Chapter 4

Chapter 4

For a moment, Johanna thought she had misheard him. The very idea of what he was proposing was extraordinary. They had only met that day, and half of the time they had spent together had seen Edmund lying unconscious before her. The idea of a scandal seemed totally far-fetched, and yet now she could not help but feel there was some truth in what he was saying. English society was fickle. The merest hint of a scandal was enough for a reputation to be ruined, and if her reputation was tarnished, so would that of her family be, too. And now, another thought crossed her mind—to accept the offer would buy her time. Her mother planned to take her to London, and who knew what sort of man she would find there? To be forced into a match was not what she wanted, but this…

"Well...are you sure you've thought this through? It's not the…" she began, but the earl interrupted her.

"No, it's not the concussion, I assure you. I want to make absolutely certain your reputation isn't damaged by my foolishness. You've been so very kind to me, and...well, it seems the right thing to do. You don't seem very happy at the thought of your London Season—this is the perfect solution," he said.

Johanna wondered what the earl himself would gain from such a match—from the potential of such a match. It seemed extraordinary, and yet the truth of what he was saying now struck her. How easily she could be ruined—and her family, too. Johanna had no intention of hurting her mother and father. They had allowed her such freedom in traveling abroad, and if she was to repay them with scandal…

"But aren't you destined to marry someone else? Isn't there an arrangement already made for you? We both know how these things work," Johanna said, even as the thought had a certain appeal to it, but the earl shook his head.

"No...there's nothing. As you perhaps know, it's only been eight months since my father died. I wasn't expecting to inherit so soon. I'm still young, and the thought of marriage hadn't really occurred to me. Until now, at least. My mother's visit marks the beginning of a search. But I'd far rather have already found what she's looking for," he said, and Johanna felt confused.

There was a sincerity in his voice, and yet the whole thing seemed utterly ridiculous—madness, even.

"Well...I'd have to think about it. And so would you. I'm rather tired now, and I think we should both get some sleep," she said.

Johanna had not imagined any proposal she might receive being delivered in this way. Her time on the continent had given rise to romantic notions of heady nights, the scent of eucalyptus, the pulsing of her heart, the distant sound of music as the man she was to marry sank to one knee, gazing up at her with a look of love. A proposal from a sick bed was not what she had had in mind.

"Yes, of course...please, we should sleep on it. But you must think about it seriously. Both our reputations are at stake. I can only imagine what the Parker sisters are saying to their mother or aunt or whoever. And they'd be bound to mention it to the cook or the maid. And they'd mention it...well, you see my point," the earl said, and Johanna nodded.

"I understand," she replied, and now she rose from the bedside and said goodnight to him, leaving the room with Mary and sighing as she closed the door.

"What will you do, Miss Follett?" the maid asked, and Johanna shook her head.

"I don't know...it's the strangest of proposals," she said, and as she later readied herself for bed, she wondered if things would be clearer in the morning.

***

As it happened, things were not clearer in the morning, and when Johanna came down for breakfast, her head was spinning with possibilities. Her mother and her aunt were still at the table, but her father and brother had already gone out on business, and as Johanna sat down, her mother cleared her throat, glancing at Johanna's aunt, who nodded. Johanna took a sip of the coffee a footman had just poured for her, waiting for them to speak.

"Johanna, your aunt and I have been talking. Your father and I want you to go up to London for the Season. And your Aunt Marian agrees," Johanna's mother said,

The words felt like a betrayal—did her aunt really agree with such a nod to conformity? Johanna had been expecting as much from her mother. It was hardly news. But to know her aunt was in agreement…

"You don't mean that, Aunt Marian—surely, you don't. You're not married, you don't have children. Only yesterday, you were talking about your next adventure!" Johanna exclaimed.

There had never been any question of Johanna's aunt getting married, but now it seemed she had joined ranks with her sister on insisting Johanna do so.

"It's not as simple as that," Johanna's aunt replied.

"I know what you want—you want me to be married. But I don't know if I'm ready," Johanna replied.

This was the truth—the earl's proposal had come as a surprise, but it begged the wider question of what marriage would mean for Johanna's future. Whoever it was to.

"You've had your adventure, Johanna. And now your parents want you to settle down," Johanna's aunt said, and Johanna glared at her.

"I thought you'd be on my side, Aunt Marian," Johanna said, and her mother tutted.

"No one's on anyone's side, Johanna. We all want what's best for you. Your aunt...well, not everyone can be so fortunate as her. You need to marry. Your aunt's right. You've had your adventure, and now it's time to settle down," Johanna's mother said.

But Johanna did not want to settle down—not in a conventional way. The thought of being presented in London—of being forced to conform in the way so many other young women did—filled her with dread. But now, another thought entered her mind. The earl's proposal would buy her time. She would not have to go to London and endure the Season, and with time, perhaps her parents might be persuaded to an alternative arrangement. It would do for now, even as she had not considered any of the consequences.

"Well, I don't need to go to London for such a thing—or to navigate a Season," Johanna said.

Her mother looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"What do you mean? We won't find a husband for you here. There's no one in the district, and…" she began, but Johanna interrupted her with an impassioned resolve.

"Oh, but there is—I've found him already. The Earl of Beaumont," Johanna said, and both her mother and aunt stared at her in disbelief.

For a moment, they were silent. Johanna looked from one to the other, quietly defiant, even as she now wondered what she had done. It was a momentous decision—even if it was made entirely for practical reasons—and she knew it would have consequences, whether she went ahead with it or not. Had the earl been sincere? He had spoken of defending her honor, and she could well imagine what the likes of Doctor Arnold and others in the district might be saying about the unusual circumstances in which they had encountered one another. Not to mention the Parker sisters, who had seen what they had wanted to see and were surely even now using to their advantage. But a proposal to avoid a scandal was still a remarkable solution, and now Johanna's mother shook her head, furrowing her brow as though trying to understand what her daughter was saying.

"But...what do you mean? How can you just decide to marry the earl?" she asked, and Johanna now explained how the earl had proposed to her the evening before.

"The two of us have found common ground. He's a good man—a decent man. I like him. And I'd much rather him than some...London aristocrat," Johanna said.

She spoke in terms of his gratitude, rather than the need to avoid a scandal—no one need know about that—and her mother and aunt listened, shaking their heads as though they could still not believe what Johanna was saying was real.

"But Johanna...you barely know this man. He barely knows himself—he only inherited the title a few months ago. Why would you think it a good idea to marry him?" her aunt asked.

"Can't two people fall in love in a moment?" Johanna asked.

Her mother sighed.

"We need to think about this...your father and brother need to be informed. I'm not sure it's a good idea," Johanna's mother said, but Johanna was adamant she would not be taken to London for the Season and forced to marry a man against her will—this was her choice, and it was better to have made it for herself than to have it made for her.

"I don't need to think about it, Mother. He made a proposal and that's that. I'm glad of it," Johanna said, and her mother sighed.

"Well...I suppose he is the Earl of Beaumont. You'd be the Countess of Beaumont. And he certainly seems a good and honest man. Roger thinks very highly of him. But we'll have to see what your father says about the matter. He might object," Johanna's mother said.

It was decided they would wait for the baron's return, and Johanna—accompanied by Mary—now went to visit their guest in the red room, taking him a cup of tea on a tray. She found the earl awake and sitting up in bed. The color had returned to his cheeks, and he looked much better than he had done the previous day. As Johanna set the tray down on the bedside table, he smiled at her.

"Thank you," he said, and Johanna smiled back at him.

"Did you sleep well? It must've been uncomfortable, was it?" she asked.

"The pain comes and goes. I still ache all over. But I think I might be able to get up," he said, but Johanna stopped him.

"You heard what the doctor said. You need to rest," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder.

He looked up at her and smiled.

"Very well. I'll do as I'm told. I'm not always very good at doing what I'm told, though," he said, and Johanna raised her eyebrows.

"But you've got to if you want to recover quickly. Is there anything else I can bring you?" she asked, but the earl shook his head.

"No...but I was wondering...have you thought more about my proposal?" he asked.

Johanna nodded. She had thought more about his proposal. She had thought a great deal more about it, and her decision was made. Now she smiled at him, grateful to him for what he had done in making the suggestion and saving her from an unintended catastrophe.

"I've agreed to it. I told my mother and aunt over breakfast. If it's really what you want," she said, and the earl smiled.

"I think it's advantageous for us both. Don't you? I mean...well, if my mother is going to arrive with ideas in her head, and if your mother intends to spirit you away, then our making a match would ensure we both bought ourselves time. And as for any scandal attached to what might've been construed—well, it's null and void," he said, and Johanna nodded.

There was no doubting the spark of attraction between them—at least on Johanna's part. On responding to his calls for help, Johanna had expected to find an elderly man in the woods, an injured gamekeeper or an old laborer collecting wood. But the sight of the earl—even in his injured state—had brought with it an immediate attraction. He was handsome, and in his words, his mannerisms, and his demeanor, Johanna had sensed a gentle kindness, a sincere respect, and a desire to do the right thing. She liked him, and she was willing to believe that liking might grow into something more. The arrangement was beneficial to them both, but there was no reason it should not result in something more. Likewise, if it did not, Johanna would have given herself time to make alternative arrangements. Time was what mattered, and the earl's offer would buy her the time she needed.

"I think so, too. They're discussing it as we speak. My mother wanted to wait for my father and brother to return. But I'm certain there'll be no objection," Johanna said.

The bedroom window was open, and now the sound of horse's hooves could be heard from outside. Johanna assumed it was the return of her father and brother, and now she crossed to the window to look out. But to her surprise, it was not her father and brother but a carriage from which now emerged a grand-looking woman dressed in black.

"Who is it?" the earl asked, and Johanna turned to him with a puzzled look on her face.

"I don't know...well, a woman—a very grand-looking woman," she said, and the earl smiled.

"It'll be my mother—she was arriving yesterday. I was expecting her to come," the earl said, rolling his eyes as Johanna turned to him and smiled.

Now, she glanced out of the window again. The grand-looking woman was being greeted by Johanna's mother and aunt. What would they be saying to her? Would she agree to the proposal?

"I should go downstairs. I wonder...well, perhaps you could get up. If I helped you," Johanna said, for it would surely be better to present a united front, rather than for the case for the proposal to be made by Johanna alone.

The earl nodded.

"Yes, if you wouldn't mind helping me. I'm sure my mother will agree. She's come down here specifically to make the case for my marrying. She hates the countryside—though she lived at Beaumont Abbey for long enough," he said, smiling and shaking his head.

With Mary's help, Johanna was able to assist the earl in getting out of bed. He was a little unsteady on his feet, and complained of aching all over, but between them, they managed to get him upright, and now Johanna took his arm, helping him out of the door and along the corridor to the landing. Voices could be heard coming from downstairs, and Johanna realized her father and brother had returned to the news of the earl's proposal.

"It certainly strikes me as rather sudden," Johanna's father was saying.

"But an excellent match, don't you think, Baron Hadley? We've been neighbors for many years, and to think of our families being united...well, I came down from London to help Edmund make a match. I didn't think he'd manage it for himself, but he's proved me wrong, and I'm glad of it," another voice replied, and Johanna could only assume this was the dowager countess.

As they appeared arm in arm at the top of the stairs, the others looked up from the hallway—Johanna's mother and aunt, her father and brother, and the earl's mother, too. All of them looked surprised, and now the dowager countess hurried up the stairs to where Johanna and the earl were standing together.

"Mother…" the earl began, but the dowager now flung her arms around him, sobbing as she did so.

"Oh, my poor Edmund...when they told me you'd had an accident, I was so worried. But look at you—how fortunate you've been. And dear Johanna—how can we thank you enough?" she exclaimed as she and Johanna now helped the earl down the stairs.

"It was all quite by chance," Johanna said, and the dowager tutted.

"I don't believe in chance—fate drew you together. It was meant to be. And now a proposal. I think it's wonderful," she said.

They had reached the bottom of the stairs, and Johanna now caught her brother's eye. He did not look convinced by the proposal, but he said nothing, allowing the dowager to continue her outburst of gratitude toward Johanna, who blushed at the praise she was receiving.

"Well...I was only too glad to help," Johanna said, glancing at the earl, who smiled.

"Let's talk about it further in the drawing room," Johanna's father said, and he ushered the party from the hallway as the dowager continued to extol Johanna's virtues in the strongest of terms.

"What are you doing?" Roger whispered as the drawing room door was closed behind them.

"Accepting a proposal. And what business is it of yours? I thought you wanted me to get married," Johanna said, for she did not think her brother had any right to judge her on the matter, even as her father now cleared his throat.

"My lord, am I to understand correctly you've proposed to my daughter?" the baron asked.

The earl and his mother were sitting next to one another by the hearth, and the earl nodded, glancing at his mother, who clapped her hands together in delight.

"I think it's wonderful, don't you?" she exclaimed.

"I realize it might seem sudden—unexpected, even. We barely know one another, you might say. These things are true. But I pride myself on being an excellent judge of character. I know a good person when I see one, and your daughter's actions yesterday went above and beyond anything one could have expected of her. A proposal needn't mean wedding bells immediately. But for those of our rank and class, the fact of an engagement sets a certain tone for relations in the future. As the Earl of Beaumont, I have a duty to continue the family line, and I know you and your wife are eager to see Johanna...Miss Follett, married. What I offer is the possibility of just that, and without the bother and expense of the London Season. We have ample opportunity to deepen our friendship, and there can be no hint of scandal surrounding the match, given the formal declaration we'd make of a commitment," the earl said.

It was an impressive speech, though bordering on the practical rather than romantic. He mentioned nothing about the Parker sisters, and Johanna could be only glad of the fact, for there was no reason to raise the question of a scandal when such happy news was being conveyed. But Johanna was impressed by him. He had a kind heart and had not treated her as so many other men might have done—dismissing the possibility of scandal as idle fancy. He took his responsibility seriously, and it seemed Johanna's father now thought the same.

"Well, my lord...you honor us by your proposal. And if Johanna is willing…" he said, glancing at Johanna, who now realized she was being given a choice.

But was it really a choice? Her parents expected her to marry, and if she did not marry the earl, they would expect her to marry someone else instead. She was not to be allowed the freedoms her aunt had enjoyed. Marriage was certain, but the choice of who to marry was, at least, an open one. Johanna knew what was at stake, and in agreeing, she felt a certain sense of finality. What other choice was there?

"I...well, yes," she said, realizing she could do nothing else but agree.

The dowager clapped her hands together in delight.

"Oh, how wonderful. I'm so pleased for you both," she exclaimed, and Johanna now glanced at the earl, who smiled.

"Thank you, sir—I'd shake your hand, but…" he said, but Johanna's father shook his head.

"There's no need to explain, my lord," he said, smiling as he did so.

"We should have a toast," the dowager said, and refreshments were called for—champagne to celebrate their happy union.

But as Johanna raised her glass in a toast, she wondered what she was letting herself in for and whether accepting the earl's proposal in such haste had really been the right thing to do.