Page 18 of Falling for a Forsaken Marquess
“I have some good news for you from our wonderful matchmaker,” the woman replied. “Mrs Mellors has found the perfect woman for you and expects to arrive in a few days for your first meeting.”
His mother might as well have punched him in the gut and rendered him breathless at that moment.
“I beg your pardon?” he asked, his voice a tad breathy.
“Your match, son,” the duchess replied. “Mrs Mellors has found the young lady we have both been searching for.”
“Speak for yourself,” he muttered.
“I didn’t hear that,” his mother said.
“I said ‘so wonderful,’” he lied. “When did Mrs Mellors deliver the good news?”
“I knew beforehand, but I didn’t want to say anything until she had met the young woman and sent a letter about her pending arrival. Would you like to know her name?”
“If I must.”
“Agnes Humphries,” his mother announced proudly.
“Her parents are Baron and Baroness Trafalgar, and according to Mrs Mellors, have an impeccable lineage. They have had a few financial problems in the past, which is unfortunate, but Mrs Mellors assures me they are exemplary people who have raised their daughter well. I let her know that money is not an issue; only the girl’s disposition and values matter.”
That statement could open his family up to fortune seekers in the disguise of a sweet young woman. Every young lady he had had the misfortune of meeting seemed eager to marry a man with a title and wealth and were not terribly bothered about much else.
“You are very trusting, Mother,” he remarked. “Are you certain this young woman will fit your criteria?”
William could not go back on his word about getting married, but perhaps he could plant seeds of doubt in his mother’s mind.
“That is why I hired Mrs Mellors, dear,” the woman replied. “She understands the importance of matching people well and has selected Agnes out of many other girls. There must be something special about this young woman.”
“I doubt she is any more special than the next woman.”
“I do not agree,” the duchess argued. “I have a good feeling in my bones about this girl. She will bring a lot of happiness to this family. I just know it.”
“Did you not say the same thing about Charlotte?” William reminded her.
“I said that for your sake, but I did not sincerely like her. Charlotte was sweet and charming, but there was a calculated manner about her that I didn’t like. But why mention the woman? The past has been buried, son. Leave it be.”
Interestingly, she wished to put the past behind them and was ignoring the unresolved issue with Jacob. It was likely for the younger man’s sake, but what about William? While he somewhat understood a mother’s unwavering love for her child, William couldn’t condone Jacob’s behaviour.
Still, that wasn’t the matter at hand. William needed a way to get rid of Agnes Humphries without making it seem that he had been the mastermind behind her departure, but no plan could come to mind. The only thing he could think of was acting cold and distant with her in the hope she would reject him and free him from his mother’s intentions.
“What are you thinking about, dear?” his mother asked. “You appear deep in thought.”
“I’m thinking about what to expect once Miss Humphries arrives,” he lied yet again. “Where is she from?”
“Lydney.”
“Ah. That’s around twenty-five miles from Cheltenham. They should arrive here within a day.”
“You’re right, dear,” the duchess agreed. “I’m happy you have taken an interest in Miss Humphries. I was worried you would do all you could to run away from the situation, but here you are, asking questions about her. This makes me so happy.”
Guilt ate away at William’s resolve to ruin his mother’s plans, but since the alternative of getting married was too much to bear, he pushed away the guilt and replaced it with determination to get his way. Agnes Humphries would not become his wife; he would make sure of it.
***
The only woman a man should ever be afraid of was his mother, but as William sat in his study and stared into nothing, he believed that all women could be frightening beings.
Perhaps his nightmares had supported his new view about the fairer sex, or maybe he just needed to stop thinking about the worst-case scenario and take control of his own life. Today was his first meeting with Agnes Humphries, and he dreaded it. However, he had lost already if he went into the meeting with these troubling feelings.
