Page 15 of A Lady's Propitious Match
It felt like the Devereux family were in the house forever. It might have only been approximately an hour and a half, but it had been agonizing for Christopher. His mother had continued to talkabout the portrait of Henrietta as if it were going to happen, despite Christopher’s obvious reservations.
Henrietta was of course very excited about the whole thing, which only made it harder. How on earth was he going to escape this nightmare now?
Needing some air, and to be as far away from his mother as humanly possible, Christopher headed to his bachelor pad, calling on Elliot along the way so he would have someone to share a bottle of port with. He needed a drink now more than ever.
“Last night was quite the party,” Elliot laughed the moment they clinked their glasses together in a cheers gesture. “Your aunt really knows how to get the Season going. I had so much fun, but the highlight of the evening, I must admit, was dancing with Lady Imogen.”
“Yes, I have to agree. The waltz was the best part of the evening for me as well.” He hoped that he was not overstepping any boundaries here by talking about Elliot’s cousin. “Lady Clara has a lot to say about art, which I find terribly interesting.”
“So, you enjoyed talking to her more than Miss Henrietta?”
“Oh yes,” Christopher replied eagerly. “But I do not know how to make my mother understand as much. She even had the Devereux family over this afternoon for tea so that Miss Henrietta and I can spend more time together. As if I do not already know that we have nothing to talk about.”
Much to Christopher’s surprise, Elliot laughed. “You know, Clara is actually having a similar issue to you. She is feeling the same pressure to marry someone that she does not want to. The very respectable, but very dull, Lord Simon Caldwell.”
At this statement, something clenched hard in Christopher’s heart. He had found it hard enough to see Clara dancing with Simon, but to now know that they were to be betrothed… that was something he was truly very uncomfortable with.
“You know, I think I might have a solution that will work for you both.”
Elliot took another swig of his drink before he continued talking.
“What if Clara and you forge a false courtship? Act as if you have found something special within one another that you could not find in Miss Henrietta or Lord Simon?”
Christopher’s chest clenched tighter. Could Elliot see more than he was saying? Was he trying to test him to see if he would confess that there had been something burning between Clara and himself last night? And that he had not been able to stop thinking of her since?
“It will make your families refocus their marital aims, you see. They will concentrate on the pair of you getting married, leaving Miss Henrietta and Lord Simon out of it.”
Christopher swallowed hard. That was more than he could have wished for. To stop his mother focusing on the Devereuxs and to maybe spend more time with Clara.
But it was risky, and there was no denying that.
“How do you think it will work, Elliot?”
“Well, I will need to have a word with Clara, to see if this is something that she would like as well. But I can not see why she will turn down the chance to have her own autonomy. I am sure that she has much more in common with you than Lord Simon. You both like art, which gives you something to talk about. I know she finds Lord Simon very boring. All he wants to discuss are money related matters.”
Christopher knew that he should refuse because it put both Clara and him in an awkward position, especially if this was not something that she wanted to do. But he could not resist the idea of escaping the expectations regarding the Devereux family. If Clara was that desperate to get away from Lord Simon, then surely she would be keen to do the same.
“Yes,” he found himself agreeing, without really thinking this through. “Yes, I think you should speak with Lady Clara and see if this is something that she wants too. If it will work for the both of us, then I believe we should try it.”
Was this really about to happen? This was the riskiest thing that Christopher had done since he took off for his travels aroundEurope. But that had all worked out for him, so perhaps this would as well.
Christopher did not wish to be get too carried away, but he was starting to feel a glimmer of excitement building in his chest. There was a definite lift in his spirits at the mere idea of finding his own path, and perhaps even a meaningful connection without bounds.
“Right, well like I said, I will speak with Clara and see what she has to say. See if this is something that I can get organized, then I will let you know.” Elliot beamed from ear to ear. “You know, it would make me feel a lot better to see the pair of you happy. I do not like seeing my best friend being cornered into something that he does not want. I also do not want my cousin to be unhappy with a man who is clearly wrong for her.”
Elliot was not saying that he thought Christopher was more suitable for Clara, but he was also not dismissing the idea that they might be a good match. Could this possibly be the start of something that neither of them were expecting? Or would it end up being a let down, with both parties being disappointed and having no other marriage prospects for the pair of them?
It truly was going to be risky, but he hoped that the leap of faith would have him landing on both feet, and maybe even happy.
