Page 91 of The Scoundrel and the Debutante
“If that’s true, if by some miracle he has managed to marry himself in such a short time, or has gone away, or has been kicked in the head by a goat, George’s ship is returning to England. You will come back on that ship if necessary.”
This conversation was confusing her. Merryton, of all people, demanded strict propriety in all things. How could he possibly suggest this to her? “What about all of you?” Prudence cried, sweeping her hand toward him. “What about my sisters and my nieces and nephews, and for God’s sake, my mother? I can’t leave you all!”
“We would all miss you terribly,” he agreed. “But you must face the truth, Pru. Grace and I have our family and Honor and George have theirs. Mercy will be entering Lisson Grove in a fortnight. As for your poor lady mother, you know as well as I do that she doesn’t know us anymore. She’s been gone for a long time now, hasn’t she? Hannah is devoted to her and she will take good care of her.”
Prudence choked back a strangled sob.
“I never knew your mother, but I have children of my own. And I suspect, if she were with us today, she would want you to know love and true happiness just as she knew it. She wouldn’t want you to agree to a match because you think it is your only hope. I certainly don’t want that for you. I want only happiness for you.”
Prudence didn’t dare believe it was possible. Her blood began to rush with even the suggestion of it. “I can’t.”
Merryton remained silent, waiting for her to explain why.
“Stanhope said...he said that if I didn’t agree to a match, he would see to it that Mercy’s acceptance at Lisson Grove was revoked.”
Merryton’s expression darkened. “Pardon?”
“He said his family endowed the art school and with one word from him, he would bring her hopes to an end. And that if I agreed to marry him, he would leave her be.”
Merryton stared at her for a long moment. He kept one hand behind his back, tapped his fingers with the other. At last he said, “Why didn’t you tell us this before?”
Prudence blinked. “I didn’t want to alarm anyone,” she said. “I didn’t want Mercy to hear of it—”
“I think that you should not fret over it, Pru,” he said firmly. “I will take care of it.”
“But how—”
“Leave that to me. But ifthatis the reason you have accepted Stanhope’s offer and let the American go, I suggest you rethink your decision.” He turned toward the door as if he meant to leave.
Prudence suddenly darted across the room and caught his arm. Startled, Merryton turned back to her. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, my lord. Thank you so much.”
He stiffened with the physical contact and carefully put her back. “You’re welcome, love.” He went out.
Prudence stared at the place he’d been standing, her mind whirling, her heart beating so quickly it pained her.
CHAPTER TWENTY
NewYork
Two months later
MR. GUNDERSONWASnot waiting patiently for Aurora’s return, and even had he been so inclined, he lost all patience with her when she thought it prudent to explain to him that the reason she’d been delayed was because she’d very nearly married a Frenchman.
To say that Mr. Gunderson’s hackles rose was an understatement. He was livid. Not that it mattered, really because in the time Roan had gone to fetch his sister and bring her home, Mr. Gunderson and Miss Pratt had begun an unlikely courtship, born of common ground, and now, they were to be married.
Which meant that Matheson Lumber had been ejected from the triumvirate Roan’s father had carefully constructed. “I ought to send you to your aunt in Boston,” he’d angrily shouted at Aurora.
Roan thought it was perhaps the first time he’d heard his father raise his voice to Aurora.
Naturally, Aurora apologized to her family for it. If there was one thing on which they could all depend, it was that Auroraalwaysapologized for whatever she’d done.
“Why did you tell him you meant to elope?” Beck had demanded of her. “He was already cross with you. Now he despises you and all of us!”
“Well, I didn’t think I should lie,” Aurora had argued. “I wanted to explain that it was only a moment of infatuation, but now that I am home I realize how foolish I was and I very much wish to repair it. He didn’t give me the chance.”
It was far too late for Aurora, but Roan had gone to Susannah to offer his apology to her and her father. It was Susannah, however, who had apologized to Roan. “I’m sorry,” she’d said, peering up at him with her small eyes. “But I never thought you really held much esteem for me.”
He’d looked at the dark-haired woman. She was short and squat, and her brow set in a permanent frown of worry. He thought of Prudence, of her sparkling eyes, her irrepressible smile.
