Page 74 of Lady of Charade
“I actually need to thank you, Lord Torrington,” David said. “It was because of you, because of our conversation, that I realized the true depth of my feelings in time, and how important it was to follow through on them instead of worrying too greatly about what was to come in the future. While that doesn’t mean I am not still concerned about what is to come, I now know that all is possible — as long as I have Sarah.”
“That is what is most important,” the Earl agreed, a sad smile crossing his face, but then he turned his attention toward Sarah. “I must apologize for my wife. She can be cruel. I can only be grateful that Redmond here found you and told you the truth of the matter so that we now have the opportunity to rectify things.”
“She was scared,” Sarah said. “Scared that I would take from her a place in your family, or steal from your fortune. That I would ruin your family’s reputation. I must assure you, Lord Torrington, that I have no desire to do so. I ask for none of your money, and nor do I intend to share any secret with others regarding who I am to you. I simply wanted to come to know you, if that were at all possible.”
“Possible?” he asked. “I would like nothing more. I’m not sure if you are aware, Miss Jones, but I have no children, though I have always wanted them. And even if I did have others, well, that wouldn’t change the fact that I would still want to come to know you. You are my flesh and blood, ’tis true, but not only that, you are the daughter of the love of my life, the woman that I always longed for. I shouldn’t say that, I know I shouldn’t. I am a married man, but my wife and I… well. We were intended for one another since we were children, but not in the way that truly mattered.”
“That is fair,” Sarah murmured.
“Anyway,” he said, waving a hand in the air as if that was not something he wished to discuss any longer, “tell me of your life. Where did you grow up? How did you grow up? Did your mother continue healing? How different was it in America?”
He seemed so eager to hear of her past — almost with childlike excitement — that Sarah nearly laughed. Her heart, however, was breaking over the thought that he obviously was holding onto anything regarding her mother that he possibly could. She would give him the stories he longed for, and hopefully, that would be enough to heal some of the pain he clearly felt.
She began to tell him stories, most of which had him laughing or asking for more. An hour went by fairly quickly for both of them, apparently, for when the Earl pulled out his pocket watch to check the time, he seemed startled.
“I must be going. This has been most lovely, Sarah. I—” He broke off and scratched his head, as though he wasn’t entirely sure what to say. “I am glad you came here and found me.”
“I am as well,” she said, as they both stood in awkward silence, unsure as to what to do next.
“Before I go,” the Earl finally said, “Might I have a word alone with you, Mr. Redmond?”
“I would appreciate that very much, my lord,” David said, as Sarah looked back and forth between the two of them quizzically.
“We’ll be just a moment, Sarah,” David said with a wink of reassurance as he led the Earl down the hall and into Berkley’s study, leaving Sarah quite perplexed and a little unsure.
CHAPTER32
David, of course, was well aware of the protocol of just how to ask a man for his daughter’s hand in marriage. What he wasn’t sure was how to ask a man when he had just met his daughter for the first time but an hour ago.
“Lord Torrington—”
“I expect you are here to do right by my daughter?” The man asked, worrying David for a moment until he looked up to see Torrington’s brow was quirked in some jest.
“Yes,” David said with a rush of breath, glad the Earl had raised the subject for him, preventing him from having to do so himself. “We would like to marry, my lord, as soon as possible.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Torrington said, and then paused slightly awkwardly. “And you will, ah… be a good husband to her, will you?”
“I will be true and faithful to her, my lord, that I can promise,” David said, unable to promise anything, however, of how well he could provide for her as he hadn't yet determined that himself. He could, however, assuage the Earl’s fears regarding his previously rakish ways of which the man was clearly aware.
“I’m glad, Redmond,” the Earl said. “I had my doubts, but you obviously care for her, and I do appreciate what you have done to bring her back to me.”
“Of course, my lord.”
“I will arrange for her dowry as well.”
“That is not necessary, Lord Torrington, not at all. Neither of us expects it—”
The Earl held up a hand to stop him. “It is something I would like to do, Redmond. I had no idea of her existence through her entire life. Please allow me to do this for her.”
“Sarah might not take it. I believe she’s worried that you — and others — will feel that it was why she sought you out.”
“So let them think it. She is my daughter, and I will do right by her, as I would any other daughter born to me in wedlock.”
David nodded despite his surprise. “I think it would mean a lot to her — and to me — if you were able to attend our wedding.”
“Of course,” Torrington said, as though surprised that David would even have to ask. “In fact, I would be honored to give her away.”
“Truly?” David wasn’t sure what Torrington’s wife or the rest of the ton would have to say about that, but it seemed that Torrington was beyond caring for what they said as much as David was. His heart warmed for Sarah, knowing how much it would mean to her. “She will be both surprised and moved, I’m sure.”
