The viscount snorted, shaking his head again.
“And look where it’s got you now,” he said. “Your reputation will be ruined. You will have no choice but to live the rest of your days as a spinster. And I am certain that we can’t count on Lord Billington to do the right thing by you.” He scoffed before continuing. “I don’t know that I’d want him to do at this rate, anyway.”
Martha bit her lip. That was not the time to tell her parents how she felt about him. She wasn’t sure how she felt about him anymore, anyway. If he truly was interested in rekindling his romance with Lady Cordelia, that would make her the biggest fool in all of London. But if he wasn’t, then he didn’t deserve the heat he was getting.
“We’re only worried about your future, darling,” her mother said, moving closer to her husband and daughter. “We couldn’t bear the idea of you paying for someone else’s mistake for the rest of your life.”
The viscount scoffed again, but he rubbed his eyes before he looked up at her once more.
“And yet, that appears to be precisely what I’ve done to you,” he said.
Martha shook her head again, preparing to lovingly chastise her father yet again for blaming himself. But the butler entered just then, wearing a very strict expression on his face.
“Lord Billington has just arrived,” he said. His voice lacked all emotion. Martha, however, was suddenly filled with every emotion all at once. Her heart stopped, her hands became sweaty and she felt that she might swoon. But she fought to keep her thoughts under control as she looked at her parents, who were sharing a very concerned look.
No one said a word for a minute, and Martha couldn’t bear the silence. Nor could she bear the hurt in her heart. She looked at the butler with a small smile.
“Allow him in, please?” she asked.
Both her parents looked at her with wide, fearful eyes. But she gave them a bigger smile and shook her head.
“I wish to get to the bottom of this,” she said.
The viscount hesitated, but eventually he nodded to the butler. The man disappeared, reappearing a moment latter with Lord Billington right behind him. Martha noticed that he was wearing the same suit as the night before. Her heart fell. Had he met with Lady Cordelia late the night before?
Lord Billington didn’t bow or greet anyone formally. Rather, he cleared his throat and looked at her with a humble but intent expression.
“May I please speak with you in private?” he asked.
The elder viscount started to rise, no doubt to tell Lord Billington that they would be going nowhere. But Martha reached out and touched his arm, giving her head a little shake. Her mother looked at her, looking all but panicked. Martha just gave her a reassuring smile.
“I’ll be all right,” she said, thankfully sounding surer than she was. “No matter what happens.”
Her parents looked at each other once more. Both of them were clearly unhappy about her decision and the request. But at last, the elder viscount nodded to his wife, and they rose and left the room. Martha knew her parents would be right outside the door, and Lily was still in the corner of the room. She stood, turning to face Lord Billington as soon as her parents were no longer in sight.
“What have you come to say?” she asked. She had so many questions. But she wanted to let the younger viscount speak first, in case he answered them all. Besides, she didn’t trust herself to speak without bursting into tears.
Lord Billington approached her slowly, his eyes filled with sadness and remorse.
“A few things,” he said. “Firstly, I have had no interaction at all with Cordelia in years. Not before last night, that is. We haven’t spoken since she ended our courtship after my carriage accident and moved away with her husband. She couldn’t bear the thought of being seen with a deformed man, and so she broke off things with me.”
Martha nodded slowly.
“Mr. Barnes told me that last night,” she said softly. “He was under the impression that I already knew.”
Lord Billington winced.
“I’m terribly sorry for not telling you,” he said. “It was such a painful thing to discuss, and I really never thought I would see her again. But I am glad that I did. Because now, I know that I have no love left for her, whatsoever.”
Martha’s heart fluttered with the beginnings of hope, but she didn’t let it show.
“What else?” she asked.
The younger viscount sighed heavily.
“When we first began courting, I was very much against this arranged marriage,” he said. “So much so that I had no intention of going through with it. In fact, I was planning to try to get you to call off the arrangement.”
Martha’s hope faded once more, and she bit her lip to keep it from trembling and betraying her.
