Page 25 of Married to the Earl

The original topic of conversation nudged its way back into her mind. She was afraid to ask the question, but she had to know. “Father,” she said. “What does this have to do with my marriage?”

He sighed. “Lord Middleborough promised not to involve the law when I offered him your hand in exchange.”

“What?” She was horrified.

“The Baron is satisfied,” he said hastily. “He has the payout he wanted. He’ll leave us alone now. And once you are wed to Lord Middleborough, he’ll forgive my theft. So everything will be all right.”

“You traded me,” she said. “You used me as a pawn to get yourself out of trouble with the law.”

“Astrid, you said yourself that it would have been a good idea to offer the man your hand in exchange for a loan. This is no different, really, is it?”

“It’s completely different!” How could he not see that? “It’s the difference between a bargain between equal parties, where terms can be negotiated, and the act of a desperate man trying to keep himself out of trouble. You sacrificed me to stay out of prison.”

“I didn’t sacrifice you,” he protested. “I would never do something like that. Lord Middleborough is a good man and a good match, and you’ll be happy and taken care of married to him. He’s someone I might have considered for you even if circumstances were different.”

“But it wouldn’t be rushed like this if circumstances were different,” she said. “Would it? You would have given us the chance to get to know each other before coming to an agreement. You would haveasked me. You would have cared how I felt about it.”

“I’m your father,” he said again, but the sentiment sounded weaker than before. “I have the right to make these decisions on your behalf, Astrid.”

She sighed. “I shouldn’t be surprised, should I? This is what you’ve done all my life.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve always kept me locked up in this house. You’ve always felt you knew best and refused to consider what I might want if it contradicted what you felt I should do. I don’t know why I thought my marriage would be any different. I don’t know why I let myself believe that this was the one decision in my life that I would be permitted to be involved in.”

“He’s a good man, Astrid.”

“There are terrible rumors about him. You said so yourself.”

“The rumors about him are untrue.”

“You don’t know that. If people are saying things, there must be a reason for it.” Astrid wasn’t sure whether or not she truly believed that, but she had to admit that the idea of a man with a bad reputation frightened her a little.

“When he comes to supper,” her father said. “You’re to be kind and welcoming to him. I don’t want to hear any of this nonsense on that occasion.”

Astrid got to her feet. “I’d like to be excused to my room, please.”

“Did you hear what I said, Astrid?”

“Of course I heard what you said,” Astrid said. “And now I’d like to be excused. I have quite a lot to think about.”

“I’ll expect to see you down here in a few hours for our evening meal,” her father said.

She gave him no reply, merely turned and walked away toward the stairs that led to her bedroom.

Once she had reached her private sanctuary, she lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to untangle her thoughts.

She was furious with her father for stooping to steal from the Earl. She was outraged that he would even consider trading her to keep himself out of trouble. She had thought so much better of him, and she was appalled to see this flaw in him.

But he was still her father. She loved him. She was devoted to him. And, as angry as she was, she knew she would do whatever it took to protect him from the terrible fate he would no doubt face if she refused to marry the Earl.

I can’t let that man set the law on my father, she thought.If this is the only way I have of keeping him safe, then this is what I’m going to have to do.

She wondered what kind of man the Earl was. Was his nature forgiving, that he was willing to overlook her father’s crime? Or was he an opportunist, someone who had taken advantage of her father’s vulnerability to get something for himself?

I’ll have to try to learn that about him when he comes to supper, she thought.

She knew now that there was no way she could be cruel or hostile when Lord Middleborough came to dine with them. That choice had been stripped from her. She couldn’t afford to run him off like that. She had to try to charm him, as her father had said.

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