Page 11 of Stolen By the Duke of Ice
“A scandal such as this will not be forgot so quickly, not in a mere few months. As long as those novels are in circulation—indeed, as long as they exist, this will not be forgot!” exclaimed her father.
“Must we burn all the novels then?” Dahlia replied, still somewhat annoyed at the notion that her being an author was more notorious than her scandal involving a man.
“We must emigrate to the Colonies! I have been hearing some rather good things about the Americas. Dahlia can start anew there!” Her mother’s eyes looked almost wild.
“The Americas! Surely you jest, Mama!”
Exhaling deeply, Andrew beckoned Teresa to come to him. When she did, he reached for her hands and kissed them. They had always been like this, Dahlia knew.
Theirs was a love match, indeed, most of the couples in her family were love matches. To see them display their feelings was not a new thing, indeed, more often than not, they were so wrapped up in each other that they forgot about Dahlia.
But it was witnessing this devotion that spawned her idea ofthe one. Her one true love. The one who would be perfect for her in all aspects, just as her parents were for each other. She would settle for nothing less. Had she not waited for four seasons now? She would not regret the suitors who had come and gone over the years, for they were nothe.
“My love, it shall not come to that.” Andrew stood up and caressed his wife’s cheek with his hand. “There is a solution to Dahlia’s predicament. It is simple but difficult at the same time.” At this last line, her father became silent as he looked intently at his wife.
Teresa nodded. She looked at her daughter and moved to her.
“Papa?” she looked at her father, suddenly wary.
“My darling daughter, you must marry.”
“What?” Dahlia stood abruptly. “But I haven’t foundthe oneyet! I cannot marry!”
“Of course, you can. You have no choice, my dear; your actions must have repercussions.”
“Surely, there is another way! Surely marriage will not solve the Penelope Lovelace scandal; how can it? Neither is connected to the other! That scandal is, after all, what concerns us the most, is it not?”
“When you marry, all will be forgiven, for a married woman is given more latitude than an unmarried one. Provided, of course, that you remain on your best behavior henceforth.”
“But-but, what about love? What about devotion? What about the bond?” Dahlia felt tears forming in her eyes, her every ideal, her every image of a perfect mate, was slowly being erased by practicalities.
She ran the through the faces of her current suitors—there were three at the moment. She considered each one and knew even as she considered, that they, all of them, were notthe one.
“We must now be practical, Dahlia,” her father spoke softly but firmly. “You have run out of time.”
“‘It’s the only way daughter, this or ruin.” Her mother embraced her.
Dahlia buried her face in her mother’s shoulder. Her tears came hot. After a while, she straightened and nodded.
“I understand, Papa.” She wiped at a runaway tear. “I shall make a serious study of my suitors, and then, I shall give you a name by this evening.”
“Suitors?” her father and mother both said, surprised.
“Well, yes. Had you not wanted me to choose?”
“There is no need to choose, Dahlia. There is only one name. Surely, you did not consider any other?”
Dahlia stood for a moment, trying to grasp her parent’s meaning. She stumbled back as the answer came to her.
“No! Surely not!” Her eyes were wide with alarm. “The Duke of Ice?”
When her parents remained silent, Dahlia clutched at her chest.That man! That beastly, cruel man!
“But he is such a man, Papa! He is cold, arrogant, controlling! Oh, how he can order people about! I have observed him, have you forgotten? I have been in close company with him!”
Teresa closed her eyes at this. In her agitation, Dahlia forgot that reminding her parents of that scenario would not help her at all. She changed tactics.
“Nothing untoward happened in that carriage ride, Mama.” She conveniently skipped the part where the Duke and she wrestled for the manuscript. “Our appearance was due to the hijacking; I’ve told you this before!”
