Page 3 of The Duke's Spinster Bride
“Because you are the reason I am the way I am. You and the constant reminder you present. Or has your time away from me made you forget just what your presence in this world cost this family.”
Green eyes, the mirror of her own, flashed in Andrea’s mind. Her mother’s kind smile, only known from portraits. A lump formed in her throat and she dug her nails into the palms of her hand to keep from shaking.It is my fault he is like this.Everyone told her he had been a different man before her mother had died.Since I- No. I will not think about that.
“I will not go into the next life with the stain of your behaviour on my reputation.” Her father shook his head, lip curling in disgust. “I will not let you rob me of joy in both life and death. Or do you wish to so thoroughly disgrace your mother’s memory?”
“I… I am not.” Andrea wished she sounded more certain, but the thought of the woman shrunk her.What would she think?
“Are you so sure about that?” Her father moved towards her, a wolf sensing weakness in its prey. “And what about this house? This Burrough is hardly known for its… soundness. It would be a pity if anything were to happen to it.”
Andrea winced. “Are you threatening me?”
“No. I am simply trying to teach you a lesson that thus far you have failed to learn. There are consequences to your actions.” Her father’s eyes flashed. “Just as there are consequences of your birth.”
The implication lay heavy between them, shame squeezing its way into the space. She could not fight this. He was dying and clearly desperate.
“. I shall marry. I am sure I can find myself a suitable husband if_” Andrea began but her father cut her off, a triumphant gleam on his face.
“_Oh there will be no need for you to do that.” His grin broadened and Andrea’s stomach twisted violently as he took a step towards her.
“What do you mean?” Her voice was scarcely more than a whisper.
“I have already found you a husband.” He leaned towards her and whispered. “Lord Crossley is to claim you for his own.”
Andrea stumbled back from him, her jaw dropping. The world around her seemed to collapse. It felt as though the very air had turned to stone. She barely noticed her father leaving.
She was too busy thinking about her future husband and the fact that her life was over.
* * *
“But Lord Crossley is nearly sixty!” Lady Cecily Nightingale exclaimed a few hours later as they waited for the christening to start.
Andrea hastily made a shushing motion to her friend, glancing around at the various members of the ton gathered around them. Thankfully, no one took much notice of them as most of them were used to Cecily’s outbursts.
It helped that almost everyone gathered for the post-christening garden party was related to Duke Verimore in some way. His family was rather large given the three fruitful marriages of his grandmother.
“Do not shush me!” Cecily whispered, glancing around. “You cannot really mean to allow your father to wed you to Lord Crossley? Aside from his age, the man is one of the biggest lechers in England.”
“I know.” Andrea shuddered. “I do not know a single woman he has not accosted at some point in their lives. Even before his wife died, he flirted with anything even vaguely woman-shaped.”
“Exactly!” Cecily shuddered. “You cannot possibly marry a man like that.”
“I do not want to marry anyone at all.” Andrea sighed. “It is my father forcing this upon me.”
“But how? You do not even live with him, and you have your own money.” Cecily’s brow furrowed.
“He is my father. And bonds like that are not so easily broken.” Andrea opened and closed her mouth, glancing at Cecily as she tried to decided how much she could say.I cannot tell her the truth.“And he made me see how truly awful my reputation has become. They are calling me a thornback, Cecily. A thornback!”
Cecily canted her head towards her. “I thought you did not care about such things.”
“Not for myself, but it is having an effect on him. And well, whatever else I might think of him, I do owe him some semblance of filial piety.”He is dying.She would be an orphan, truly alone when he left her.
“Your duties as a daughter do not mean you have to marry Lord Crossley. You will be miserable!” Cecily’s eyes widened and she clapped her hands together. “You should try and find someone else! Grandmother is having a ball, and everyone who is anyone will be there. That is the perfect place to find a husband.”
Andrea arched an eyebrow at her friend, her chest tightening. “You make it sound so easy.”
“It is.” Cecily shrugged.
“That has not been my experience.” Andrea hugged her arms around herself self-consciously. “I seem practically to repel people.”
