Page 63 of An Offer for a Spinster
“Well, be that as it may, you do also need Katherine’s permission, too. It’s her you’ll be marrying.”
Lord Barwood chuckled. He lifted his marble-topped cane, inspecting the surface closely. “All is in hand, sir, all is in hand. I don’t mean to brag, but I do think I’m the finest suitor she’ll get.”
William bristled. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Lord Barwood spread out his hands apologetically. “Well, she’s a pretty girl, and she’ll be a rich one, but she is rather outspoken. She attends circulating libraries, she studies, she’s… she’s a bluestocking, you know. Gentlemen can’t stand that. She’s a pleasant girl, and will make an admirable wife and mother, but you can’t blame men for wondering otherwise, when they see all of that. So muchreading, you know. My father always said that too much reading addled a girl’s brain, and I daresay he’s right.”
There was a tense silence between them.
“You can’t imagine I’m happy to sit here and listen to you criticise my sister,” William managed at last. “This is a strange way to try and get my permission, I must say.”
Lord Barwood didn’t seem particularly bothered by this. He shrugged, twirling his cane in his hands.
“As you like, dear boy, as you like. To be truthful, I don’t believe that youwilldeny your consent. You know I’m a fine match, and if you had no intention of my marrying your sister, I think you wouldn’t have let us spend so much time together in public. My coming here is really the culmination of what Society has expected for some time.”
William bit his lip. It was hard to argue with that.
In the silence that followed, there was a tiny creak outside the closed study door. Lord Barwood didn’t seem to havenoticed, but William did. He frowned at the door, noticing a shadow shifting underneath.
Was this the right thing for Katherine? William couldn’t stop asking himself that question. The fact was – and it was much easier to acknowledge and accept when the man was sitting right in front of him – he did not like Lord Geoffrey Barwood. It seemed that most people didn’t. The man was stuck up, overbearing, unkind, dismissive of others, and entirely rude.
William, for one, did not enjoy his company.
But hadn’t Katherine been encouraging him? The young lady could have dismissed him with a reprimand if she so desired, William was sure of it. But the fact was that Katherine had tomarry, or else the family was doomed. Perhaps she’d settled on Lord Barwood a while ago. It wasn’t as if there was anyone else.
Or was there?
William wasn’t a fool. He knew that the mysterious, troublesome gentleman that Lord Barwood was talking about was none other than Timothy. William had noticed Timothy and Katherine together more frequently these days. Timothy had always beenhisfriend, but now it seemed like his old friend only had eyes for Katherine. He had suspected briefly that Timothy had a fancy for Katherine before now, but then he neverdidanything about it, so what was a man meant to conclude?
Katherine does seem to light up around him,William conceded.But… but what if Timothy never makes an offer? What if I’m wrong? What if I encourage her to wait for him, and it never happens? I’ll doom us all.
“Well?” Lord Barwood prompted, voice deceptively soft. “You’re giving this a great deal of thought.”
William sighed. At the end of the day, Katherine was her own woman and could make her own decisions.
“Very well, Lord Barwood. I’ll give my consent.”
“Excellent! The correct choice, I fancy,” Lord Barwood bounced to his feet, to all intents and purposes getting ready to go, and William stretched out a hand to forestall him.
“Wait just a moment.”
“Yes?”
“Lord Barwood, I understand that you haven’t gone to my sister about this proposal yet.”
“Of course not. Your consent is what must be got.”
William pressed his lips together. “I’ve given it, but you must talk to Katherine about this. Getherconsent.”
“I rather assumed you would mention it to her,” Lord Barwood drawled, looking faintly annoyed. “I’m going to dine here tonight, after all. You can discuss it before then.”
William shook his head. “This is between my sister and you. As the head of the family, I can certainly give my consent to her marriage, but you must speak toherabout it before anything can be done, do you understand?”
Lord Barwood eyed William for a moment, his expression speculative. Then he flashed a wide, insincere smile.
“Oh, but of course! Don’t you fret, William. I’m aware that you have a great deal to concern yourself with. A young duke like yourself must be busy, busy, busy. I shall take Katherine off your hands, and you can be easy in your mind about her. We are brothers now, you see.”
William opened his mouth to say that he already had brothers, but Lord Barwood swaggered right out of the study, leaving the door swinging, not even bothering with a goodbye. Pressing his lips together, William sat back in his chair, trying to fight off the feeling that he’d just made a terrible mistake.
