Page 25 of Long Live the Baron
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It waswith a heady sense of relief that Lily had observed Mr. Ridley arriving. She had quickly fixed her silly lace and muslin gown and checked her hair in the mirror. She had not slept in several nights. Her head was heavy and her eyes burning, but if Mr. Ridley had come up to scratch and was here to offer for her hand in marriage, this terrible week would end on a positive note.
It was not how she had hoped to approach a marriage, but the gentleman was young and handsome. More importantly, he was affable and from a good family. Given their mutual connections, she could do much worse than tying herself to him.
Lily bobbed up and down the drawing room that overlooked the street, trying to contain her excitement that Mr. Ridley would salvage her reputation. Mama would stop weeping, which would make Lily feel better about what she had done. And, hopefully, Aidan would stop lamenting it was all his fault that his sister was ruined.
Some semblance of normalcy would return, and Lily would embark on a new journey as a married woman of theton. She could finally make her own choices, order her own clothes, and attend events with Sophia, rather than her mother domineering her every decision. And she and Mr. Ridley would find some common ground and perhaps even, one day, fall in love.
Checking the clock, she wondered what Papa might be saying to Mr. Ridley.
Finally, there was a knock on the door. Lily quickly rubbed her scratchy eyes and called out for the servant to enter. Thomas stepped in to announce Mr. Ridley, before bowing and departing the room. Unexpectedly, the footman closed the door behind him and Lily realized that this was it. She was alone with a man for the first time because he was to propose marriage.
Her eyes sought the gentleman out. He had come to a stop in front of the fireplace, gazing down while Lily studied his reflection in the mirror above the mantel. Mr. Ridley’s tanned face was pale and drawn. She appreciated how handsome he appeared in the afternoon light, in his impeccable buckskins and green coat, but it was obvious that he was weary. Likely, he had not slept in many days, and her heart ached on his behalf. What a terrible week the young man had experienced.
Is he devastated over his father’s death? He has not had an opportunity to mourn!
Mr. Ridley cleared his throat. “I wanted to thank you, Miss Abbott. Your intervention was quite timely. I was about to be arrested when you met with the coroner.”
“You are welcome, Mr. Ridley! I was quite beside myself over your situation. Lady Slight’s choice to not step forward was most unacceptable, and I found myself consumed with guilt. I believe it was the only method I had to assist you!”
In the mirror, Lily could see that Mr. Ridley had frowned at the mention of Lady Slight, causing her stomach to tighten. Was the gentleman still intrigued by the widow? How did he feel about making an offer of marriage?
I am afraid I do not care. If he offers me marriage, I will accept!
“Lady Slight likely does not know of my predicament.”
Lily bit her lip. The widow most assuredly did know about Mr. Ridley’s plight, but Lily was uncertain if she should inform him of the ill-advised visit to beseech Lady Slight to step forward. Lily was still rather embarrassed by how she had dealt with the matter, so perhaps it was poor timing to confess her knowledge of the widow’s thoughts.
“Nevertheless, I am so happy you are here! You are here to offer for me, correct? I lay awake all night to reach this decision, and I must say I am quite worn out. But here you are, to do the honorable thing! I knew you would! You are a gentleman through and through!” Lily clapped her hand over her mouth to quell the babbling before any more words could spill from her overenthusiastic lips. Mr. Ridley would not be accustomed to her chatter, and she did not wish to put him off during such a crucial conversation.
Looking back at the mirror, she noticed the gentleman was frowning again. Slowly, he turned to stare at her, an incredulous expression on his face, and her heart skipped a beat in her chest. Had she already put him off with her babbling?
“Did you provide me with an alibi”—Lily dropped her hand from her mouth, leaning her head forward in her eagerness—“to trap me into marriage?”
All the nights of lost sleep, and the strain of consoling her distraught mother, along with the abandoned hopes and dreams of a love match that she had been so eager to find, came crashing down on Lily.
The force of it had such weight that she raised a hand as if to protect her head from the falling debris, before dropping it down at the realization that there was no tangible evidence of the destruction in her mind. She took a step back, nearly falling over an end table in her haste to put distance between them.
“Is … is that what you think of me?”
Mr. Ridley narrowed his eyes, his suspicion evident, while Lily fought off a wave of nausea. “You must admit you had unusual knowledge of my circumstances if you wished to trap me into marriage, Miss Abbott?”
Lily had been so excited to see his carriage draw up, and to believe that her prayers had been answered. But this relentless nightmare was not yet over.
Tears sprang into her eyes while she frantically sought a resolution. Agreeing to a marriage with a man who mistrusted her to this extent, who believed her capable of providing an alibi with the purpose of forcing a marriage, was untenable. A simple solution was not to be found.
“Surely you know me better than that, Mr. Ridley? We have several mutual acquaintances and?—”
“Miss Abbott, we do not know each other at all. I have no knowledge of what you might be capable of, given the right incentive. I could not make sense of why a young woman would risk her reputation to defend me, but now …”
Lily pushed back the emotions raging through her, straightening up while an eerie calm stole over her. Defending Mr. Ridley had been her decision, and she would deal with the consequences. “Are you here to make an offer, Mr. Ridley?”
She was proud of how even her voice sounded, and she refused to let any additional words spill from her lips. He would have no option but to answer her.
“What choice do I have?”
Lily gave a curt nod. “Then I shall respond. I am pleased for your sister’s sake, and for our mutual connections, that your name has been cleared. I stand by my decision to do the honorable thing on your behalf. In regards to your offer, the answer is no. No, I will not wed you. No, I do not wish to receive you in my home. No!”
