Page 43 of The Wallflower's Choice
Miss Rockwell grasped Prudence’s hand.
“Do not listen to him,” she hissed, though Prudence could not take her eyes from Lord Kingshill’s face, such was her fear.
She could see exactly what he was threatening, could see all that he was laying out for her. There were two paths before her now. One where she said nothing, agreed to wed Lord Kingshill, and took her place by his side – lonely, broken, and unloved. Or she could take the other path, where the truth would be revealed, thetonwould know all, and Lord Childers might easily reject her. Then she would be left just as alone as she had been at the beginning, but without any hope of ever making a match again.
“Do not listen to a word Lord Kingshill says, I beg of you.” Lord Childers came closer to her, his hand outstretched. “I do not care what such a thing might be. I have done far worse, I am sure!”
“Ah, but can you manage theton’s rejection of you? Of youboth?” Lord Kingshill laughed, tilting his head, bird-like. “You will have that stain lingering on your children! You will have them–”
“Please!” Prudence’s voice was trembling, her whole body shaking as she squeezed Miss Rockwell’s hand. Every eye was on her, making her feel as though every guest at the ball was looking at her, listening to whatever it was that she was going to say.Her heart clamoring, she looked at Miss Rockwell, feeling sweat trickle down her back. “I do not know what to do.”
“Donotlisten to Lord Kingshill!”
“But Lord Childers might turn away from me,” Prudence whispered, tears in her eyes. “When he knows the truth, then–”
“Can you trust him?”
Prudence took in a long breath, barely able to form the words.
“I do not know if I can. We are so little acquainted and, though my heart has begun to form an attachment, there is still so much more that he needs to prove.”
Miss Rockwell’s eyes searched hers.
“Would he say the same of you, do you think? Do you believe that he too would wonder whether or not he could trust you?”
Closing her eyes, Prudence steadied herself.
“I have not told him the truth about my past but yes, I would hope that he could trust me.”
“And that is what he hopes for you at this moment,” Miss Rockwell stated, firmly. “I believe that you should not resign yourself to a life without love and care, Prudence. Take the risk. Even if society should turn its back on you, even if it should say that you are unworthy to be in its presence, you will still have Lord Childers.” She pressed Prudence’s hand and smiled. “And you shall have me.”
Prudence blinked away her tears, her stomach coiling with fear.
“But you do not know what I have done.”
“I do not need to know. I know who you arenowand that is all that matters.” Miss Rockwell looked at Lord Childers. “And that is all that matters when it comes to Lord Childers too.”
Understanding what her friend was saying, Prudence hesitated and then looked back to the two gentlemen. Lord Kingshill was standing tall and proud, his lips curved into acruel smirk as though he knew all too well that what he had said had taken root. Evidently, he believed that his threats would be enough for her to give in to him, expecting her to reject Lord Childers and bend to his will. Lord Childers, on the other hand, was gazing at her with what looked like desperation in his eyes. He was chewing on the edge of his lip, his hands curled into fists and one foot tapping lightly on the floor. He did not have the same confidence as Lord Kingshill exuded and certainly had no bravado about him. Could she really trust that no matter what Lord Kingshill told him, he would still continue in his connection with her? Would they still marry? Would he still feel the same way about her?
“We are all waiting, Lady Prudence,” Lord Kingshill said, his voice light and mirthful as though this was all something to be laughed at, something that thetonwould find mirthful. “Tell us all the truth, will you not?”
“The truth.” Taking her hand from Miss Rockwell’s, Prudence took a step forward and then, lifting her chin a notch, looked directly into Lord Kingshill’s eyes. “Here is the truth.”
An idea came to her as she spoke and, with a slight lift of one side of her mouth, she began. Whether it would be of any benefit to her, she did not know, but it was her only hope. Perhaps telling thetonthe truth about Lord Kingshill – even though he was a rogue – would be enough to have them push back from him all the more.
“Lady Prudence, please,” Lord Childers began, though his hands then fell back to his sides when she looked to him, his shoulders rounding as though he knew exactly what it was that she was going to say.
“Here is the truth,” Prudence began, speaking loudly enough for almost everyone to hear. “Lord Kingshilldidsuggest that we court, with the expectation that betrothal and matrimony would follow. What he did not initially state, however, was that he didsuch a thing solely so that the heir to his title would follow. He made it quite clear that he did not care a jot for me, stating thatIhad to speak with my father about the arrangement rather than Lord Kingshill going to speak with him, himself. That is how little a gentleman he is.” A few murmurs began to move around the room and, filled with a little more confidence, Prudence took a deep breath, noting how Lord Kingshill’s sneer had begun to fade away. “My father was reluctant, but I was assured that Lord Kingshill would attempt to reform himself, that he would do all that he could to be an upstanding husband and reformed rogue. I did not expect love and affection, but I certainly hoped for a respectful, considerate husband, and it was with that expectation that the arrangement was made. However,” she continued, her voice a little stronger now that she could see the reaction amongst the other guests, “I learned from Lord Childers – who came to speak to me out of consideration for me – that this was not as Lord Kingshill truly intended. Instead, he thought only to marry me so that the heir could be produced and, in the interim, he planned to continue in his roguish ways here in society, doing just as he pleased. He had no interest in me, expecting me to live in my own quarters of the house while he remained in his… or spent the majority of his time at the houses of others!” This statement brought a loud gasp, for even though Lord Kingshill was known to be a scoundrel, to hear of his intentions was shocking indeed. “With that revealed, Lord Childers then stated thathewould take the place of Lord Kingshill so that I would not be without a husband, and without hope. I accepted his offer, seeing that Lord Kingshill would never be able to provide even the smallest amount of care for me, and dreading to think what sort of life I would have… and what sort of father any children we had would be given also.”
Another murmur ran around the assembled group, with both gentlemen and ladies nodding in understanding.
“Uhhh….”
Lord Kingshill made a strangled sound, which Prudence ignored.
“Even now, you see that he threatens and seeks to coerce the lady to get what he wants,” Miss Rockwell cried, coming to stand beside Prudence again. “His words cannot be trusted! Nothing he says can be believed! He expects to gain whatever he desires and when he is in danger of being denied it, he threatens instead. Is that the sort of gentleman that any young lady ought to marry? Would any of you who are fathers or mothers be glad to offer up the hand of your daughter to such a fellow?” She stood beside Prudence, clearly aware of the reason behind all that Prudence had said and adding her weighty words to it. “You cannot hold anything against Lady Prudence for stepping away from Lord Kingshill, and youcertainlycannot believe anything that Lord Kingshill says about her, not when you know the sort of gentleman he is and what he will do to get his way.”
Prudence, filled with a fresh confidence, threw out one hand towards Lord Childers.
