Page 6 of Wedded to the Loveless Duke
“Eleanor!” Sarah gasped. “Your father would never do such a thing. You know he loves you! Truly, I cannot imagine what has put you in such a state. He let you escape marriage for a very great deal of time, much longer than most of us have. You would become a spinster if he does not push the matter, and that is far worse than being wed.”
“It is not!”
“It most certainly is. You would be fit to do nothing but chaperone other ladies’ daughters if they would even allow that and would not perceive you as a sign of ill fortune, since you would be unmarried. You would never fit in with society. Theton?—”
“Forget the ton!” Eleanor dropped her embroidery on the window seat and rose, pacing the length of the foyer with her long skirts swishing about her ankles. She rounded on her friend and crossed her arms with a huff. “Really, Sarah, you know I believe it is a fate worse than death, and my father knows it too. How can he do this to me?”
“Perhaps he has good intentions after all?” Sarah set her own stitching aside, her hands fluttering over the red silk ribbon tied just below the bust of her white cotton lawn dress. “Why talk ill of your father so? Have you not taken the matter up with him?”
“I tried, but he would hear none of it.”
“Then, you must obey. As much as it may pain and anger you, you are his daughter, and you must.” Sarah rose and took Eleanor’s hands in hers. “Let us forget about the matter, for now, Eleanor. Yesterday, we spoke about going to the market to look for threads. Shall we go now?”
Eleanor pulled her hands free and turned to the window with a sigh. “I am in no mood to look at cotton twists and gold threads.”
“Please, do not be in such a mood,” Sarah pleaded. “It is not the way of the world for a woman to remain unmarried. I am certain your father will find a good man, Eleanor, but you must trust him to do it.”
Eleanor shook her head with a bitter laugh. “So even you are on his side? Does no one understand how I feel about the situation?”
“Iknowhow you feel, though I cannot claim I understand.” Sarah touched her shoulder gently. “And I do sympathize with you. I know this must be dreadfully difficult news for you. Still, your father is a good man. He will not give you to a man who will hurt you or unduly restrain you.”
Eleanor bit back her reply, but she couldn’t help thinking it over. She wasn’t so certain her father was the good man she’d imagined him to be after all. Not after everything that had transpired the previous evening after the ball. He had coldly disregarded how she felt and refused to give her any say in the matter, let alone any answers. He’d yelled at her when she proved stubborn. Were those the actions of a good man? Eleanor wasn’t certain. She was only certain that she had no wish to marry or to trust him to find her a husband.
“Let us return to our stitching, Sarah. I am in no mood to go to the market.” She sank into the cushion on the window seat and resumed her embroidery.
Sarah rejoined her, and the two of them sat together with their heads bent as they worked on their stitching. The tension between them eased, but they maintained the silence, each lost in her own thoughts and concerns and in no mood for idle discussion.
CHAPTER 3
The meeting with Phillip was arranged much quicker than William had initially expected. It took a week and a half before it could be arranged to suit both of their schedules, but it was quicker than he had first expected. Phillip, it seemed, was as eager to discuss the matter of Eleanor’s hand as William himself was. When Phillip arrived, William was not there to greet him right away. It took him longer than usual to make his way down the stairs these days thanks to his arthritis, and when he finally made his way into the parlor to meet the Duke of Richmond, he found his daughter entertaining in his stead.
The two did not spot him right away, so he lingered on the threshold just out of sight, listening as the two talked.
“… read Sir Walter Scott?” Eleanor asked.
“I have. His work is most delightful.”
“Really? I have not met any in thetonthis season who think so!” Eleanor leaned forward in her seat, her voice light but eager. “Perhaps there is more to you than I had first assumed, Your Grace.”
William could just see Phillip’s expression from his spot at the door. The Duke’s lips curled into a bemused smile. “So I have often been told, Lady Eleanor. Perhaps you judged a little too quickly when you fled from my presence at the ball a few weeks ago?”
Eleanor did not respond at first, and William held his breath, wondering how Phillip’s little remark would go down with his daughter. She did not appreciate quips at her expense, though she dearly enjoyed laughing and was quick to laugh at her own foibles so long as others did not laugh first.
Finally, Eleanor replied, her voice soft. “Perhaps I did. You will not hold it against me, I hope?”
William’s brows rose. Hadhisdaughter really just replied to the Duke’s teasing with poise and gentility? He’d expected her to offer back some barbed quip as she usually did. Perhaps Edward had been right. Perhaps Eleanorcouldbe persuaded to love Phillip in time.
“I would not hold such an innocent mistake against you, Lady Eleanor,” Phillip replied just as gently. “I am certain you will rectify your opinion of me if we see more of one another.”
At that moment, William stepped into the room and cleared his throat. Eleanor might have responded out of character in her last remark, but he suspected she would reject the obvious reason behind Phillip’s last reply if allowed to do so, and he did not want his guest to think his daughter was unwilling. “Richmond, a pleasure to meet you at last. Eleanor, my dear, thank you for entertaining my guest. I can handle it from here.”
Eleanor rose and turned to face her father, her cheeks rosier than usual. “I was only doing as a good daughter ought to do,” she said quietly, her gaze never meeting his.
William had wanted to apologize for being harsh with her a week ago, but the situation demanded he remains silent, so Eleanor was still furious with him. They hadn’t spoken much lately, and their habit of breaking fast together had been put off every day this week since the morning he’d gone to see Edward.
William nodded at his daughter and cleared his throat. “For which I am very grateful.” He turned to Phillip and asked, “Do you not think Eleanor the best of hostesses, Richmond?”
Phillip’s lips curved into a slow smile, his gaze settling on Eleanor. “Quite so, Fife. She is a very unique young lady. It would be a pleasure to speak with you again, Lady Eleanor, if you will do me the honor.”
