Page 14 of An Arranged Betrothal with an Icy Duke
“And in ten days’ time. Not a sennight.”
Thinking that he would protest, Henry caught the glint in his mother’s eye and hesitated, quickly realizing that it would not be worth it.
“I will have to send word to the house about what is happening so that everything is prepared,” she told him, a small smile pulling up one side of her mouth in clear satisfaction thatshe had achieved what she desired. “We should return there in a sennight but the guests can arrive in ten days’ time.”
“Then I will invite Lord and Lady Tidemore and their two daughters to join us so we might have a day or two alone, before the guests arrive,” Henry stated, feeling himself growing a little frustrated over what his mother had managed to achieve. “Will that satisfy you?”
His mother reached for the tea pot and poured herself another cup of tea as she smiled back at him. “Of course I am,” she said sweetly, as though Henry had not made a single word of protest. “I amverymuch looking forward to meeting this young lady of yours. I do hope that she will be everything you require her to be, Fairglen.”
“As do I,” Henry muttered, his frustration still growing. “As do I.”
Chapter Seven
“Miss Tidemore, your father requires your presence in the parlour.”
Edith looked up from her book – a book she had not been able to read such was her nervousness – and into the face of Sarah, her lady’s maid. “My father?”
“Yes, with urgency,” came the reply. “Do you require anything else?”
Setting her book aside, Edith got to her feet and then made her way to the door. “No, I thank you,” she said, pressing one hand to her stomach as nervousness continued to flood through her. Making her way down the hallway, she paused for a moment before opening the door to the parlor. She had very little knowledge as to what her father was going to say to her but she was quite certain it was going to be about the Duke of Fairglen. Ithadto be about him given that he and the Duke of Fairglen had spoken at length the previous evening. Edith had been waiting ever since that moment to discover what it was that had been said – and even more, how it was going to affect her – but as yet, her father had not said anything. In fact, he had not even seen her, aside from last evening once he had returned from his conversation with the Duke. He had not been present when she had broken her fast and, thereafter, Edith had learned that her mother and father were both in private conversation in her father’s study. Amelia had shown excitement rather than concern but Edith had felt nothing but anxiety.
And now, she was to learn what her father had spoken of with the Duke.
“Ah, Edith, there you are.” Her father beckoned her into the parlor, though Edith paused for a moment, having not expectedto see the Duke of Fairglen present. Why ever was he here? She had thought that her father had wanted to speak with her alone and had not realized that the Duke himself would be with them in conversation.
“Your Grace,” she murmured, curtsying before she sat down in the chair her father directed her to. The Duke himself did not rise to greet her and nor did he bow, making her hands clench tightly in her lap as she glanced to her father. The Duke of Fairglen was not making himself appear particularly considerate of her and thus far, she thought rather poorly of him and this was only their second interaction!
“The Duke of Fairglen has come to invite us all to a house gathering,” her father told her, a broad grin spreading across his face. “We will take our leave from here in a sennight and spent some time at his estate. Is that not marvelous?”
Edith nodded and forced a smile as she looked again to the Duke of Fairglen. “It is very generous of you, Your Grace.” She kept her gaze steady as he looked back at her without blinking, his blue eyes sharp as though he sought to look into her very soul. Swallowing tightly, Edith twined her fingers in her lap, quite certain that there was more to this house gathering than either the Duke or her father had been speaking of.
“Amelia will be quite delighted,” her father continued, as Edith pulled her eyes away from the Duke and returned her attention to her father. “The Duke and I spoke last evening about spending time at his estate, Edith, and I am sure that you will be just as delighted to visit there.”
“Of course.” Edith managed to keep her smile in place though she darted her gaze down to her hands in her lap, her breathing becoming a little faster as she waited for what else was to be said to her. She would not have been called in here without there being something more significant being said to her about the Duke himself.
“It will give you opportunity to see all that is required of a Duchess.”
Edith’s head lifted though she kept her eyes trained on her hands. Her heart began to pound, her breathing growing tight as she fought hard to keep her composure.
“Alas, I had not had opportunity to speak to my daughter about this arrangement as yet, Your Grace. Forgive me. Let me do so now.” Lord Tidemore cleared his throat. “Edith, you are now engaged to the Duke of Fairglen.”
Edith closed her eyes and took in a long, slow breath in the hope of containing her rapidly swirling emotions. There was no pleasure in this news, no joy in what she had been told. Instead, there was nothing but shock rifling through her, sending a chill to her very bones.
“This is clearly something of a surprise, which I understand given that we were only introduced last evening.” The tone of the Duke’s voice had dropped a little though Edith still could not bring herself to look at him. “However, I require a bride and your father was the only one who came to call upon me with an invitation, rather than bringing you to see me. Therefore, upon accepting his invitation, I made it clear to him what I was looking for and these next few weeks will prove to me, one way or the other, that I have chosen correctly.”
Edith finally looked back at the Duke, seeing a muscle clench in his jaw before he looked away. “I – I do not understand. We are not engaged, then?”
“Oh no, youareengaged, and thetonshall know of it from tomorrow,” her father said, rubbing his hands in evident delight though Edith’s stomach was roiling so furiously, she felt almost nauseated. “But the Duke of Fairglen wishes to know your character a little better and – ”
“Andto make certain that you are suitable for the role of Duchess,” the Duke interjected, his tone heavy with severity andEdith closed her eyes to take in a breath as a trembling began to run over her skin.
“Then why must we be engaged if you are not certain that I am all that you require? Would courtship not be better?”
The Duke lifted his chin a little. “No. I do not require courtship. I do not want thetonto view my connection with you as something which might easily be broken. Rather, I would prefer that society sees that I am now engaged and thus, cannot be pursued by any other.”
Edith’s shoulders dropped. “But if you decide that I am not suitable for you, then you will end the engagement and I will be left with the gossip of society chasing after me.”
A small, dark smile flickered across the Duke’s lips. “Then might I suggest that you do all you can to prove yourself, Miss Tidemore? Your father has told me of your character and these next few weeks will simply be a chance for you to prove that what he has said is true.”
