Page 92 of The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter
“Everyone has a price, Miss Ruskin. What is yours?”
“To even ask such an insulting question shows how little you know me. I would never stand in the way of his happiness. If he wishes to back out, then let him do so. It is his heart I cherish, not his wealth. He may keep every last shilling.”
“Will you put that in writing?”
“No, she will not,” Alexander said, striding toward them.
Viola had not heard him come in, so fixed was she on his father. “Lord Ardley, I did not realize…how long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough to hear everything. And the name is Alex. You are my equal, Viola. Stop insisting that you are not. Why are you here, Father?”
“To talk sense into Miss Ruskin, of course. Keep out of this, Alex. Let me do what needs to be done.”
“Not on your life.” He extended an arm to Viola. “I’m here to escort you to Ardley Hall for supper. You will be received warmly by the other members of my family who have retained full control of their faculties and are ready to welcome you into the fold. I promise you, Viola. My father is the only one with his head stuck up his–”
“Now, see here! Don’t you dare to talk about me that way.”
“And don’t you dare insult Viola.”
“Alex,” she said with an ache to her voice, the sound of his name so foreign on her lips. “Do you not see? It is happening already.”
He looked at her as though she had stabbed him through the heart.
But he had to be made to consider the damage done by an unwanted union. “I am already destroying your family. How can you ever be happy if you and your father will never speak to each other again? Nor is it fair to make your family take sides. It will split you all apart.”
She now turned to his father. “Do you think I have not tormented myself trying to figure out what your son sees in me? I am no more than a vicar’s daughter who helped him out with his house party. But I am proud of who I am and make no apology for it.”
She walked out of the parlor and moved to the front door to show them both out. “I do not apologize for loving your son. I doubt he will apologize to you for loving me. If we marry, I shall be the best wife to him I can possibly be. I will treasure every moment with him and work tirelessly to heal any rift between the two of you because he loves you so much.”
Alex was now frowning. “Ifwe marry?”
She nodded. “Let us put the wedding plans aside for now. I cannot leave my father anyway. It would destroy me if he passed and I was not by his side.”
He folded his arms across his chest and cast her a stubborn look. “No, this is exactly what your father does not want. He needs to know you are well settled and protected. He will not be at peace if you put off our wedding. Stay here after we are married, if you must. I’ll join you, if this is what it takes. It doesn’t matter where we are so long as we are together.”
“You would do this for me?” Viola had accepted his marriage proposal, but it was far from a thing certain when or if they would ever wed. Her father’s health was precarious and she dared not leave him to move into Ardley Hall. Nor would her stubborn father leave his familiar surroundings for Ardley Hall. This had yet to be worked out between them, or so she thought. Apparently, this viscount she loved was willing to give her everything she asked.
She melted into his arms. “Thank you.”
His father stormed off.
“My lord…I mean…Alex. Goodness, that sounds so odd.”
“No, love. It sounds perfect.”
She cast him a worried smile. “Should we go after him? He’s so angry and it is agitating his horse. What if he hurts himself?”
“He’s been riding since he was a child. He’ll be fine and can make his own way back to the manor whenever he decides to cool down.”
But the beast was now bucking and kicking as his father tugged hard on the reins, further riling the horse as he impatiently attempted to climb onto the saddle. “Oh, Alex. He is going to get kicked.”
She had no sooner uttered the words than the beast landed a blow to his father’s shin. His father yelped in pain, hopped backward, and promptly lost his balance. He fell hard in the most awkward position. She and Alex raced to help him. “Father!”
Viola grabbed the horse’s reins and tried to soothe the big steed while Alex carried his father back into the house. “Get away from him Viola or he’ll kick you, too.”
She released the reins and the horse galloped off to find his own way back to the Ardley Hall stables.
Could anything else go wrong?
