Chapter Twenty-Seven
Hugo had never considered himself a coward.
Quite the opposite, truth be told. But at this precise moment, he was not too proud to admit, (to himself, at least), that his nerves were failing him.
His family would not be pleased. And that was likely gilding the lily somewhat.
He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay ahead.
He had prolonged it as long as he could, hoping to give his family time to recover from the previous night’s revelries before he caused the inevitable uproar.
Late afternoon light spilled into the sitting room as he entered, casting delicate patterns on the pale blue silk wallpaper.
His father stood by the fireplace, gesturing animatedly as he recounted the day’s news to Hugo’s mother, whose sharp eyes caught Hugo the moment he entered.
Arthur lounged in a window seat, a book forgotten beside him.
“Hugo,” his mother said, voice laced with surprise. “I am surprised to see you so early. You disappeared from the masquerade. I confess, I hadn’t been sure you’d made it home at all.”
Hugo smiled and clasped his hands behind his back. “I have news. Good news. At least I believe it to be. If you have a moment?”
His father’s eyes narrowed, but he gestured to a chair. “Do you now? Well, come along then. Don’t keep us waiting.”
Hugo took another breath. Well. Here went nothing. “I have asked for a lady’s hand, and she has accepted. I intend to marry.”
A hush fell, interrupted only by the rhythmic ticking of the mantel clock.
Lady Haltham’s lips parted in surprise, but pleased surprise.
His father’s shoulders relaxed, suspicion momentarily dissolved.
Arthur looked stunned. Then his eyes widened slightly, obviously realizing the identity of the lady in question.
Thankfully, he snapped his mouth shut, settling back in his seat to watch the oncoming disaster unfold.
“Splendid!” his mother exclaimed. “At last, Hugo! Who is the fortunate young lady?”
Hugo hesitated, glancing at Arthur, who raised a brow, his face alight with amusement. The moment stretched taut. Hugo straightened to his full height, back ramrod straight.
“Miss Adaline Girard,” he said.
For a heartbeat, his parents stared at him, faces frozen. Then, his mother’s smile collapsed. His father let out a grumbling cough, as if he couldn’t get his rejection out fast enough and choked on it instead.
“Adaline Girard?” his mother repeated, her voice thin.
“What foolishness is this?” his father sputtered.
His mother shook her head. “You cannot mean the same girl who started all the trouble with Edward earlier this year?”
“I started all the trouble with Edward earlier this year, Mother. Adaline had nothing to do with it.”
His father set down his glass with a sharp clink. “Oh, yes, she did, Hugo. You may have made the remarks, but you made them in jest, and she accepted the supposed proposal and spread it about in order to use public pressure to bring it to pass.”
“Her brother is the one who started the rumors,” Hugo argued. “She cannot be held accountable for the sins of another. She had no knowledge of it until after the fact.”
“Or so she may have told you,” his mother argued.
“Yes. She did. And I believe her.”
His father snorted. “Oh, come now.”
Hugo continued, ignoring him. “Even if I did not, what happened in the past has no bearing on our present. I know there is some animosity between our families—”
“Some animosity? Her brother challenged you to a duel!” his mother said. “And not a mere form of etiquette. He wanted you dead!”
“I remember,” Hugo said. “And it likely wouldn’t have been to the death. Only to first blood.” Then he shrugged. “He didn’t mean it.”
Arthur laughed in his corner, then choked it off when both their parents shot him irritated looks.
“She is well-born,” Hugo replied, “not titled, I know. But her family is reputable—”
“Her family may be reputable,” his mother interjected, “but she herself is a social climber. How can you simply dismiss the fact that she—whether she knew at first or not—would have likely accepted a marriage proposal from your own brother? And what then? When she realized she couldn’t have him, she obviously set her sights on you. ”
Hugo’s jaw tightened. “That isn’t what happened, Mother.”
“That is exactly what happened,” his father insisted. “And what will happen if this match falls through as well? Hmm? Will she be after Arthur next?”
Everyone glanced in Arthur’s direction, and he immediately threw his hands in the air in mock surrender. “Leave me out of this. I am a mere spectator. Thank you.”
“Hear the boy out,” Duchess Catherine said. “He obviously has feelings for this girl. He at least deserves to make his case.”
Hugo gave his grandmother a grateful smile, then turned back to his parents.
“I know this is difficult to accept. But I promise you, I did not enter into this blindly. She did not make overtures toward me. In fact, it was I who instigated our friendship. I, who sought her out, not the other way around. It was many weeks before she stopped seeing me as an enemy who would bring about her downfall. As she was more than justified in doing, considering the damage my thoughtless jest wrought. It took great effort on my part, and extraordinary forgiveness on hers, before she saw me as a friend. And then more.”
“Or so she would have you believe,” his father said, fixing Hugo with a stern gaze. “How can you be so certain? She is clever, obviously. And charming, as I remember. But it would be na?ve to believe she seeks anything but your name and fortune.”
“Even if that were true, how would that make her different than any other woman you have thrown at me over the last year? Not one of them know me or have even bothered trying to do so. They, or at least their families, see our name and our bank account, and that is all they need to know. So at the very least, be honest about the reasoning behind your rejection. But I assure you, that is not the case here. Adaline would not marry unless for love.”
His parents glanced at each other, but neither of their expressions softened. They were not swayed.
Hugo let out a deep sigh, anxiety and disappointment pressing upon him. He had known this would not go well. But he had still held out some hope. Hope that was rapidly dwindling. He hadn’t wanted to betray their secret. But perhaps knowing the truth would sway his parents.
“I know her motives are pure because she loved me before she ever knew my name.”
His father snorted again, his mother making a slightly more feminine version of the sound, her eyes narrowing. “How is that even possible?”
Hugo gritted his teeth, his jaw popping, before he answered. “We corresponded for months. Anonymously.”
His mother gasped. His father looked at him as if he’d gone mad. And Arthur had never looked so entertained in his life. Hugo glared at him before turning his attention back to his parents.
“She found a letter that I had misplaced, one I had written to Grandmother.” He nodded at her, and she gave him an encouraging smile.
“She did not reveal any identifying information in the letter. I had no inkling of her true identity. Nor she of mine. But I found the letter to be clever. Amusing. I was intrigued. And so I wrote back, sending it through the same channel as the one which delivered mine to me. And…we simply continued. I found her mind keen, her heart true. We shared our fears and hopes, we found our minds and hearts aligned in nearly every way. And she did this without any knowledge of my identity.”
His mother shook her head, lips pursed. “That you know of. You may hope. Assume. But you cannot be sure, truly sure, that she did not know. Whether she did or not, the simple fact that she engaged in such activity with a man to whom she is not engaged or related is highly improper. And this is the woman you wish us to welcome into our home? Our family?”
Yes. He’d known that wouldn’t work in their favor. Which is why he wouldn’t have betrayed their secret unless it was absolutely necessary. But they had to understand their connection. How deeply it went.
“Anonymous letters?” His father shook his head. “How reckless. How can anything good come of such secrecy? It reeks of deception.” His father pressed on, voice rising, “You are besotted, Hugo. You see virtue where there may be none. We cannot sanction this match. For your own good.”
“Think of what people will say,” his mother added. “The whole of society knows of the rancor between our families. A match between you would do nothing but invite curiosity, questions that you may not want to answer. And if the truth were ever discovered…”
“You speak of reputation as if it outweighs happiness,” Hugo said, trying to keep his anger, and fear, in check. He had known this wouldn’t be easy, but it was going a good sight worse than he’d anticipated.
“Adaline is not what you believe,” he insisted. “She is kind, wonderful. Better than most in our acquaintance, frankly. She is the woman I choose. I will have no other.”
His mother’s voice trembled with emotion. “We only wish to spare you pain. Think carefully, Hugo. How can we ever trust her?”
“I trust her,” Hugo replied, voice steady. “That should be enough.”
His father stood, his frame rigid. “If you persist in this folly, you do so without our blessing. You will not have our permission, nor our support. We cannot—will not—see the Haltham name tied to such scandal.”
Hugo’s vision blurred, anger clawing at his gut.
“There will be no scandal as long as you do not betray the secrets I have confided in you. Only those of us in this room and Adaline herself know of our correspondence. Just as only those in our family and hers know what truly transpired between us when I made that damnable joke months ago.”
His father’s face remained stony, though his mother’s softened a degree. “Hugo,” she said gently, taking his hand. “We are only trying to protect you.”
“I know, Mother,” he said, giving her hand a squeeze. “But I do not need your protection. I need your blessing to marry the woman I love.”
His mother’s face softened, but his father let out a deep sigh. “And that, I’m afraid, we cannot do.”
Arthur stirred from his seat, concern etching his features. The silence grew heavy, suffocating. At last, Hugo turned away. “If you cannot accept Adaline, then you cannot accept me. I will not live without her.”
With that, he strode from the room, the familiar corridors of Haltham House seeming suddenly foreign and cold.
Outside, dusk was falling. Hugo paused on the steps, breath curling in the chill air.
He closed his eyes, fighting the tremor of doubt that gnawed at his resolve.
He had never gone against his parents’ wishes before.
He’d never needed to. And he did not regret doing so now.
But he did mourn the rift that now existed between them.
The door opened behind him, and Arthur emerged, his coat hastily thrown over his shoulders.
“Hugo, wait.”
Arthur stopped at his side. “I’m sorry. I tried to intervene, but you know how Father is when he’s set on something. I know how you care for her. And she’s obviously extraordinary to put up with you.”
Hugo chuckled. “That she is.”
Arthur looked up at the flickering lamps lining the square, his voice low. “What will you do now? They will not relent easily. You know how Father is. If you marry her, they may cut you off. Are you prepared for that?”
Hugo’s gaze drifted to the horizon, where the last rays of sunlight struggled against the gathering gloom.
“I will not give her up. I would, of course, prefer to remain in our parents’ good graces,” he said with a wry smile before sobering.
“But I’ll marry her without their permission if I must. If she’ll have me. ”
Arthur smiled and clapped him on the shoulder.
“Glad to hear it. I like her. And for what it’s worth, I am certain they’ll come around.
Eventually. I do think they genuinely want your happiness.
They just need to be convinced Miss Girard is not what they think.
And until then, I will help you, whatever you need. You have my word.”
Hugo clasped his brother’s hand, warm affection for him soothing some of the sting of his parents’ rejection. “Thank you, Arthur. That means more than you know.”
Arthur gave him a nod and then turned his gaze to the road, pulling his coat tighter about him. “Well then. What now?”
Hugo turned his gaze to the horizon as well, his mind swimming with possible plans. Though only one truly mattered just then.
“I am going to claim my lady.”