Page 27 of An Arranged Betrothal with a Beast
Chapter Thirteen
Arthur frowned. “I do not know what you are talking about.”
“Yes, you do.” Captain Harrington rolled his eyes and threw back the rest of his port before he continued. “You know precisely what I am describing, you are choosing to pretend that you are ignorant of it.”
Looking away, an uncomfortable prickling climbing up his spine, Arthur coughed lightly. “I am doing nothing deliberate, I can assure you of that.”
“Ignoring your betrothed will do you no good.”
Glad that Lord Townsend had already taken his leave and gone to join the ladies, Arthur turned his attention back to his friend. “I am not trying to ignore her.”
“Then what else would you describe your behaviour as?”
“I walked with her through the house from the very moment she arrived!”
“And were thereafter, very glad to give her to your sister,” Captain Harrington returned, quickly. “Do not think that I was unaware of that! I took tea with them both and was rather surprised that you did not join Miss Townsend. I thought a betrothed gentleman might wish to spend time in the company of his bride to be.”
Sighing inwardly, Arthur tried to find an explanation but none would come to him. Nothing that he was willing to share, at least.
“You would not look at her all through dinner,” the Captain continued, giving Arthur no peace over this matter, even though he wished desperately that his friend would stop speaking. “And whenever she spoke, you did not even give her your attention! Where does this determination to ignore her come from? It is not wise, my friend. You are soon to be wed and – ”
“I cannot permit myself to grow close to her!”
The words flung themselves from Arthur’s mouth before he even had opportunity to think of what it was he wanted to say. Captain Harrington’s eyes flared wide and he blinked rapidly, only to then pour himself another glass of port and, thereafter, to top up Arthur’s glass.
“We shall need this if we are to discuss any further,” he muttered, though Arthur shook his head.
“I have no desire to discuss it.”
“And yet, we shall.” There was a tone to Captain Harrington’s voice which brooked no argument and Arthur sighed aloud in the hope that this might affect his friend’s determination.
It did not.
“Why can you not permit yourself to draw close to her?”
Closing his eyes, Arthur gave a small, jerky shake of the head. “It is not good for me to allow my heart free, Harrington. You must understand that.”
“No, I cannot understand it in the least! That is why I am asking.”
“Please, my friend, let me have peace.”
The Captain only took a swig of his port and then turned his chair so he might face Arthur a little better, a gleam in his eye which spoke of firm determination. “I do not think I can. This is rather troubling and you know that I am not at all inclined towards ignoring difficulties.”
“No, you are more likely to run into them, head on.”
Captain Harrington chuckled. “Such determination is what made me a Captain,” he replied, with a shrug. “And I shall display such determination now. Tell me, my friend, why can you not let your heart open to her? Miss Townsend is nothing akin to Lady Clara, if that is what you think.”
Arthur’s heart lurched. “That is precisely what I think.”
There came a few moments of silence, only for the Captain to throw up his hands. “How can you say such a thing? Miss Townsend is not at all like Lady Clara!”
“Ah but you cannot know what she thinks of me, can you?” Arthur lifted one eyebrow as his friend frowned. “You can only guess. Lady Clara spoke her thoughts aloud and ended our engagement but Miss Townsend was brought into this engagement by her father. She has no say in it.”
“But you asked her if she truly wished to move forward into matrimony,” Captain Harrington protested. “Of course she had a choice!”
“Not if her father had already determined that it was to take placeandthat in doing so, she would not only save her family from ruin but also bolster her sister’s chances of matrimony.” Rubbing one hand over his face, Arthur let out another heavy sigh. “I do not know the lady so therefore, I cannot tell what she truly thinks of me and my wretched appearance. It is not as though I would have been her choice, had she been given the freedom to make her own match.”
The Captain did not respond with a sharp retort as Arthur had expected he might. Instead, he frowned all the harder, rubbed one hand over his chin and let his mouth pull tight to one side. Arthur took another sip of his port, letting the liquid spread warmth through his chest while, at the same time, pain broke through his heart and made him wince.
