Page 65 of Drowned in the Pleasure of a Devilish Baron
The three were silent as the soup was served, Sarah wondering how to broach the subject further that would not make John shut her down completely. It was made more difficult by the fact that her mother had still not truly spoken with her about her little trip earlier. She felt she was walking on eggshells, afraid of what was to come next.
“John—”
“Sarah—”
They both spoke at once, and traded a wry smile.
“John, I only wondered if—”
But her mother cut her off decisively. “Sarah, let your brother speak.” She turned and caught John’s eye. “It’s time you told her, before she gets to asking more about her Sir Felix. We cannot let these silly dreams last any longer than this, especially after what happened today.” She looked pointedly at Sarah.
Sarah slowly returned her spoon to the table, her heart pounding. Whatever was coming, she was sure that it was not going to be good.
John sat up straight, groaning as he did so, and looked Sarah in the eye. He must have read the desperation on her face, for he sighed before beginning. “Sister, it does not please me to cause you pain.”
Sarah’s heart froze. “John, please do not do this.”
He continued. “I do not want to hurt you. You know that Mother and I care deeply for you, and only have your happiness in mind when we say this.”
“No.” She was shaking her head, fighting the urge to plug her ears against the words that were coming next.
“This foolishness with Felix has to end, and I am ending it today,” John said, a finality in his voice that cracked her heart. “There is no chance of you marrying him. From what I saw today, he had something in the works, some business proposition that would have given him some money that he could have used to ask for your hand in marriage.”
Sarah leaned forward, desperate to learn more. What exactly had burnt in his fields today and dashed those hopes?
“But he lost it all in a fire today, as you know,” he added darkly. “There is no hope for him to support a family,” John’s voice was kinder now. “You must see that we cannot allow you to be married to a man who cannot support you. I will not see my sister living so low.”
“But if he came up with this idea, he is sure to come up with something else!” Sarah protested. “You have known Felix all of his life. Surely you can see he would not allow such a thing to happen? We can trust him, have faith!”
A flash of irritation crossed John’s face. “That is an option that we cannot wait for. You are growing older every day. It is high time you were married. And there has been another offer for your hand.”
“Offer?” She frowned. “As if I am to go to the highest bidder?”
John flushed and she saw that he had not meant to let that word slip. “Forgive me, I meant a request. Lord Ashton is very serious about marrying you, Sarah, and he does not wish to wait.”
But she could not forget that word he had used. “John…” she said quietly, knowing that what she was about to say next was absurd, but knowing she had to ask anyway. “Has he offered you an amount of money to marry me?”
The quick look exchanged between he and her mother answered her question.
She shoved her chair back and stood, her hand flying to her mouth. “You cannot be serious! All your talk of familial duty and love, but you havesoldme off to the highest bidder!” Her voice was growing louder, more shrill, but she could not stop herself. Her heart was hammering in her chest with disgust, and fear that she had been shoved off into an unknown future, one that was far away from the little cottage at Havordshire.
“Do not be so melodramatic.” Lady Marlow attempted to take her hand, but Sarah backed away from her. “You have not beensold, that’s ridiculous.”
“You’re right, Mother. It is ridiculous.” Sarah felt her breath coming in short spurts as she reeled with shock. “Is it done? Have you already accepted payment from my husband-to-be?”
John crossed his arms. “I do not have to answer that. You are the only daughter in this family, Sarah, and you know that your duty as such is to marry well. It is as simple as that. I am sorry that you don’t like the man who has been chosen for you, but I feel confident that in time you will come to your senses. You have always been too dreamy for your own good, and you let your heart get away from you with Felix. An understandable mistake, but one that we are reconciling now.”
“Darling Sarah,” Lady Marlow’s voice was velvety soft. “It’s what your father would have wanted.”
Sarah nearly choked in indignation at this. “You cannot be serious.” She backed up further, desperate to be away from the two of them, from their hard faces and unyielding eyes, but she could not run. Not yet, not if there was still a chance. “Father would never have forced me to marry a man if I did not agree. Never!”
Her mother stood, eyes blazing. “Perhaps that is so! But your father was a foolish man and he passed that foolishness onto you! He was wrong to allow you to run wild as a child, and look what that has led to now. You are unbiddable, exhausting to deal with. And I’m your mother saying that! It’s a miracle we have found a gentleman who has agreed to marry you! I won’t let you ruin this chance for all of us because your father was too soft on you before he died!”
Tears sprang to her eyes at her mother’s words, but she stood tall even as they began to fall. “A gentleman I lovehasagreed to marry me,” she said quietly. “A good and honorable gentleman, one who loves me for who I am. Can’t you see that?”
Lady Marlow tutted. “Hardly an appropriate choice. You are speaking of the man who beat your own brother today, like some sort of animal.”
“You had your mind made up about him long before that.”
