Page 46 of The Marchioness of his Desire
He was tired of arguing with his mother and pleading with Rebecca. He was tired of being held up as the villain and suspected of a scandal far from his own making. He wanted nothing more to do with the countess or the alleged child which she carried. In short, he had undertaken a self-imposed exile and instructed Mrs. Thrip that he was not to be disturbed.
That morning, Nicholas had spent a pleasant few hours absorbed in his books, dismissing any thoughts of the outside world, and burying himself in reading. He had recently acquired a fine volume of the works of Keats and was poring over it, almost forgetting his troubles, so caught up was he in the beauty of the language. It reminded him of Rebecca and of the passion he still felt for her in his heart. Despite all that had happened, he still loved her, and he wanted to make her realize he always would.
Having given his instructions, he was somewhat perturbed and annoyed by a knocking at the study door. He looked up at the clock, imagining that he had become so absorbed in his reading that the time for luncheon had arrived, and Mrs. Thrip had come to summon him. But it was only just after eleven o’clock, so he sighed, calling out for his visitor to come in.
He had hoped that it might be Rebecca, come to reconcile herself with him and offer her heartfelt apologies for disbelieving him. But it was only the footman bearing a silver tray with a calling card and bowing as he entered the room.
“A visitor, your Lordship, and he is most anxious for an audience with you,” the footman said, presenting the card, which Nicholas took to examine.
“The Earl of Weston?” he exclaimed, looking up in surprise, and the footman nodded.
“Am I to show him in, your Lordship?” he asked.
Nicholas was confused. He had no idea why Rebecca’s uncle should be calling upon him. They had no business together and were hardly well acquainted. He furrowed his brow and sighed, closing his book and nodding to the footman.
“Yes, Harvey, show him in. I only hope it will be a short interview,” he said, and the footman bowed and left the room.
A few moments later, Nicholas could hear the sound of heavy feet in the corridor, and the door burst open, the footman standing nervously aside as Rebecca’s uncle marched into the room. Nicholas had little love for the man, and now it seemed Weston was perturbed by something, his face red and puffed with anger.
“I would speak with you upon a most urgent matter,” he said, slumping down into a chair without invitation.
Nicholas nodded to the footman, who left the room, closing the door gently behind him.
“May I offer you a drink, sir? A brandy perhaps?” Nicholas said, attempting to maintain his composure in the face of such open hostility.
“Brandy, yes. In some trouble, I understand?” the earl said, as Nicholas poured two glasses, giving the larger of the two to his guest.
“If you have come to chastise me over the Countess Elizaveta Ethelinda, then I shall say again that I know nothing of her. I have not betrayed my marriage vows, nor have I brought scandal and disgrace upon your niece,” Nicholas said, hoping to head off the earl before his inevitable assault.
“I have heard about that unfortunate incident, but it is not why I have come,” Rebecca’s uncle replied, swirling the brandy in his glass around and fixing his eyes sternly upon Nicholas, who felt a shudder run through him.
What fresh trouble was this now? He wondered.
“Then what is it? I have heard quite enough about my supposed faults these past few days. You may as well add to my sorrow. Out with it!” he demanded, having little regard for decorum in the face of this fresh onslaught.
“Edward Johnson, that is the problem that we have,” the earl replied, and Nicholas laughed.
“Of all the troubles in the world, the matter of Edward Johnson is one which I have little concern. He is no longer a threat to me. It is I who am married to Rebecca, unless you are here to tell me that they were already married, though I think that Rebecca might have mentioned that fact if they were,” Nicholas replied.
He had been forceful enough in his dismissal of Edward Johnson, knowing that there was little the gentleman could do now that he and Rebecca were married. In this matter, Nicholas knew that Rebecca had chosen him, and he was entirely ready to return to his studies, caring little for what her uncle had to say on the matter.
“He would have married her,” the earl said.
“But he did not,” Nicholas said, “I did. Legally and truthfully, in full knowledge of what was being done, and in front of witnesses, yourself included. What possible charge could be brought against us? No, sir, if you are to take my mother’s stance and believe our match to be wrong, then so be it. It is made, and there is nothing you can do about it. Whether by invoking the name of Edward Johnson or some other such name, I will not be cowed,” Nicholas replied, considering that to be the end of the matter.
“He paid for her,” Rebecca’s uncle said, his tone low and menacing.
Nicholas turned to him in astonishment, his eyes wide in disbelief.
“What do you mean? He cannot have done. Who did he pay? You?” he demanded, and the earl nodded.
“A princely sum, too much in fact, but then he is besotted with her, any fool can see that. He has been coming here almost every day, has he not? Well, he wanted satisfaction, and after the arrival of the countess, he thought he would have it. He believed that Rebecca would be only too willing to go with him, to elope that is, for your marriage could easily be dissolved given the circumstances. But instead, it seems that Rebecca is far more stubborn than you believe, and that she loves you enough to refuse his advances.”
Nicholas was lost for words, thankful for the news of Rebecca’s fidelity and yet astonished that their happiness should hang in the balance of Edward Johnson’s pocketbook. How dare the earl take payment for his niece and dangle her like some prize to be fought over. It was truly wicked and brought lump to his throat as he choked back his emotions.
“And you agreed to this? To sell your own niece to a man like that, and for what?” he demanded.
“I have my reasons, chief amongst them my debts. The point is, he is demanding satisfaction now. He will have his money back, but I cannot afford to pay. That is why I have come to speak with you and make you understand the position we now find ourselves in.”
