a steadiness about her that had not been present even a few moments ago.
“It is quite all right, Lord Surrey, you bear no guilt in this,” she said, her voice wobbling but no more tears falling to her cheeks.
“If you will excuse me, I think it best that I retire for the evening.”
“We should all take our leave.” Lord Surrey looked at Beatrice as Miss Burnley hurried from the room.
“There is nothing more that needs to be discussed, I think.” There was a sudden warmth in his expression, and Beatrice, responding to it, rose and made her way towards him, taking his arm and standing as near to him as she dared without being improper.
How much she wanted to throw her arms about his neck and have him hold her tightly!
How much she longed to hear him whisper those words of love that he had done so many months ago!
She would not have to wait much longer, that she knew for certain.
Their separation was over and now, with everything revealed, there was nothing left to threaten them any longer.
“I – I am sorry.” Lord Turnhill shook his head, shoving one hand through his hair. “I knew that this was wrong, deeply wrong but I could not – ”
“I will give you the money required for Lord Neath’s debt.”
Beatrice caught her breath as Lord Turnhill’s head shot upwards, his eyes rounding.
“I beg your pardon?”
“It seems quite unfair to me that your daughter, Miss Burnley, and your other daughter also would face disgrace and shame because of your foolish actions,” Lord Surrey said, as Beatrice rested her head on his arm, thinking to herself of just how good and kind a gentleman this man was.
“I will not have Lord Neath hold his threats over you and, by doing so, over them also. Therefore, you will write to me tomorrow with the required amount, and I shall have it given to you. But if I should hear that you have gambled foolishly, that you owe yet more money to someone else or that your daughters have, in some way, been brought to shame and ruin because of your actions, I shall demand it back. Have no doubt about that, Lord Turnhill.”
Lord Turnhill bowed low, one hand at his heart as he rose. “I do not deserve such consideration.”
“No, you do not,” Lord Surrey agreed. “But I do so for your daughter's sake, Lord Turnhill. I fear that the younger Miss Burnley has endured more than enough already.”
With that, and with Beatrice still on his arm, Lord Surrey walked from the room, his head held high and his shoulders back.
Beatrice did not think that she could love him more in this moment, walking alongside him with her heart overflowing.
She had known him to be of fine character, but this was something more than that.
This was generosity, consideration, compassion, and care, all shown to a man who had done him a great wrong and who, had he succeeded, could have taken a great deal from him.
How wonderful a gentleman he was – and how blessed she was now to be able to call him her betrothed.