Chapter Three

"I thought the ball went very well indeed."

Arthur grimaced. "I am sure you did, Mother."

"You did not have too many people staring at you, did you?"

Looking at her for a long moment, Arthur waited until his mother had the decency to blush before he answered. "I had almost everyone staring at me, as you well know," he said, quietly. "But at least Isabella had a good many gentlemen seeking out her company. I think she danced every dance save for the waltz."

Lady Crestwood smiled, clearly satisfied with the progress her daughter had made. "Yes, she did. It was wonderful to see."

Arthur chose to say nothing further, picking up his brandy and wandering to the window of the drawing room. Last evening had been a success in terms of Isabella's introduction to society, having already been introduced to the King. What he had not been too pleased about, however, was the sheer number of gentlemen and ladies who had simply stared at him and thereafter, whispered about him behind their hands. He had felt the heaviness of their gaze and had hated the intensity of their attention upon him. It had done nothing other than mortify him all the more, to remind him that his scars were ever present and, for the ton, something worthy of gossip.

And there had been that very strange conversation with the Viscount Townsend who had come up to speak with him almost the moment he had arrived in the ballroom. The gentleman had been urgent in his desire to introduce his family to Arthur and though he had done so at a later hour of the ballroom, Arthur had not understood the gentleman's reasons for doing so – unless it was that he simply wanted to be able to spread a little more gossip than others in the ton.

"There were many eligible ladies present last evening."

Arthur stiffened, turning his head to glance at his mother before returning his attention to the window. "I have no interest in engaging myself to anyone, Mother." His jaw tightened. "Besides, Lady Clara was present last evening."

"Was she?"

The shock in his mother's voice had Arthur wincing. He had felt the very same overwhelming surprise when he had first set eyes on her and, in truth, had felt his breath stolen away from him. Instead of feeling nothing, as he had hoped, there had been dark and heavy anger which had settled low in his stomach and had then sent a heat through each of his limbs. She had looked at him, yes, but had quickly turned her head away as though she had no interest in his presence whatsoever .

"She did not greet you?"

"No, Mother, she did not." His voice a little quieter now, Arthur kept his gaze fixed to the window and the view outside rather than look at her. "There was no connection between us. None whatsoever."

"I am sorry for that." Lady Crestwood came towards him and put one hand on his arm, though Arthur jerked back, having no desire for her comfort. "Come now, my son. Do not allow her presence or her disregard to affect you."

Arthur closed his eyes, blowing out a long breath. "I cannot help but be affected when the lady I was betrothed to ignores me entirely."

There came a short silence where Lady Crestwood sighed, her shoulders rounding. "That behaviour reflects poorly on Lady Clara rather than on you," she said softly, though Arthur struggled to accept those words to be true. "Now, I must go to see Isabella and rouse her from her bed! It is much too late for her to still be resting and there will be gentlemen callers very soon, I am sure!"

With a nod, Arthur waited as her footsteps led her across the room, hearing the door open and then close behind her. Once he was alone, he dropped his head forward with a groan, his shoulders rounding and his forehead pressed lightly against the glass pane of the window. This was worse than he had ever imagined it. To be under so much scrutiny was difficult indeed and to have Lady Clara ignore him had made things all the more difficult. Quite what he had expected from her, Arthur was uncertain but it certainly had not been for her to pretend he was not even present!

A scratch came to the door and Arthur turned, calling for the servant to enter. The butler came in at once, a calling card on a tray and, a little surprised, Arthur took it. It was a little earlier for calls and Isabella was not even dressed as yet!

Except it was not someone for Isabella. It was Viscount Townsend, come to call on him.

"He is here now?"

"Yes, my lord." The butler gestured to the door. "What shall I say to him?"

A little intrigued as to why the gentleman would be calling on him so early, Arthur nodded to himself, turning the card over in his hand. "Tell him he may join me here."

"At once, my lord. Shall I send for some refreshments?"

"Yes."

Turning back to the window, Arthur took in a long, slow breath, a little surprised at how unsettled he felt. It was not the first time someone would call on him, he was certain, but there was something about this seeming so urgent that made him a little uneasy. Was the gentleman coming so he might have a closer look at Arthur's face? Did he want to spread as many whispers though London as he could? Was he eager to feed his own reputation as a gossip monger here in town?

All of his questions were stolen away as the door opened again and the butler announced Viscount Townsend. Taking in a deep breath, Arthur steadied himself and turned around, just to see Lord Townsend dropping into a bow.

"Forgive the early call, Lord Crestwood," the man said, before Arthur had a chance even to greet him. "I have something of great urgency I wished to discuss with you and given that your name runs all through London at present, I thought it best to come and speak with you just as soon as I was able."

"Indeed." Arthur gestured for the fellow to sit down though he himself chose to remain standing. He had no interest in talking with this gentleman, he decided, given that whatever they spoke of would soon become gossip for the ton to chew upon. "What is it that you wish to speak of?"

Lord Townsend blinked and began to stammer, perhaps a little taken aback by Arthur's forwardness but Arthur merely held the man's gaze and waited. He was not about to fall into banal conversation before Lord Townsend finally spoke of whatever it was he had come here for. It was best for it all to be dealt with first.

"I – I come to you with a proposal."

Arthur lifted his eyebrows. "A proposal?"

"Yes, an agreement, if you will," Lord Townsend continued, quickly. "Let me be blunt, Lord Crestwood. I… I am a gentleman with debts."

A heavy frown immediately pulled at Arthur's forehead. "I do not know why that is any concern of mine."

"Because, I thought you might be able to solve a difficulty of mine while I solve a difficulty of yours."

A little confused now, Arthur lifted his chin, notched it up and sniffed, barely aware of the maid who scurried in with the tray of refreshments to set between them. "Given that we are barely acquainted, I do not think there is anything that I require from you, good sir."

"That is not true, however!" Lord Townsend pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed it against his forehead, his round face a little flushed. "My wife spoke with your mother last evening and she made it very clear that you were in London to seek a bride for yourself. My daughter is – "

Fire burned in Arthur's chest. "My mother has no business saying anything of the sort! I have no intention of finding a bride this Season. "

"Oh." Lord Townsend looked a little nonplussed, looking down at his hands for some moments before, taking a breath, getting to his feet and looking back at Arthur directly – and with more courage than Arthur had anticipated.

"You require a bride, however," the man said, firmly. "It is clear that you will require an heir given that you bear the title and I understand that responsibility, truly, I do."

"I hardly think – "

"I have a daughter," the Viscount continued, before Arthur could finish his sentence. "She is of marriageable age and yet I have not been able to secure her a husband these last few Seasons. It is not because there is anything wrong as regards her character for indeed, she is quiet and soft spoken and very gentle indeed – but I believe it is these qualities which have held her back from some in society. Gentlemen find her too quiet, find her dull and banal when, I can assure you, she is quite the opposite!"

Arthur could barely believe what he was hearing. Here was this gentleman, hardly known to him, offering up his daughter as Arthur's bride when they were not even properly acquainted. "I think you are a little presumptuous, Lord Townsend."

The gentleman did not deny it. Rather, he spread his arms out wide and then let them fall to his sides. "I will not pretend that I want the best for my daughter and her marrying a gentleman of high title and good standing is the very best."

"Though she would, no doubt, be the cause of many whispers and have to bear a great deal of gossip," Arthur reminded him, though the gentleman only shrugged. "You would have no difficulty with that?" Wait a moment. Am I beginning to consider this idea as viable?

"I would not. As I have said, I want what is best for my daughter and given that her other alternative is to become a spinster, I think becoming your bride would be a good deal better for her."

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "And in exchange, you wish for me to do what, exactly?"

Lord Townsend looked away. "As I said," he replied, his voice a little quieter now, "I am a gentleman with many debts."

"Debts you wish me to remove from you the moment I marry your daughter."

When Lord Townsend did not answer but continued to look away, Arthur scowled darkly, his brows furrowing. "And might I ask if your daughter is aware of this? If she knows what you intend for her?"

"She knows nothing," came the reply. "But she will do as she is told. After all, it is not as though she has any other choice. "

Arthur closed his eyes. There was so much he felt, so much he wanted to say and yet the words stuck in his throat as he shook his head.

"You do not think it is a good suggestion."

"I do not." Arthur opened his eyes and looked back at Lord Townsend. "In fact, I – "

"Isabella is… oh! Forgive me, I did not know we had company!"

Gritting his teeth in frustration for he had just now been about to rid himself of Lord Townsend's company, Arthur was forced then to make the introductions. "Mother, might I present the Viscount Townsend. Viscount Townsend, my mother, Lady Crestwood."

"How pleasant to see that my son has company," Lady Crestwood smiled, though Arthur's gut twisted at the way Lord Townsend grinned back in return. "What is it that you have come to speak with him about, might I ask?"

Arthur had expected Lord Townsend to pause and to hold back the truth but, much to his surprise, the gentleman simply spoke the truth without even a flicker of hesitation.

"I thought to come and propose an agreement between your son and myself, Lady Crestwood. I have debts which I am struggling to clear and your son requires a wife. I have a daughter who is the kindest of creatures and though quiet, would be an excellent bride for your son. I was hoping that we might make an arrangement whereby he would marry my daughter in – "

"In exchange for his paying of your debts." There was a slight hardness to Lady Crestwood's tone and Arthur looked at her a little surprised, wondering if his mother was a little irritated with Lord Townsend's forward manner or if she found the whole idea unsettling. "Well, that is certainly something for Lord Crestwood to consider."

Arthur's eyes flew to his mother's and Lady Crestwood offered him a small smile, though there was still a flicker of what he took to be concern in her eyes.

"I thank you, consideration is all that I ask for." Lord Townsend bowed low, relief in his voice. "You are very good to even listen to me, Lord Crestwood. I thank you for that and I shall take my leave of you now."

"Oh, but when is the meeting to take place?"

Arthur frowned at his mother's question, a little irritated now given that he had just been about to have Lord Townsend removed from his company. "What meeting, Mother?"

"Between you and Lord Townsend's daughter," she said, as Arthur's eyebrows lifted high. "After all, you cannot make a decision unless you have met the young lady, can you? "

Arthur did not know what to say. He had not expected his mother to even consider the prospect of such an agreement and yet here she was, telling him that it seemed, to her mind at least, to be a good idea to pursue!

"Oh yes, that would be a wise thing to do, would it not?" Lord Townsend practically beamed at Lady Crestwood and Arthur's stomach dropped, a bitter taste in his mouth. "Shall we say at the ball tomorrow evening? You will be in attendance, I assume? Lord and Lady Lavington's ball?"

Clearing his throat, Arthur threw a desperate look to his mother but she was already nodding, clearly more than contented with the idea. "Yes, I suppose I shall be," he agreed, a little heavily. "I had every intention of being present, at least."

"Wonderful! Then I shall make sure to introduce Abigail to you there. Good day, Lady Crestwood, Lord Crestwood. I am truly delighted at the prospect of a connection between our two families.

I am sure you are. Scowling, Arthur ran one hand over his face as he turned away, hearing the door open for Lord Townsend to exit the room. No doubt the gentleman was simply relieved at the idea that his debts would be paid and he would rid himself of an unwanted daughter all at the same time! Though that would require Arthur to agree to it all and at this juncture, he was not certain he would do so.

"Well, that was certainly an interesting conversation!" With a broad smile, his mother came towards him, tilting her head a little. "You do not look pleased, however."

"That is because I am not pleased!" Arthur exclaimed, his brows furrowing. "How could I be so? After all, having to marry a young lady so that her father can be free from debts is hardly a pleasant circumstance."

Lady Crestwood lifted her shoulders and then let them fall. "But all the same, it is a wise suggestion," she said, quietly. "If the lady is not disagreeable then why would you throw aside the idea without so much as a single thought? You are required to marry and to produce the heir and your choice of brides may be a little more… limited than they were in the past."

Arthur's stomach roiled and he turned away.

"I do not say such things to hurt you but only to be honest." The gentleness of his mother's voice did a little to quieten Arthur's upset but all the same, the truth of her words tore at his heart. "Will you at least be introduced to the lady? If she is pleasing then mayhap it would be wise to think on the suggestion a little more. You have a great deal of wealth and though it seems to be more of a barter than a true arrangement, it would still bring you both a sense of contentment. You would not have to worry any longer about finding a bride and Lord Townsend would be free of his burden."

"And what if he is a gambler, Mother?" Rounding on her, Arthur threw up his hands though his mother did not so much as blink. "What if he has accumulated debts due to his own foolishness and selfishness?"

Lady Crestwood took a step closer, put a hand on his arm and looked up into his eyes. "That is all for you to ascertain, Crestwood," she said, firmly. "I leave that entirely with you, knowing that you will make the right decision… about all of this."