Page 72 of If the Duke Dares
“Their arrival has nothing to do with any betrothal,” Aunt Lucinda said crisply. “Thank you for visiting, Delia.”
Before Delia, Mrs. Carmichael, could make her way to the door, which Harding was standing next to, ready to fling it open and hopefully toss her outside, Persephone’s mother spoke. “Actually, we will have a betrothal to announce shortly,” she said smugly.
Persephone shifted her gaze toward her mother. They would? Were they going to insist she wed Acton? Granted, that wasn’t nearly as revolting a notion as it had once been. Indeed, she could see several benefits, not the least of which was continuing what they’d been doing in the garden last night.
“And which daughter will it be for?” Mrs. Carmichael asked breathlessly. “Lucinda and I were just discussing how marvelous the Duke of Wellesbourne and Miss Pandora look together.”
“Pandora, you say?” Persephone’s father asked with the most interest he’d displayed since arriving.
Aunt Lucinda shot her friend a perturbed look before addressing her brother. “I’ve explained that Wellesbourne andPersephoneare spending time together to see if they will suit.”
“Yes, but everyone saw the connection between him and Miss Pandora yesterday when he carried her to the coach. You can’t deny when two people just seem to be perfect for one another.”
She was basing that on watching, from afar, Acton carry Pandora because she was injured. Persephone could only stare at the woman.
Then, she noticed her parents exchanging excited looks. This did not bode well.
The baroness smiled. “As it happens, the betrothal we are prepared to announce does not involve the duke or Pandora.” She looked at Persephone, as if she hadn’t been railing at her moments ago. “It is about our dear Persephone.”
It was about her, but not about Acton? Panic rose in Persephone’s throat, choking her ability to speak. Not that she could think of what to say.
The next movements happened quickly. Aunt Lucinda motioned with her head toward Harding, who rapidly opened the door as Aunt Lucinda ushered Mrs. Carmichael out. “I appreciate you stopping by,” she said before the butler snapped the door closed.
“Thank you, Harding,” Aunt Lucinda said before directing a glare toward her brother. “Let us remove to the drawing room so you can explain this nonsense that you just shared with one of the most prolific gossips in all of Bath.”
Persephone’s mother sniffed. “We don’t care if she says anything. We’ll be making a formal announcement shortly anyway. It’s not as if people aren’t supposed to know.”
“ButIdon’t know!” Persephone shouted, not caring who heard, but glad that Harding had left. She liked the butler, and he didn’t need to be privy to their family drama. “You’ve betrothed me to some unknown man and shared that information with others before you even tell me?” Persephone felt sick.
“Good Lord, I hope Delia isn’t listening at the door,” Aunt Lucinda said. She waved them all toward the staircase hall. “Go.”
Persephone turned and stalked upstairs. She had half a mind to keep going to the second floor to her sister’s bedchamber and seek solace with her. But first Persephone needed to know what her parents had done. She was shaking by the time she reached the drawing room.
Aunt Lucinda followed them inside and closed the door. “Let us sit and discuss this like rational adults.”
“I don’t need to sit,” Persephone said icily, her focus on her loathsome parents. “What have you done?”
“Come now, Persephone,” her father cajoled. “Sit with us so we may tell you the good news. We’ve found you a husband at last.”
“What happened to allowing me to decide?” she snapped. There was just no controlling her anger in this moment.
“You’ve had years to do so,” the baroness said airily as she sat down, seeming not to have a care in the world, let alone concern for her daughter’s outrage. “You need to be married. Your dashing off into the night in Cirencester is proof of that. You need a firm hand to guide you, as you are no longer listening to us.”
Persephone stared at them. “You were going to force me to wed Wellesbourne, which I did not want to do.” Something she would not now mind but was apparently no longer an option. “Now, you’re going to force me to marry someone else? Someone I don’t even know?”
“He isn’t like the duke,” her father said, sitting near her mother. “Your primary complaint was Wellesbourne’s reputation. Your betrothed is a well-respected member of his community and in London. He’s a member of Parliament. Though you won’t be a duchess, you will enjoy the life of a London hostess.”
As if any of that mattered to her. She’d wanted to at least like her husband, let alone know him. Oh God. Shedidknow him. Or at least she thought she did. Her mother’s cousin in Winchester had a son who stood for MP in the most recent election. They’d met only a handful of times, and the last occasion had been nearly five years ago. He was loud and obnoxious, and the thing he liked most was the sound of his own voice. “You can’t mean Cousin Harold.”
“Indeed, we do,” the baroness said brightly. “He was most enthusiastic about the prospect of marrying you. Honestly, I don’t know why any of us didn’t think of it sooner.”
They’d referred to him as her betrothed. Was there an agreement, then? Persephone managed to cross her arms over her chest. “I don’t want to marry him.”
“You’ll come around to it,” her father said with a wave of his hand. “Harold is doing great things in Parliament. This is a good marriage for you, my dear.”
Persephone felt as though she couldn’t breathe. “How does it help Pandora? That wasyourprimary reason for wanting me to wed immediately.”
“While this isn’t as advantageous a match as Wellesbourne, it’s good enough to keep our family in good standing.”
