Chapter Five
Arabella tugged on her gloves as she descended the stairs to join Lord Clarendon at the entrance hall where he chatted amiably with Mother. Despite the unseasonably cool weather and the threat of rain, he had arrived promptly at five o’clock to escort her on a ride through Hyde Park. Apparently, whatever he and her mother had discussed the night before had not put them at odds.
He turned toward her, and something flickered in his eyes that she was unable to identify. Or perhaps she imagined it. Once again, she was mindful of his appearance. His dark blue woolen tailcoat brought depth to his blue eyes. The rest of his ensemble, starched cravat, well-fitting breeches, blue and silver waistcoat, along with well-polished Hessian boots, spoke of a young, wealthy, titled gentleman calling on his betrothed.
She shivered, not at all comfortable with that designation, and anxious to have all of that resolved. “My lord,” Arabella offered a curtsy.
Clarendon bowed. “Good afternoon, my lady. Are you ready for our ride?”
Nodding stiffly, she took his arm and they left the house, Mother’s gleeful farewell echoing in Arabella’s ears.
A four-wheeled curricle, with two lively Cleveland Bays tossing their heads, stood in front of the townhouse. Clarendon helped her into the vehicle, then strode around the front and joined her. “Comfortable?”
“Yes, my lord.”
He snapped the ribbons and the horses moved forward, the clopping rhythm of their hooves on the cobblestones matching the pounding of her heart. What would she say to this man? Except for their recent fiasco, they were strangers, yet it was expected of her to behave as an engaged woman. The sooner she disavowed him of that idea, the better she would feel.
“Since we are betrothed, my dear, perhaps I can convince you to leave off with the ‘my lord’ and call me by name?”
No time like the present. “Yes, Clarendon.” Goodness, was that her voice? She sounded like a squealing mouse with a cat on its tail.
He grinned. “Actually, I prefer Nash.”
“Nash?”
“Yes, my given name. Once I assumed my father’s title, for all the world, I was Clarendon. However, my mother and sister have never relinquished the name I answered to for years.”
“And now you wish me to use that name, as well?” Dear God.
He studied her from under thick, dark eyelashes. Was there no part of the man not attractive?
“Unless that makes you uncomfortable?”
Uncomfortable? She wanted to jump from the curricle and run screaming back to her house. To sanity. “No, my lo—Nash. I am not uncomfortable at all.”
Liar.
She cleared her throat. “However, there is something I’d like to discuss that does make me uncomfortable.”
One arrogant eyebrow rose.
“I must insist, as I did last evening, that there is no need for a betrothal. If you wish to pretend to be engaged for a—very short—period of time, I believe that will be sufficient to ward off any talk of ‘ruination.’”
“No.”
A slow burning started in her stomach. “I insist.”
“No.”
Her fingers tightened on her parasol handle. She had to stamp down the very strong urge to smack him over the head with it. “I think I deserve the right to have a say in this.”
“No.”
A parasol would not be strong enough. Perhaps a heavy rock along the pathway would suffice. Using two hands she could probably lift it.
“Smile,” he said, nodding to three older ladies of the ton passing them by.
She gritted her teeth, moving her mouth into a semblance of a smile. A Hyde Park afternoon ride was famous among the Quality. The latest fashions were flaunted, and the most recent on dits shared and remarked upon. Marriage-minded mamas displayed their daughters to their best advantage while taking note of the young gentlemen, assessing wealth and titles. The idea was to see, and be seen.
Like all other young ladies of Society, Arabella had accepted her share of carriage rides. Oftentimes with her mother, once or twice with a gentleman and her maid, and many times with friends.
This ride was like no other. The minute their carriage joined the queue, heads turned in their direction and fans rose to cover gossiping mouths. Arabella refused to succumb to the desire to duck her head. Instead, she raised her chin and smiled in the direction of the carriages they passed.
“Good girl. Do not let them intimidate you.” Nash spoke to her out of the side of his mouth, keeping his eyes on the carriage in front of them.
“I have no intention of allowing any such thing.” The statement would perhaps be more benign had her voice not snapped with anger. Who were these people to judge her?
“I believe conversation would be pleasant.” Nash turned to her and smiled. “Remember, the purpose of this ride is to assure all is well. As a newly betrothed couple, we are supposed to be enjoying ourselves. Please forgive my poor manners, but right now you look as though you could snap the handle of your parasol in half. Or at least strike someone over the head with it. Hopefully, not me.”
“The thought did cross my mind, but I feel it is not strong enough to do sufficient damage to your hard head. Just because we are in full view of the gossipers of the world, do not think I have accepted your edict on marriage. We will discuss this further when we leave the park.”
Arabella attempted a smile for the gawkers. Then, thinking about the ridiculousness of it all, she gave Nash a genuine grin. Again, the same look flitted across his face she’d witnessed in her entrance hall. Whatever was that all about?
“Actually, I am enjoying myself.” Startled, she realized it was true. The threat of rain had diminished, and sun peeked out from behind now-scattered clouds. With the sun visible, the air had warmed up a bit. She rode alongside a handsome man, in a stylish carriage, among fashionable people. ’Twas the first time that had occurred, since all her prior male carriage companions had been men older than her mother.
Since nothing would be resolved right now, she relaxed and actually looked around. Brightly colored carriage dresses decorated the path as young ladies rode, walked, or trotted on horseback.
“Tell me a bit about yourself, Arabella.” He glanced at her sideways. “I assume I am permitted to use your given name?”
“Yes, of course. Since I am friends with Eugenia, I assume you already know a little about me.”
“A few things. I also know you like to take cats to the park that escape your hold and require rescue.”
Arabella shifted her parasol handle from one shoulder to the other as the vehicle took a turn in the other direction. She tilted her head and smiled. “And I know you spend time at parks to be available for young ladies to ask you to rescue their animals.” She tilted her head in a saucy manner and spun her parasol.
Nash grinned. “Ah, but that is not so. I was merely taking a stroll, trying to enjoy the day, when I was accosted by a screeching furry banshee, with a pretty young lady running after her in a most unladylike manner.”
She flushed. He thought she was pretty? “’Tis hard for one to maintain the demeanor of a lady when one is chasing a cat in the park.”
One eyebrow shot up. “I will need to take your word for that, my dear, since I have never been a lady chasing a cat in the park.”
“You must excuse me if I laugh at the image of you dressed in a gown.” Arabella’s smile faltered. “You have an aversion to animals, then?”
“Not so. I do not dislike animals, I am merely unable to be in the presence of some without suffering a sneezing fit.”
“Miss Aphrodite?”
“Indeed.” He shifted to look at her. “Whatever possessed you to name that devil’s spawn Miss Aphrodite?”
“You do not believe it suits her, my lord?”
He shook his head. “And you, my dear, have managed to dodge my initial question quite nicely. Tell me something about yourself.”
“And then you will do the same?” Lord, she was actually flirting with him. That would not do. Flirting was the forerunner to romance, and all the entanglements following. If she were foolish enough to actually consider this arrangement—a startling thought, that—her life would no longer be her own. Before she knew it, Nash would be controlling her, which she had no intention of tolerating.
“I am the only child of the late Earl of Melrose. I’m sure you know, as most of Society does, once he died, his estate passed into the hands of a distant relative. He will be traveling here to take possession in a few months.”
“So your mother told me last night. I assume that is why she was quite anxious for you to marry.” Ostensibly, their shaky circumstances had been part of the conversation between Nash and Mother.
“Yes. We have been at sixes and sevens over it for some time now. I don’t understand Mother’s concerns. The new earl has offered to allow us to stay on once he arrives. Father left money for Mother’s benefit, as well as my dowry, so her scheming to marry me off to Lord Pembroke confuses me. Although she had mentioned a few times recently that our circumstances were approaching precarious.”
She drew in a deep breath and studied Nash’s hands as he guided the horses around the pathway. “Another reason I feel we will never suit is I am quite fond of animals.” She glanced at him sideways, but he did not react.
“What I mean is I take care of injured animals.”
“I have heard rumors.” He continued to stare straight ahead.
“Yes, well, I’m afraid what you have heard is probably true. They mean a great deal to me, and since I do not wish to discontinue my ‘hobby’ as my mother calls it, a marriage between us would never work.”
Finally, he turned to look at her. “I am not fond of animals. Horses, yes, they have their place—which is not in my house. Cats, I am obviously allergic to, something I never knew until recently. However, as my countess, you will have enough to keep you busy without seeking out injured animals.”
She fisted her hands in her lap. “My lord, your lack of hearing concerns me. May I suggest you summon your doctor to assess your deficiency? I do not intend to marry you.”
His raised eyebrow had her squirming, like a child in trouble. “Indeed?” He steered the carriage around a deep hole in the ground and continued, “I will apply for a special license, which is expected in our circumstances.”
Arabella’s anger rose once again. “I do not wish to discuss this here, so please refrain from making sweeping statements that will only raise my ire and cause unpleasantness.”
Nash’s lips tightened. “I believe we have already settled the matter. If you cry off, your reputation will not recover. All my life, I have ensured that I always behave as a gentleman. I would not be able to continue in that vein if I allowed your reputation to be destroyed when I had the ability to save it.” He turned in her direction. “I agree we have had our differences, but is marriage to me so contemptible that you prefer a spinster’s life under a cloud of scandal?”
A spinster’s life under a cloud of scandal.
A horrid situation, to be sure. Whatever funds Father had left for her and Mother’s care might be enough to buy a small house somewhere in the country and sustain them for a few years. She could always take a post as a companion or governess. Not a wonderful life, to be sure, and certainly not one she would have embraced, given the choice.
Then again, if her reputation were ruined, even a companion or governess position might not be available to her. And, she would be without her animals, for sure. She shuddered to think she might be forced to approach one of the older gentlemen she’d already rejected to announce she had reconsidered his offer. Who was to say they would agree after this? And truthfully, why would she prefer to be stuck with one of them instead of the man sitting beside her?
She studied him while he waited for her answer. She could accept what fate had placed in her pathway and marry the Earl of Clarendon. Her mother would be taken care of, Arabella would be accepted in Society as his respected countess, and all these worries would vanish.
Along with her freedom.
Given his comments on her animals, worries about her and Mother’s future would be replaced by others, no doubt. Additionally, there was the problem of her much-valued independence, combined with Nash’s overbearing, arrogant manner. “No. Marriage to you is not contemptible,” she answered. “I just do not believe we are compatible. I appreciate your offer—sincerely, I do—but I cannot see us married to each other.”
He patted her hand. “Do not concern yourself. I have reconciled myself to our predicament, as you must, as well. There is no reason we cannot have a pleasant marriage.”
Botheration. Just what she’d always wanted to be—someone’s reconciliation.
…
Nash dwelt on their conversation as they moved forward through the park, nodding at passing acquaintances and ignoring the smirks and sly looks from some. Based on Arabella’s comments, she was blessedly unaware of how dire the circumstances were in which the late earl had left his family. Between Nash’s conversation the prior evening with Lady Melrose when she had provided the solicitor’s name, and his own conversation with the man this morning, Arabella crying off would not only ruin her reputation, but her entire life.
As unfair as the matter was, a gently reared lady ruined, with no resources of her own, was generally only able to follow one path in life—a nobleman’s mistress. Lady Arabella had the body and face to survive quite nicely in that life. He tightened his grip on the ribbons at the thought of Arabella forced to earn a living at the mercy of some of the gentlemen he knew. Even if she were fortunate enough to secure employment as a companion or governess, she would be fair game to most men of the nobility. More than one gently reared woman had fallen into a disreputable life after having been taken advantage of in a lord’s home.
On the other hand, young Lady Grace was well liked in Society, pretty, and came with a generous dowry. No doubt her handkerchief would be barely dry before offers for her hand started to arrive. He doubted if the chit had held a genuine fancy for him—most likely his title had been the appeal.
Arabella, on the other hand, would have been cast to the lions if he hadn’t offered for her. And considering their financial situation, the lions were close to her door. Not that his funds were much better, but since he was not taken with gambling and supporting expensive mistresses, at least he had no worries about losing the roof over his head.
“If I get the special license tomorrow, I would like to move ahead with the wedding as quickly as possible.”
Arabella drew in a breath and lowered her voice to barely a whisper. “If you do not wish to hear me scream and bash you over your arrogant head with my parasol, I suggest you let off with this conversation. Now.”
He was as stubborn as his bride. Even if he had decided not to be the gentleman he’d always thought himself to be and marry her, he had reached the point where it had become a contest of wills.
And he never lost.
Aside from that, all that passion and fire in his betrothed would prove quite interesting in the bedchamber. No shy miss was Lady Arabella. He would have a grand time taming her and teaching her. He shifted in his seat at the thought.
They had almost made a complete circle around the park when the one person he did not wish to see appeared in front of them, going in the opposite direction in a well-sprung carriage, along with her mother.
“Lady Spencer, Lady Grace.” Nash bowed to the two ladies. He couldn’t help but think Lady Spencer had dragged her daughter out to be seen in Hyde Park to assure the Quality that she had not a care in the world, even if the man all of the ton assumed would be offering for her was now betrothed to another.
“My lord.” If Lady Spencer’s tone was any chillier, the flowers alongside the path would be frozen solid. Apparently not as well-mannered as her mother, Lady Grace turned the other direction and waved to someone who did not wave back. Mostly because the only thing facing the young girl was an elm tree.
Lady Spencer raised her chin and shot daggers at Arabella. “Lady Arabella. I must say I am quite surprised to see you here today. I thought after last evening’s humiliation you would have enough good breeding to stay out of sight.”
Arabella sucked in a breath, and Nash’s hands fisted on the ribbons. He did not mind taking a few stabs for himself, but Arabella was to be his wife and countess, and he would not allow her to be insulted. Several people strolling along stopped and pretended to view the flowers. Carriages that should have been passing by slowed to a crawl as all of Society watched the play between the main characters in the latest ton drama.
Lady Spencer continued. “But then, one assumes if you indeed had proper breeding you would not have disgraced yourself so last evening.”
Arabella’s whole body shook alongside him, and her face turned a bright red as she stared at her lap. Unsure how his betrothed would respond to such malice, given her threat before to smack him over the head with her parasol, he gritted his teeth and rested his hand on her clenched one. “Lady Spencer, any further slights cast on my future countess will be dealt with in an appropriate manner that I guarantee will not be pleasant.” He snapped the ribbons and moved forward. “I wish you good day.”
They had barely cleared the exit from the park when Arabella groaned and dropped her parasol, then covered her face with her hands. Her shoulders shook, and he was certain he heard muffled sobs. Bloody hell that woman had been vicious. Even though he hated a weeping female more than anything, the thought of Lady Spencer weeping would not affect him so. In fact, the notion brought warmth to his heart.
Instead of driving directly to the Melrose townhouse in Mayfair, he took Holyhead Road out of town. The further they proceeded on the road, the cleaner and sweeter smelling the air. They soon left prying eyes behind, to be replaced with disinterested Londoners returning to their homes for the dinner hour.
He fumbled in his pocket and handed Arabella his handkerchief. She mumbled her thanks. Once her sobs had turned to slight hiccups, he spoke. “I assume you are crying because that woman could have been my mother-in-law?”
Her head jerked up, her eyes wide. Once she saw his grin, she smiled, and then chuckled. “That would have been most unsettling, my lord.”
He reached out and touched her lips with his finger. “No ‘my lord.’ Remember?”
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes red, and from the sound of her voice, her nose all stopped up. Instead of looking a fright, she looked adorable. Fragile, and somewhat broken, not at all as he’d begun to think of her. Something deep inside him stirred, and he quickly smothered it, replacing it with protectiveness and righteous anger on her behalf.
“I am sure you won’t be troubled by her again.” He raised his hand as she began to speak. “Based on what you’ve just witnessed, I am sure you now understand there will be no crying off. You’ve done enough crying.
“If we do not move forward with our marriage, you will not have the protection of my name. Incidents like that will happen on a regular basis, until you are driven completely away from Society. I know that is not fair, but that is the way of it.”
Arabella twisted his handkerchief in her hands. “She is a horrid woman. I’ve heard her speak to others that way, but never have I been subjected to her tongue.”
“Nor will you be ever again, I assure you. We will take a few more minutes to allow time to compose yourself, and then I will return you to your home. I will speak with your Mother, as I wish to settle the matter of the wedding date.”
After about another fifteen minutes, he turned the carriage and headed back to Mayfair. In three days, he would be a married man. Not something worrisome, to be sure. He had no intention of his life changing in any way. Once she settled in, Arabella would be an acceptable wife. She had a definite stubborn streak, and was a bit more headstrong than he would have liked, but he was sure he could contain her and impress upon her that all major decisions would be his.
From what he’d seen, once the matter of her animals was settled, she would not bring discredit to him or his title, and hopefully, in a short time, she would be increasing. Based on what he’d felt when he held her in his arms, getting her with child would be a most pleasurable task. Something he was certainly looking forward to.
Once he got his finances in order, theirs could be a very satisfying life. After the display he’d seen from Lady Spencer, he was feeling a bit relieved that Lady Arabella’s name would be the one alongside him in the marriage book, and not Lady Grace.
Feeling quite content with the way things were proceeding, he hummed to himself as he returned his future countess to her home to prepare for their wedding. Yes, with proper handling on his part, life with Arabella would be uneventful and peaceful.