“I am also aware that I will never find a lady who would want to marry a gentleman with such a badly scarred face. With Lady Cecily being blind, she would never have to be horrified by looking at me. And it would give us both a chance at a normal, happy life.”
The Earl sat back in his seat, tenting his fingers together under his chin. Val could not be sure, but he thought he could see a spark of hope in the older man’s eyes.
“And what would Cecily gain from this?” he asked. “It is clear how a blind wife would benefit you. But of what benefit would you be to her?”
Val straightened his shoulder, knowing his next words could very well either make or break the Earl’s decision.
“It would be a marriage of convenience,” he said. “I would never expect more of her than she was willing or able to give to me. I would, of course, be perfectly honest with her about my intentions, and perhaps, we could even find friendship with each other. But, in any case, she would be well cared for. She would never want or need anything. Anything she requested would be hers in an instant.”
The Earl nodded slowly. He thought for a moment before leaning over his desk with his hands clasped together.
“I must leave that decision up to my dear Cecily,” he said. “I will tell her everything that you have just told me, and I will send word to you once she makes her choice.”
Val nodded, stunned at the Earl’s words. Even though the Earl had patiently listened to him, some part of him had been sure he would reject the proposal.
Not wishing to press his luck, he rose, bowing to the earl once more.
“Thank you, my lord,” he said, smiling tentatively. “I shall take my leave.”
Chapter Nine
Cecily inconspicuously fidgeted with a bump in the tablecloth as everyone chattered excitedly at the party around her. Her mother and sister had insisted that she attend a tea party hosted by the Countess of Sedenshire. Though she hadn’t wanted to go, she reluctantly agreed. She knew they were trying to include her in normal activities, and she wanted to try to prove that she could handle them. Especially for Agnes’s sake.
But as the conversation turned to the Season and all the eligible bachelors that were participating that year, Cecily tuned the conversation out completely. She tried to smile and nod politely at the beginning of the party. But after they started talking about marriage and suitors, she just kept to herself. She would just look foolish by pretending that she knew all about that subject.
One particular statement caught her attention, however. She lifted her head and pretended to casually listen. But her heart was pounding in her chest as she listened.
“Speaking of marriage seekers,” Lady Sophia said with a haughty tone. “I heard that Val Archer, the Duke of Archington is back in London.”
Cecily could feel both her mother and sister stiffen, though they said nothing. Up to that point, she had been lost in her own thoughts and not paying attention to the conversation around her. Cecily could not clearly see the young woman’s face, but her voice said that she was pulling a face.
“Oh really? Is he seeking marriage?” Another young woman asked. She was too far down the table for Cecily to tell who she was, but she could feel the direction in which the conversation was headed. Women of thetonloved to gossip and, last she knew, Lady Sophia was one of the biggest gossips of all. She put her hands in her lap so that she would not embarrass herself by letting anyone see that they were trembling.
“Indeed, that is what I heard,” Lady Sophia said matter-of-factly. “Can you imagine the poor lady who ends up marrying such a beast?”
It was Cecily’s turn to tense up, immediately earning her a hand grasp from her sister. She never had much interest in joining in the gossip at social events. But something about what Lady Sophia had said gave her cause to make an exception. She cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders, ignoring her mother’s hand suddenly appearing on her knee.
“Pardon me, Lady Sophia,” she said, proud of how confident she sounded. “I feel that it is wrong to judge someone by his or her appearance.”
There were murmurs around the table, but for the first time, Cecily did not feel self-conscious.
“What are you doing?” Agnes asked, sounding concerned.
Cecily shook her head, not turning her focus from the place where Lady Sophia was sitting.
“Well, how can anyone expect someone with blatant physical deformities to be a proper member of society?” Lady Sophia asked.
Cecily considered the question for a moment. It angered her how quickly ton members could judge people for certain things. But part of her believed that perhaps, Lady Sophia did not know any better. She suddenly smiled, realizing that she had proof of what she was saying.
“By giving them a chance to prove themselves,” she said. “It just so happens that my family and I had dinner with the Duke and his mother, The Dowager Duchess, last evening.”
If anyone had dropped a hairpin at that moment, it could have been heard all the way in downtown London. Cecily could not help smiling smugly as she imagined the shocked faces of the snobby women who had no business speaking about people they did not know.
“So? What happened?” asked another young woman.
Cecily shrugged nonchalantly, daring to trace her teacup with her fingertip as she spoke.
“It went beautifully,” she said. “His Grace was the perfect host. He was very polite and attentive, and he made us feel most welcome every moment we were there.”
