Page 7 of A Scandalous Love for the Enticing Duke
“Indeed. A fine young man, I must confess. I am thrilled by the prospects of making such an alliance with that family. They are respectable, and Nicholas would make a good husband.”
Of course, anyone who declared interest in her would make a good husband, thought Agnes. It had been that way since she clocked twenty-one summers and kept refusing suitors. She was still unmarried at twenty-four, not because she lacked men who wanted to take her for their wife. They were countless, in fact. Only that many had tired over the years, after subsequent rejections. In fact, she now had several titles – The lady who wanted no man, Ice Queen, Cold heart, and the likes. Ridiculous, if you asked her, but not unfounded. She saw how they easily arrived at that conclusion, but it was far from the truth. If only – if only they knew how she burned under his touch, how she soaked her sheets at night with dreams of him, how she yearned for his sweet kisses, how she ached for the touch that burned and melted her at the same time.
“So you would recommend him?”
“Yes. I certainly would.” She nodded at her father’s words, then mustering courage, tried one last time.
“And if I refuse?”she said so coolly, almost flippantly that her parents had to ask again.
“What?”
“I asked, what if I refuse.”
“Absolutely not! I forbid it! We have entertained your petulant behaviour for far too long, Agnes. No more! This is it. If you turn Nicholas down, be ready to be married off to a widower or live a life of spinsterhood, but not under my roof. Never!” Her Mother was already on her feet, floating around the room. She was agitated, that much was obvious, but it wasn’t the first time Agnes had garnered such reaction from her mother. It bothered her less; she was only interested in what her father had to say.
Turning towards him, she hoped with all her heart that he would let her pass on this one. And if he did? a voice asked in her head. It was a sound question. If her father gave her a pass on this, would he continue to do so? If she would not reveal the fact that she had a secret lover, then at some point, she would be married off to a strange man whom she did not love. But how, how could she tell her father that she was in love with his business associate? Had been since she was a girl of fifteen, only beginning to understand the concept of that word. It was a failed mission even before it began. She and Alan could never have the life they dreamed of. It was impossible for them. Theirs was a love doomed from the start. The sooner she accepted that, the better for the both of them.
Still, she heard herself ask, “Father?”
Her father drew in a breath and sighed before replying. She already knew what the answer was. It hurt to hear him say it, nevertheless.
“I am sorry, child, but I would have to go with your mother on this one. I know you have been searching for the one, but you have to understand that there is no such thing as love at first sight. Love grows. You’ll see. With care, respect, and affection, it grows. Look at your mother and I.”
“You fell in love the moment you set your eyes upon her. You say so yourself.” She didn’t mean to snap at her father who was a kind man, but she could not help feeling betrayed.
He took no offence, smiling wryly at her outburst. It made her feel sullen, like a spoilt brat.
“I was attracted to her. She was fair, beautiful, and enchanting. I was charmed, but the love we share now, it did not happen in a day, a week, or even a month. It took years to build. However, we would not be sharing this now if we had not tried. You need to stop with your rejections. It has been six years since you entered society. We have given you enough time; would you not agree?”
She said nothing, looking away for she knew he spoke the truth. They had been more than accommodating, and she was aware of how insensitive and ungrateful she was coming off, as.
“What if I’m not attracted to him? What if there’s no pull at all when we meet?”
Her mother dissolved into a fit of laughter, and they both turned to look at her.
“Nicholas is a fine young man, Agnes. If you are not attracted, then you should be worried. Do not bother your head with such silly things. You will meet with Nicholas, and you shall agree to marry him. That is final. If you do not want to do this for yourself, do it for your sisters. They cannot marry until you do. It is not fair that you keep them waiting.”
The ultimate blackmail, but the truth nonetheless. Accepting that there was no way out of this one, she bowed her head in submission.
“Yes Mother.”
“Good. Then it is settled. We shall write a letter to Henry and Elizabeth. You may leave. I will keep you informed of developments as time goes by.”
She nodded and rose to her feet. Then she dropped a deep curtsy for both her parents and turned to walk out of the study. It took great effort not to slump, but she knew her mother’s eagle eyes were watching her, for the slightest falter in her gait.
As she stepped out of the room, she heard her mother say to her father, “I told you we only had to put our feet down, Williams. Now, she’s finally going to be married.”
The tears she had been holding in dropped then. Yes. She was going to be married, and it would not be to Alan Sheldon.
Chapter 4
Nicholas Stamford rubbed his temple as he felt a sudden headache start to come on. When he had received the summons from his parents, never in his wildest imagination had he thought he’d be coming to receive news such as this. It couldn’t be true, could it?
“Is this a prank, Mother?”
“No. I am afraid, it isn’t. It is as we have just told you, Nicholas. Your father and I sent a proposal to the Birminghams a fortnight ago, and their response has just returned. They accept,”Elizabeth Stamford replied in a clipped tone.
Exasperated was too small a word for the feelings he was experiencing at the moment. Unable to remain on the chair which his mother had gestured him to when he arrived, he got up and began to pace.
