Page 63 of A Captain For Clarissa
There was a long, weighted pause. Clarissa held her breath, scarcely daring to hope.
Finally, in a voice so low she had to strain to hear it, her father asked plaintively, “Do you really believe I should allow this, Marianne? That I should give my blessing to Clarissa marrying so far beneath her?”
Clarissa’s heart leapt into her throat. Everything hinged on Marianne’s reply.
“I believe,” Marianne said slowly, carefully, “that you should trust your daughter’s judgement. And your own eyes. Anyone can see that Clarissa and Rafael are deeply in love. Surely that counts for something?”
The Earl huffed out an impatient breath. “Love! What good is love when the man hasn’t a penny to his name? You saw that crumbling castle of his!”
Marianne’s voice sharpened. “Arthur, open your eyes and reallylookat your daughter for once in your life. Have you seen how Clarissa glows when Rafael is near? How quick she is to laugh, how eager to share her thoughts and opinions with him?”
There was a rustle of silk skirts, and then the click of the study door opening. Clarissa hastily lurched to her feet and took a couple of steps back.
“Just think about what I’ve said,” Marianne urged, and then she walked out into the hall, pausing only briefly as she saw Clarissa there, before passing her with a smile and heading for the front door.
Clarissa barely had time to whirl around and pretend to be engrossed in a painting on the opposite wall before her father’s voice rang out.
“Clarissa, come in here please.”
She winced, feeling like a naughty child caught with her hand in the biscuit jar. Schooling her features into a mask of innocence, she slipped into the study. “Yes, Papa?”
Her father was seated behind his massive oak desk, his fingers steepled beneath his chin as he studied her with narrowed eyes. “Sit down,” he ordered, nodding to one of the chairs arranged across from him.
Clarissa perched on the edge of the seat, her spine ramrod straight, her hands folded primly in her lap. Inside, her stomach churned with nerves. She met his gaze, determined not to be the first to look away. The silence stretched between them, fraught with unspoken tension.
Clarissa drew in a fortifying breath, gathering her courage. “Papa, may I ask you something?”
Her father’s brow furrowed but he inclined his head. “Go on.”
“Why is it so important to you that I marry well?” The words tumbled out in a rush. “You’re an earl now. Nobody can take that title away. You have money and status. When is enough, enough?”
The earl’s eyes widened at her blunt question. He leaned back in his chair, contemplating her as if seeing her clearly for the first time. “I want what’s best for you, Clarissa. A secure future. A respected position in society.”
“But I would have that with Rafael!” Her voice rose with passion. “He may not be wealthy now, but he has noble blood, a distinguished naval career. We love each other, Papa. Isn’t that what truly matters?”
Her father’s jaw tightened. “And what of your dowry? What if I choose to withhold it?”
Clarissa lifted her chin, meeting his challenging stare directly. “Then so be it. I never counted on receiving it.” She thought of Rafael, of the dilapidated but charming castle that was hisbirthright. “Rafael and I are perfectly willing to put in the work to restore his estate. We don’t need a fortune to be happy.”
The earl drummed his fingers on the desk, conflict playing across his face. Clarissa’s heart pounded as the silence lengthened.
At last, the earl sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging. “You really do love him, don’t you?”
“With all my heart,” Clarissa replied without hesitation, her voice ringing with conviction.
Her father’s gaze softened, a glimmer of understanding dawning in his eyes. “I suppose I’ve been too focused on the trappings of status and wealth. But seeing you now, so resolute, so...” He waved a hand, searching for the right word. “...alive with purpose, I realise that perhaps I’ve been measuring success by the wrong standards.”
Clarissa held her breath, hardly daring to hope. Was he truly coming around?
The earl rose from his chair and came to stand before her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “If Captain de Silva is the man who brings such joy and determination to your eyes, then who am I to stand in the way?” A wry smile tugged at his lips. “I suspect you’d find a way to marry him with or without my blessing.”
Tears of relief and happiness welled in Clarissa’s eyes. “Oh, Papa!” She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “Thank you. Thank you for understanding.”
He returned her embrace, patting her back affectionately. “And you’ll have your dowry, my dear. Use it to build the life you dream of with your captain.”
Clarissa laughed, a sound of pure, unbridled joy. She stepped back, wiping at her damp cheeks. “I can hardly wait to tell Rafael. He’ll be thrilled!”
“Then go to him,” her father urged, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “And invite him to dinner tonight. I believe it’s high time I got to know my future son-in-law properly.”
