Page 15 of An Arranged Betrothal with a Beast
Lord Townsend nodded eagerly. “They can be the first to hear this happy news!”
“No.” Arthur frowned and shook his head, just as Lord Townsend’s eyebrows lifted. “No, we are not going to speak of this to anyone as yet. Not until I have had opportunity to speak alone with Miss Townsend.”
That had Lord Townsend’s smile tumbling to the floor. “You wish to speak with Abigail?” he asked, as Arthur nodded. “Alone?”
“Yes, alone,” Arthur stated, firmly. “There are some things I wish to make quite clear and some things I want to hear her opinion on. However, given that you have said just how eager and contented she is for this match, I should like to hear that from her lips also.”
“Oh, but there is no need!” the gentleman protested, just as Arthur began to make his way out of the room. “I can assure you that it is so. Given her quiet nature, I should think that – ”
“I shall speak with her.” Arthur threw those words over his shoulder before marching down the hallway towards the dining room, his brow furrowing as he walked. One thing was for certain; he did not trust Lord Townsend and certainly wouldnottake his word for granted. Recalling what his mother and sister had said as regarded Miss Townsend, Arthur silently resolved that if Miss Townsend had no true desire to wed him, if she had every instinct to push herself back from him, that he would not move forward with their engagement. Even though the situation suited him, he was not the sort of gentleman who would force a situation upon anyone.
It would all depend on her.
“Might I speak with you for a few minutes, Miss Townsend?” Arthur forced a smile as Miss Townsend’s eyes flared wide, praying that she was not truly as afraid as the whiteness of her face suggested. “It is important.”
Miss Townsend glanced to her father who, of course, nodded and thus, her eyes met his as she murmured her agreement.
“Just to the parlour,” Arthur told her, walking out of the room and fully expecting her to follow him. “I will return you to the drawing room thereafter.”
“Might I ask what you wish to speak with me about?” Miss Townsend’s voice quavered and, as Arthur pushed the door open to the parlor and held it open – for it would be wise not to close it – he caught the way her eyes roved around the room.
Clearly, Miss Townsend was a little afraid.
“You have been appraised of all that your father and I have discussed, I understand.” Arthur waited until Miss Townsend nodded before he continued, though her eyes no longer went to his face but rather lingered near the floor instead. “I spoke with your father earlier this evening and an agreement has been reached.”
Miss Townsend caught her breath, her eyes rounding as she looked back at him. Silence crept between them for some minutes until, eventually, she spoke.
“Then, we are engaged?”
“We shall be,” he confirmed, “though I should like to know of your thoughts on the matter first, Miss Townsend.
Her eyebrows lifted. “My thoughts?”
Her voice was a little stronger now and Arthur nodded. “Yes, Miss Townsend. Your father has assured me that you are eager and excited about our engagement but I cannot tell if such a thing is the truth. Therefore, I should like to know your opinion.” Letting his gaze rove around the room, he caught sight of his reflection and grimaced. “After all, I am aware that the only reason I am agreeing to this is simply because of my scars. Thetonare more interested in considering me as a Beast rather than having any interest in pushing their daughters to me.” Looking back at her, he lifted an eyebrow. “What do you think of it all, Miss Townsend?”
She licked her lips and dropped her head. “I – I do not think you a beast, if that is what you are asking me.”
“That is not really an answer,” Arthur replied, aware that his voice sounded like a low growl rather than being pleasant and calm. “What do you think of our potential engagement? Are you truly desirous of such a thing?” When she did not answer him, Arthur let out a hiss of breath and began to pace up and down the room. “Let me make things quite clear, Miss Townsend. I go into this marriage with the sole intention of not allowing any sort of emotion or affection into my heart or into our connection.”
Miss Townsend began to blink rapidly but Arthur continued on regardless.
“My mother and sister will reside with us for a time but once I am wed and if we both desire it, Lady Crestwood can make her home in the Dower House, though you may not wish for that to occur since you will require some company.”
“You – you do not intend to spend much time with me, then?”
Arthur shook his head. “I have no expectation that anything in my life will change after we are wed, Miss Townsend. Save only for the fact that the bedchamber adjoining mine will be occupied.”
Silence grew yet again and Arthur turned to look at Miss Townsend again, clasping his hands behind his back as he watched her. Miss Townsend looked as though she might break down into sobs but he did not permit any pang of regret or sympathy to enter into his heart. It was good for him to be quite clear on his expectations so that Miss Townsend knew precisely what it was she was entering into.
“I must ask you again, Miss Townsend, in knowing all of this, in being aware of what your future will be with me, whether you desire to move forward into engagement.”
Miss Townsend closed her eyes and to Arthur’s surprise, a tear dripped to her cheek. Despite his resolve to keep all emotion from his heart, he was suddenly pulled in towards her, finding his hand going to hers – though he pulled back almost at once, his own breath hitching as he realized what he had done.
“I do not want you to be pushed into this marriage,” he said, coughing a little gruffly so as to cover his own embarrassment. “I will not agree to it unless you are contented.”
“I have no other choice.” Her voice breaking, Miss Townsend opened her eyes and looked at him, tears only just being kept back. “Yes, Lord Crestwood, I will marry you.”
Arthur’s frown pulled his brows low. “You do have a choice, Miss Townsend. I am offering you one.”
