Page 52 of A Lady's Beloved Novelist
The conflict was evident on her father’s weathered face. He had held the title of baron for many years, and she believed that he had done a good job at holding up the family name. Andrea could tell he was suddenly questioning his own decision as to whether letting Cecil marry his daughter would do the family name any good.
“You are not getting out of this engagement unless there is someone else ready to marry you,” her father said once more. “I will not be having the scandal hanging over our name.”
“Then I fear that you are only inviting plenty more scandals in the future,” Andrea said, sighing heavily. She could only imagine the gossip that was sure to reach London if they continued to let Cecil act in the way that he had been doing already.
“Andrea, I do not mean to make you unhappy, but I have to do what is best for our family at the moment,” her father said as he tried to reason with her. But Andrea was already upset at her father’s words.
“Then I think you should be considering that a lot more carefully. You are going to let this estate be inherited by a drunkard.”
She had given her father something to think about, but he was still standing his ground.
“If there is another suitor waiting, then you have an easy way to get out of this engagement,” was the only other thing that he said on the subject before returning to his plate of food.
Andrea caught her mother’s eyes. She appeared a lot more apologetic than her father was being. Andrea wondered if it was because she was a woman and she understood better what it was like to marry from a woman’s perspective. It was clear there were divided opinions at the dinner table on what to do. Andrea could only hope that in the end, she would find a way to be rid of Cecil.
*
James was growing more and more anxious with each day that passed. He had found a routine of going to see Andrea’s aunt in the morning and delivering a new response to Andrea’s letters. With each visit to Bella, he knew he was only going to owe her more in the end for all the ways that she had helped him.
However, that morning as he entered her home, he noticed that she was not alone.
“You do not mind Abigail being here, do you?” Bella asked over her shoulder as James followed her into the drawing room.
James had heard of the outspoken widow who wandered the grounds of Sudeley looking for interesting gossip. He was sure she was about to get her fix for the next few months.
“That is all right,” he said, smiling politely to the older woman. “So long as the two of you make sure that this information does not leave these walls.”
“Of course, young man.” Abigail nodded to him. “I like to hear what is going on around these parts, especially with the younger generation.”
James nodded and took his seat in his usual chair with the red cushion. The two women were sitting opposite him and were already sipping at their cups of tea.
“I have brought another letter,” he explained, fetching the small piece of paper from his pocket. “I think things are getting worse for poor Andrea.”
“Yes, I saw her yesterday,” Bella said. He had never seen her so worried before, and so he knew it must be quite bad indeed. “I fear this engagement is taking quite a toll on her.”
James grimaced at her words. Of course, it would be taking a toll on her.
“I know exactly what Cecil can be like. Though, I can imagine when he is only after your family’s money, he can be even worse.”
“I have even heard from my sister that not many people in the family are warming to him,” Bella continued.
“Well, I do not doubt that,” James said. “I believe that it is quite difficult to actually like Cecil and enjoy his company.”
“I believe that we are going to have to do something soon.” Bella sighed. “We are going to have to put a stop to this.”
“I have been giving her hope in my letters,” James added. “But I want to see her soon. These letters are only making me miss her presence more.”
But Bella shook her head. “We cannot risk it whilst Cecil has blackmail over you.”
“Why not just embrace what you do and tell the world that you are the author of the books?” Abigail spoke up.
James realised that Bella must have already told her friend everything that was going on. He did not mind since they were both old widows and did not have anyone else. He was sure he would rely on such talk to keep himself occupied if he was in the same position.
“It would not look good for my family. I do not think that my father would approve of it,” James explained in as simple terms as he could.
“And it matters what your father thinks, even when you are already a grown man?”
He regarded her question for a moment before nodding slowly.
