Page 14 of An Arranged Betrothal with a Beast
Her heart threw itself against her chest and Abigail caught her breath, looking up sharply just in time to see her father nodding. Without a word to any of them, Lord Townsend made his way back with Lord Crestwood and the two gentlemen departed, leaving the three ladies to stand alone.
“What are they discussing?” Charlotte asked, her eyes a little wide as she looked to Abigail. “Is it… something serious?”
“Mother and father have decided that I should marry Lord Crestwood.” Speaking a little dully, Abigail looked into her sister’s face and chose to keep back the truth about their father’s debts. Charlotte did not need to know such things. She was already confused enough, having tried earlier in the day to comfort Abigail but without knowing what the trouble truly was. “That is why we are here. The arrangements must be made before the engagement can be made known.”
Charlotte’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes huge. There was nothing but shock there and not even the smallest hint of happiness.
“It is for the best.”
Abigail looked back at her mother, only for Lady Townsend to drop her gaze, her face a good deal paler than Abigail had seen it before.
“At least, I believe it is for the best,” she continued, in a small voice. “There is nothing to be done now, Abigail. Come. The butler is waiting to show us to the others.”
Before Abigail could move, however, her sister grasped her arm, her eyes still huge. “You are going to marry the Beast of Crestwood Hall?”
There came a kick to her stomach as Abigail nodded, her throat constricting as her sister’s eyes filled with tears.
“You do not have to marry someone such as he,” Charlotte whispered, coming closer to Abigail. “There must be other gentlemen who – ”
“It has all been arranged,” Abigail told her, as Lady Townsend began to walk away. “There is nothing I can do. From the way Lord Crestwood came to fetch our father, I feel quite certain that my engagement to Lord Crestwood will be formalized by the week’s end.”
Charlotte caught her breath but Abigail turned and followed after her mother, her shoulders and her heart heavy. There was no escaping it now. All she could do was accept her future such as it was and pray that she would find even the smallest hint of happiness in it all.
Chapter Seven
“So.” Arthur waved one hand over the papers in front of him. “These are all of your debts.” He eyed Lord Townsend carefully as the man looked at each and every piece of paper, picking them up and scrutinizing them before, finally, nodding. There was not even the smallest hint of embarrassment in the man’s face, however, and that gave Arthur cause for concern. After all, a great many of these debts were more than a little mortifying given that they came about from gambling and the like but Lord Townsend appeared to be quite contented that Arthur should have found them out.
“You do not show a great propensity for careful management of your money,” Arthur said, plainly, as Lord Townsend frowned. “These debts come from a man who has chosen to sit at the gambling table, chosen to make foolish investments and taken very little care in such things. I do not know why I should be willing to help you in this.”
“Oh, but I am not a fool!” Lord Townsend exclaimed, his head lifting as his eyes sharpened. “I will admit that I have made mistakes but I have learned from them! I will not do such things again, I assure you.”
Arthur hesitated. Lord Townsend was a gentleman of great boldness given that he had approached him in this first place with this idea and Arthur remained a little uncertain that he could trust the gentleman’s word.
But what cause have I to be concerned about such things? I am to gain a wife. Paying Lord Townsend’s debts means that his coffers are once again his own responsibility and nothing to do with me.
“I presume that your daughter has no dowry?”
Lord Townsend’s eyes flared as a flush rose in his cheeks. “I beg your pardon, Lord Crestwood, but I am a gentleman of honour even with such debts! Of course my daughters have their dowries! I have never taken a single penny from either of them in that regard.”
Arthur tilted his head, seeing the flash in Lord Townsend’s eyes and deciding that in this, at least, he believed him. “Very good. Though I shall ask a favour of you – no, it shall not be a request but rather written into whatever contract we sign together.”
Lord Townsend frowned. “What do you require of me aside from my eldest daughter’s hand in marriage?”
“I require your eldest daughter’s dowry be added to your younger daughter’s dowry,” Arthur stated, firmly. “I have no need for Miss Townsend’s dowry and, given that I am paying all of your debts, to demand such a thing seems foolish. Therefore, I will insist that your younger daughter’s dowry be increased. That should be more than a littlehelpful when it comes to her securing her own match, as I am certain she shall very soon.”
“Because her elder sister is married to an Earl and her dowry substantial,” Lord Townsend said slowly, as Arthur nodded. “Very well. I agree to that.”
“Good.” With a slow nod, Arthur looked down at the debts again and, despite the questions, the concern and the worries in his heart, began to find himself contented with the idea of matrimony. He did not know the lady very well at all and indeed, had only met her on one occasion but the situation was to his liking. “Then I shall instruct my solicitors to bring us a formal contract within a fortnight. My engagement to your daughter can be made known to thetonbefore then, of course, but I shall do nothing as regards matrimony until the contract is completed and signed. Do I make myself clear?”
The light in Lord Townsend’s eyes and the smile on his face left Arthur in no doubt as to how the gentleman felt about the arrangement. “Capital!” Sticking his hand out, he made to shake Arthur’s hand only for something to hold Arthur back.
“I must ask,” he found himself saying, having had no intention of expressing any concern whatsoever, “what your daughter thinks of this arrangement. Is she agreeable?”
“Of course she is agreeable!” Lord Townsend exclaimed, grabbing Arthur’s hand and pumping it up and down. “She is delighted, in fact! She has struggled to catch the attention of any gentlemen of note simply because of her quiet nature but now, her struggles do not have to last any longer. That is an excellent thing, I assure you.”
“Indeed.” Arthur frowned, his own heart quailing a little as he looked into the gentleman’s eyes and found himself wondering if all of that was true. What did it matter, however, if she wasnotparticularly enamoured with the idea? After all, he was simply to be her husband in name only – for after what he had endured with Lady Clara, he was certainly not about to let his heart become affected in any way. This was a formal arrangement, he told himself as Lord Townsend released his hand. Almost a business arrangement between two gentlemen rather than anything involving emotion. That was the best way for him to think of it and surely, he told himself, it would be better for Miss Townsend to marry than to remain a spinster with an impoverished father!
“Come then, let us make our way to the dining room. The dinner gong will sound at any moment.”
