Page 90 of About a Rogue
Cathy’s face went still, and she released Bianca. Bianca turned her head, even as she instinctively stepped aside.
Papa stood in the doorway, one hand on the jamb as if to hold himself up. Cathy’s chin trembled. She started forward, hands outstretched. “Papa,” she said in her soft pleading voice.
Their father broke. Two swift steps forward and he swept her into his arms, holding her tight. Cathy’s arms were around his neck, and Bianca guessed her sister was sobbing her apologies into his shoulder. Tactfully she went to greet Mr. Mayne, who had remained quietly to the side, and offered him her congratulations and welcome.
Of course Papa forgave Cathy instantly. After a few minutes they came to the table together, with Papa fumbling for his handkerchief as tears sparkled openly on Cathy’s cheeks. “And you must forgive Richard, Papa,” she said, reaching for her husband to come forward.
“Mayne,” said Papa gruffly, extending his hand. “I suppose there’s nothing for it but to welcome you to the family.”
Mr. Mayne’s face eased. “Thank you, sir. I am deeply sorry for the dismay and pain we caused here, but I love your daughter to distraction. I hope we have your blessing.”
“Aye, aye,” muttered Papa, swiping at his eyes. “But here—you must be wondering how Bianca is! And you’ll want to meet her husband again, too. I hope you’re not upset about that, Cathy, with your sister marrying the fellow.”
Cathy bit her lip. Mayne looked downward. Bianca realized with a jolt of dismay that her long letter, explaining everything, couldn’t have reached her sister. It had been sent to Wolverhampton only yesterday. She cursed herself for a coward, putting it off so long. “Max should be right behind us,” she said in the silence. “He was delayed at the pottery, seeing to some new wares.”
Cathy moved to the edge of the settee. “Bianca... I have been in agony since Papa’s letter. My dear, when you agreed to help me, I never—I didn’t dream—oh, I am so sorry!”
“Bosh,” she said uneasily. “There’s nothing to apologize for! I’m not sorry I helped you elope...”
“But look at the price you paid!” cried Cathy. “Coerced into marrying that conniving, fortune-hunting rake!” Bianca blinked. Papa scowled and opened his mouth, and Cathy turned on him wrathfully. “You knew he was, Papa, when he first turned up! When he wanted me, your main argument in his favor was his connection to the Duke of Carlyle. He had no fortune, no profession, nothing to recommend him but that one connection!”
Papa stirred uncomfortably. “Well... Come now, Cathy...”
“And in exchange for that you sold your daughter into marriage to a man she didn’t know, who didn’t even want her!” Cathy was in full roar now, hands waving and eyes flashing.
Bianca lowered her voice. “Cathy, let me explain—things are different now—”
“Yes, so I understand. Ellen was telling me all about it, how his aunt is a raving madwoman and he brought her here, provoking the poor woman’s husband to come and threaten Aunt Frances and Bianca both!”
Bianca cursed Ellen’s wagging tongue. “That is not the full story—”
“Bianca.” Cathy seized her hands again. “It does not matter. As soon as Papa told me what happened, I went to Richard. He’s a man of the church, and he knew precisely what questions to ask. Tell her, Richard. Tell her how she can be free of this man.”
Bianca’s mouth fell open in shock.“Cathy...”
Richard Mayne sat forward. He was a tall, rangy fellow, quiet and reserved. His shaggy brown hair fell over his forehead like a boy’s, but he had a calm, quiet way of speaking that commanded attention. “It’s not a legal marriage.”
Now Bianca was quite literally speechless.
“What?” barked Papa.
“It’s not a legal marriage between Bianca and Maximilian St. James,” repeated Mayne. “I explained as much as we knew to my superior, Mr. Williams in Wolverhampton, and he concurs. The license was issued to St. James and Cathy.” He couldn’t stop a fond glance at his wife. “The fact that he wed Bianca instead means there was no valid license, and of course there were no banns called, since it happened on the spur of the moment.”
Bianca’s heart felt like a silent boom inside her chest. Good God. She’d never thought of that. She could barely speak, her lips and throat had gone so dry. She pulled free of her sister’s grip. “But since then—Cathy, we were married inchurch. Everyone came to the wedding breakfast. We have lived as man and wife...”
In every way. Her skin flushed at the memory of how intimate she and Max had become.
Was it all false? Were they not really married?
Richard was still speaking. “It is an obstacle, but not an insurmountable one. A claim of fraud will do, and Mr. Filpot will testify that he was asked to wed St. James to Cathy, not to Bianca. I daresay the license will show signs of being altered as well.”
“But Cathy bolted,” protested Papa. “And Bianca agreed to it!”
“That does not matter,” replied Richard somberly. “The lack of a proper license invalidates the marriage.”
No. She did not want her marriage invalidated. Bianca shook her head, her thoughts flying too rapidly. “No— Wait— Are you certain? Can that be true?”
“By Church law it is,” said Cathy, seizing her hand again. “Oh, Bee, I remember how you scorned him! I remember how you portrayed marriage to him—how I must subjugate my desires to his own, sufferhistemper and indulgehisvanities, from now until the day I died! I know you would never wish that for yourself, you who swore marriage was not for you! None of the kind, amiable gentlemen who asked to court you pleased you, and then you were coerced into marriage with a man who is everything you despise!”
