Page 54 of An Offer for a Spinster
“Father would laugh to see us now,” Alexander mumbled, barely coherent. “I think he’d be pleased.”
“Don’t think about Father now,” Henry said, teeth gritted. “Concentrate on getting into bed before your sister and brother let you fall down the stairs.”
“When you think about it,” Alexander said drowsily, “our darling Papa is essentially selling us, isn’t he? One might even call it whor…”
“Stop,” Katherine said, far too loudly for that time of the day. “Stop it now, Alexander. I mean it. You can’t talk like that.”
“He’s right, though,” Henry remarked, and when Katherine looked over, her brother’s face was ashen. “That’s exactly what Father did. Sold us. Or rather, forced us to sell ourselves, for the price of our inheritance. He must have known how we’d all scramble in a panic, desperate for our money, throwing ourselves at whoever would have us. I wonder if he laughed about it, when the idea first occurred to him.”
“He’s dead, Henry. There’s nothing he can do to us now.”
“No, not beyond what he’s already done. Do you know, when I went abroad, I thought I’d finally got rid of him. Finally taken a few steps towards freedom. It was thrilling, I can tell you that. Thrilling. I was so happy. And then, this happened. It’s almost funny, isn’t it?”
“Henry…”
“Look at what he’s done to us all. William is falling apart, you’re forcing yourself into pursuing a gentleman who isn’t worth your spit, Alexander is drinking himself into a stupor to avoid facing the truth, and I’m going to be unhappy forever. Well, all of us are, I suppose.”
“I mean it, Henry. Stop.”
They reached the top of the stairs. Alexander’s room was nearby, and Katherine felt a flood of relief. Henry was mercifully silent as they manhandled Alexander into his room and onto his bed. He was already snoring. They pulled off his cloak and boots and left it at that.
As they turned to go, William appeared in the doorway, in his nightclothes, holding a candle.
“What is it?” he asked, blinking. “What happened?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Henry said shortly, pushing past him. “You’re too late to help, as always.”
William flinched, watching Henry stride away down the corridor. He looked back at Katherine hopelessly.
“It’s fixed, Will,” she said quietly. “Now I want to go to bed. I’m so tired.”
He didn’t say a word or stop her as she stepped past him and headed along to her room. When Katherine fell into bed, she felt into a deep and dreamless sleep at once.
***
“Lord Barwood is here to see you, Lady Katherine,” the butler announced.
Katherine and her mother were sitting in the parlour, quietly employed in their own pursuits. William was in his study, Alexander still in bed, and where Henry could be was anyone’s guess.
Katherine winced. “Can you tell him we’re not at home, or busy? I really haven’t the energy today.”
“Don’t do that!” the Duchess said, sharply. “What are you thinking of, Katherine? Why would you not receive the Earl?”
She sighed. “Because he’s hard work, Mama. I had a late night and a disturbed sleep, and besides, we have Lady Amelia Spencer’s soiree tonight. Can’t I have a quiet afternoon?”
The Duchess pressed her lips together. She glanced over at the butler.
“Tell Lord Barwood to come into the parlour,” she said shortly, ignoring Katherine’s sigh. The butler did not look particularly pleased but was obliged to obey.
“I don’t care for him, Mama,” she said quietly, once the butler was gone.
“It doesn’t matter,” the Duchess responded, neatly threading her embroidery needle. “He wants to marry you, he’s eminently suitable, and you haven’t time to be picky. Even if you were picky, what would be wrong with him? He’s handsome, rich, and plenty of other ladies are interested in him.”
“I don’t much care. They can have him.”
The Duchess threw down her embroidery. “Well, then, why don’t you simply tell him you have no interest in him, and waste away the time you have. Then the entire fortune, which is ours by right, will be lost, your brothers ruined, and you a ridiculous, poor old spinster. Is that what you want, Katherine? Is it?”
Before Katherine could respond, the door opened, and Lord Barwood was introduced. He stepped inside, grinning confidently.
