Page 17 of The Marquess's Scandalous Game
“Sadly, to my great shame, I have lost the entire family fortune,” her father concluded.
Emma struggled to hide her shock and confusion as the full weight of her father’s declaration began to sink in. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she asked, “Do you mean that we face ruin? We have lost it all?”
A faint feeling of hysteria was rising within her, and she struggled to control it. Emma pinched her index finger all the way to the tip and back down again. She examined it as if she was checking, and double-checking, for a kink or break.
“I am afraid so, Emma,” he confirmed, unable to meet her gaze.
Emma gazed at her father until he finally lifted his gaze. For the first time, she saw him in a different light. Her father had the gall to look sheepish when he had just taken a hammer to her existence and smashed it into a thousand tiny pieces. Emma’s mind was spinning with bewilderment as she pondered what would become of them.
She stammered, “What … what are we to do?”
Emma did not live a completely sheltered existence. Her healing work had seen to that. She knew how families suffered when they became penniless. She understood the pitfalls of gambling, but she never thought they would befall her family. Many men were inveigled and fleeced in gambling clubs, and one would think that the others would have learned, which would eventually bring the dastardly practice to an end and the club owners to heel. It was yet to happen, and it seemed wholly impossible. Instead, families continued to be penurious, their fortunes forever lost.
Her father sought to explain himself further. It was a pitiful attempt. “At first, I thought I could turn my fortunes around, but it is too late for that now.”
A warning voice whispered in Emma’s head … there was more to come. She did not think it was possible to cause any further destruction, but apparently, her father seemed committed to proving her wrong.
He lowered his tone and continued. “My debt was held by Lord Bishop, who was intent on ruining us. Apparently, he was in cahoots with the gambling club, but I did not know this at the time. At any rate, I was presented with a solution this morning.”
Lord Adlington. He was the only visitor Emma knew her father had this morning.Good heavens!How was he involved?
Once again, her father had difficulty meeting her gaze. His eyes darted to the far corner of the room. “I do not know how Lord Adlington came to be in possession of this information. He did not share that with me. He bought all my debts from Lord Bishop.”
Emma gasped. Why would Lord Adlington do such a thing? What did he stand to gain? She searched for a plausible explanation for the marquess’s actions. Her stomach was churning, and she wished she had not had breakfast. Emma was gripped by fear and uncertainty. She wanted to speak, but she was robbed of words.
Her father’s voice filled the silence. “Lord Adlington has made me a generous offer, and I must consider it. He has assured me that he will not call in my debt; rather, he will administer the estate and pay me an annual income.”
Emma believed Lord Adlington was far too clever to show his hand so early in the game. That would be too easy. Was it possible that he had something far more sinister up his sleeve? Her father had not told her enough, and he was taking his time to relay the pertinent information.
“What does Lord Adlington want for his generosity?” Emma asked, hating that her words trembled and held sarcasm.
Emma immediately thought that perhaps she was being unfair, for Lord Adlington did not gamble with life. He was not the one who sought to make her family destitute. Her father did that. Nonetheless, Lord Adlington seemed to have gone to great lengths to acquire the debt.
It struck her then and her heart painfully squeezed. Emma surmised why, but she would not make it easy for her father. She wanted to hear him say it.
“Lord Adlington has asked for your hand in marriage, and I will have no choice but to agree to it,” he said definitively.
There it was.
Emma’s heart was hammering, her breathing ragged. Shock quickly wielded to fury. She was enraged to be placed in such a vulnerable position that was not her own. It was unfair that she should pay such a high price for her father’s stupidity. It was a high price for her because she did not wish to marry, and if she must, she would not have chosen such a lofty gentleman who would demand she set aside her passion to suit elevated opinions.
“I think Lord Adlington would make an excellent match, and I will welcome him into this family. I will not hesitate to tell you that we will certainly be ruined if you refuse him. You and your sisters will be ruined consequently. The marquess will not accept anything less than your hand,” her father announced.
Emma fixed her father with a hard gaze. How quickly he had recovered his pride. The entire exchange had infuriated her, and she was trying to gather her thoughts between her astonishment and anger.
“I see. So, it is decided then,” Emma said.
“I told Lord Adlington I would discuss his request with you, Emma, as I should. I am sure I can trust you to make the best decision for everyone.” Her father looked expectedly at Emma.
Request?What request?
This was becoming farcical. Emma valued her independence. It was enough that she could not become a physician, not because she could not learn these skills and practice safely, but merely because she was a woman. Her sex denied her that opportunity. Emma had come to accept that she would only be able to be a healer, never a physician, but even this was an affront to her father. Most husbands would have the same view, but not all. If she weds the marquess, Emma must sacrifice what she held dearly to her heart. The marquess would only be concerned with Emma fitting into the mold society had prepared for her, and she rejected this. She could never be happy in such circumstances.
Lord Adlington hadnotmade a request. He had given her an ultimatum. A rather ruthless one to get what he wanted. Emma’s throat felt tight. She was faced with an impossible choice. She could choose to become destitute or wed and give up what she valued most. Neither of these choices would satisfy her, but she was not foolish enough to believe she could escape without picking one. Even her father knew this, so why the pretense? Emma could hardly believe she faced such devastation in a single morning.
She did not know what else to say to her father, but she was keen not to say something she would regret. “I need some time alone, Father.”
The baron seemed satisfied with her answer. “I understand, my dear. I told Lord Adlington he would have my answer on the morrow.”
