Chapter Seven

"Miss Tidemore, your father requires your presence in the parlour."

Edith looked up from her book – a book she had not been able to read such was her nervousness – and into the face of Sarah, her lady's maid. "My father?"

"Yes, with urgency," came the reply. "Do you require anything else?"

Setting her book aside, Edith got to her feet and then made her way to the door. "No, I thank you," she said, pressing one hand to her stomach as nervousness continued to flood through her. Making her way down the hallway, she paused for a moment before opening the door to the parlor. She had very little knowledge as to what her father was going to say to her but she was quite certain it was going to be about the Duke of Fairglen. It had to be about him given that he and the Duke of Fairglen had spoken at length the previous evening. Edith had been waiting ever since that moment to discover what it was that had been said – and even more, how it was going to affect her – but as yet, her father had not said anything. In fact, he had not even seen her, aside from last evening once he had returned from his conversation with the Duke. He had not been present when she had broken her fast and, thereafter, Edith had learned that her mother and father were both in private conversation in her father's study. Amelia had shown excitement rather than concern but Edith had felt nothing but anxiety.

And now, she was to learn what her father had spoken of with the Duke.

"Ah, Edith, there you are." Her father beckoned her into the parlor, though Edith paused for a moment, having not expected to see the Duke of Fairglen present. Why ever was he here? She had thought that her father had wanted to speak with her alone and had not realized that the Duke himself would be with them in conversation.

"Your Grace," she murmured, curtsying before she sat down in the chair her father directed her to. The Duke himself did not rise to greet her and nor did he bow, making her hands clench tightly in her lap as she glanced to her father. The Duke of Fairglen was not making himself appear particularly considerate of her and thus far, she thought rather poorly of him and this was only their second interaction!

"The Duke of Fairglen has come to invite us all to a house gathering," her father told her, a broad grin spreading across his face. "We will take our leave from here in a sennight and spent some time at his estate. Is that not marvelous?"

Edith nodded and forced a smile as she looked again to the Duke of Fairglen. "It is very generous of you, Your Grace." She kept her gaze steady as he looked back at her without blinking, his blue eyes sharp as though he sought to look into her very soul. Swallowing tightly, Edith twined her fingers in her lap, quite certain that there was more to this house gathering than either the Duke or her father had been speaking of.

"Amelia will be quite delighted," her father continued, as Edith pulled her eyes away from the Duke and returned her attention to her father. "The Duke and I spoke last evening about spending time at his estate, Edith, and I am sure that you will be just as delighted to visit there."

"Of course." Edith managed to keep her smile in place though she darted her gaze down to her hands in her lap, her breathing becoming a little faster as she waited for what else was to be said to her. She would not have been called in here without there being something more significant being said to her about the Duke himself.

"It will give you opportunity to see all that is required of a Duchess."

Edith's head lifted though she kept her eyes trained on her hands. Her heart began to pound, her breathing growing tight as she fought hard to keep her composure.

"Alas, I had not had opportunity to speak to my daughter about this arrangement as yet, Your Grace. Forgive me. Let me do so now." Lord Tidemore cleared his throat. "Edith, you are now engaged to the Duke of Fairglen."

Edith closed her eyes and took in a long, slow breath in the hope of containing her rapidly swirling emotions. There was no pleasure in this news, no joy in what she had been told. Instead, there was nothing but shock rifling through her, sending a chill to her very bones.

"This is clearly something of a surprise, which I understand given that we were only introduced last evening." The tone of the Duke's voice had dropped a little though Edith still could not bring herself to look at him. "However, I require a bride and your father was the only one who came to call upon me with an invitation, rather than bringing you to see me. Therefore, upon accepting his invitation, I made it clear to him what I was looking for and these next few weeks will prove to me, one way or the other, that I have chosen correctly."

Edith finally looked back at the Duke, seeing a muscle clench in his jaw before he looked away. "I – I do not understand. We are not engaged, then?"

"Oh no, you are engaged, and the ton shall know of it from tomorrow," her father said, rubbing his hands in evident delight though Edith's stomach was roiling so furiously, she felt almost nauseated. "But the Duke of Fairglen wishes to know your character a little better and – "

" And to make certain that you are suitable for the role of Duchess," the Duke interjected, his tone heavy with severity and Edith closed her eyes to take in a breath as a trembling began to run over her skin.

"Then why must we be engaged if you are not certain that I am all that you require? Would courtship not be better?"

The Duke lifted his chin a little. "No. I do not require courtship. I do not want the ton to view my connection with you as something which might easily be broken. Rather, I would prefer that society sees that I am now engaged and thus, cannot be pursued by any other."

Edith's shoulders dropped. "But if you decide that I am not suitable for you, then you will end the engagement and I will be left with the gossip of society chasing after me."

A small, dark smile flickered across the Duke's lips. "Then might I suggest that you do all you can to prove yourself, Miss Tidemore? Your father has told me of your character and these next few weeks will simply be a chance for you to prove that what he has said is true."

Rather horrified that the Duke should be so inconsiderate and pained that her father had agreed to such a thing without so much as talking to her about it all, Edith could only stare back at the Duke in shock, tears still threatening behind her eyes.

"As I have said, I am quite certain that my daughter will prove herself to be all that you require," her father said, breaking the silence which had followed the Duke's words. "Now, Edith, might you go to ring the bell for tea? I am sure that the Duke would like to sit and converse with you for a few minutes."

"No, I would not." With a sniff, the Duke of Fairglen rose from his chair, leaving Edith staring up at him, her heart quailing within her as he turned to make his way to the door. "I have much to do and I am sure that such… conversations can take place at my own estate."

He is not even interested in me. The only thing I must be to him is proper and refined. My feelings and my thoughts are not even to be a consideration for him. Pain squeezed her heart and she looked away from the Duke, turning her attention to her father who, to Edith's already pained heart, was beaming at the Duke as though he had done the very best of things in choosing to step away from Edith so quickly.

"Of course, of course," Lord Tidemore agreed, getting to his feet and hurrying after the Duke so they might stand at the door together. "I suppose the next time we shall see you is at your estate, then."

"Yes, it shall be." The Duke threw Edith a glance, only for his brows to knit together. "I suppose that I shall not take it as an offence that you have not risen to bid me farewell, Miss Tidemore. The shock of it all, I suppose."

Edith wanted to throw back at him that he had not risen to his feet when she had come into the room but rather than say a word, she simply looked back at him and remained where she was. Her father said something but Edith did not hear it, blood beginning to roar in her ears as the Duke of Fairglen finally stepped out of the room, followed quickly by her father.

The moment the door closed, Edith dropped her face into her hands and began to sob. It was not the reaction that anyone else might have expected, she supposed, for who wept such bitter tears when they were told they were engaged to a Duke? But she could not bear the pain of it, could not bear the dismissive way he had not only looked but spoken to her.

"Edith, my dear."

Edith did not drop her hands and nor could she contain her tears as her mother's arm went around her shoulders. She continued to weep, aware of the gentle way her mother rocked her and the soothing words which were spoken into her ear but nothing made its way to her painfully injured heart.

"I know that this must be a great shock but you will be a Duchess, Edith!"

Taking the handkerchief her mother pressed into her hand, Edith wiped at her eyes but shook her head. "Only if I pass whatever tests he has laid out for me, Mama," she said, hoarsely. "If I fail, then I will be sent back to my father's house in disgrace and society will never look upon me again as an eligible young lady! I will not be able to make any other match and thus, will remain as a spinster for the rest of my days."

"Ah, but you shall pass all that he demands of you," came the reply. "I am sure of it."

The certainty in her mother's voice had Edith looking at her, though her vision was still a little blurred by tears.

"Your father explained to me that the Duke of Fairglen is concerned that what happened to him during his last engagement might happen again," her mother said, softly. "He wants to make certain that you are not the sort of young lady who is eager to step away from him and into the arms of another, that is all."

Edith closed her eyes though fresh tears fell to her cheeks as she did so. "It is not the sort of thing that I would do, of course, but he was quite plain in his speaking to me. He wants to make certain that I will be a suitable Duchess, not only that I will show him my loyalty."

Lady Tidemore took a breath and then pressed Edith's hand. "And you will be able to do all that he asks of you, for you have been brought up in all etiquette and propriety. There is nothing that you do not do well."

Keeping her eyes closed, Edith shuddered as another wave of sadness crashed over her. "He does not care for me in the least, Mama. He does not want to spend another moment with me, does not have any interest in conversing with me or finding out who I am. The only thing he desires to know is if I will suit him. Everything must be done his way, everything must be granted to him because of what he desires. Even father thought to make this arrangement with him before he even spoke to me! How could he do such a thing as that?"

Lady Tidemore squeezed Edith's hand and when Edith opened her eyes, she saw the shadows sweeping across her mother's face.

"You know that this is not what I wanted for you, Edith," Lady Tidemore said softly. "I wanted you to be able to make your own match, to find a gentleman whose heart would be filled with you – and you with him. But given that he and I had an arranged match, your father is quite contented to make the very same thing for you and for Amelia, when the time comes. You must understand that he is doing what he thinks is best – and to have a Viscount's daughter wed to a Duke is quite astonishing! I do not say it because I think you do not deserve it but rather because the difference between your stations is immense! I understand that you are concerned and that you are afraid but there must be some hope in all of this." She smiled softly and Edith sniffed, looking away from her mother. "Mayhap the Duke of Fairglen will be different in his own estate. It must be difficult for him here in London."

"Difficult?"

Lady Tidemore nodded. "The ton still speaks of what happened between the Duke and his betrothed. The fact that his brother stood in his place and married the lady did bring about a lot of questions – and with it, a lot of rumours, as I am sure you can imagine."

Edith's brow furrowed. "I suppose so."

"It may be that his manner is due to his presence here in London. There must be a great deal of worry and possible apprehension as regards what the ton might say to him."

Edith nodded slowly, her tears slowly abating.

"And it is good that he has decided it is to be a house gathering now, rather than you simply going to visit on your own – though your father was to go with you," Lady Tidemore finished. "I spoke to your father before I came in to see you and he informed me that we are all now to go to the Duke's estate and that there shall be some other families present also. To my mind, that makes it clear that he is considering you, my dear. He might have thought initially that a visit with only yourself and your father was suitable, only to then go home and realise that something better was required, something which would put you more at ease. That is a good thing, is it not?"

With a tiny smile, Edith managed to nod, though her heart still ached. "Yes, Mama, I suppose it is."

"There now, that is better." Lady Tidemore smiled but there was still a flickering shadow in her eyes. "Now, dry your eyes, my dear. There is much for us still to do."

Edith took in a deep breath and then let it out slowly, her chest still tight and her heart still pained. "Yes, Mama," was all that she could find to say.