Chapter Two

“Esther,” the serious voice of her mother, Albina, greeted her as soon as she entered Ramsbury Manor, “Where have you been?”

“Oh, I informed you earlier in the morning that I was planning on taking Zeus for….”

Her words were left caught in her throat as her mother raised her hand in the air, “How many times have I told you that you should not leave with him without me? You have no business venturing out alone as an unmarried woman.”

Albina just loved to remind her daughter about her marital status whatever chance she could.

“Mother, Zeus grows agitated when he cannot go out for regular walks. Just last week, he almost bit the neighbors. I am only…”

“Enough,” Albina cut her off halfway. That was another thing she liked to do quite often. “Your father and I have some important news to deliver to you. Your presence is required in the drawing room.”

“Right at this moment?”

“Did you not hear me? You are to come see us now.”

Her mother left before Esther even had a chance to reply, leaving her daughter brimming with curiosity in her wake.

It was indeed strange that her parents had requested to meet her in the drawing room. What was so important that could be delivered to her in the dining room or the kitchen?

Esther was used to her parents being strict with her, in fact, it had become a normal fact of life for her now. They were generous with their lectures, always finding something wrong with Esther’s conduct. Every word uttered in their company had to be carefully measured, running the risk of them being disappointed in her at any turn.

But this felt… different. She sighed as she untied Zeus from his leash, and braced herself for whatever this news was that was so urgent that it could not wait until she changed into a fresh dress.

Moments later, Esther found herself sitting stiffly on a plush upholstered chair, her hands folded neatly in her lap as she waited anxiously for her parents to speak. The air was heavy with anticipation, the silence punctuated only by the soft ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner.

William Cooper, the Earl of Ramsbury sat just a few feet away from her, with his gaze focused on a cup of tea in front of him. Her mother sat beside him, trailing her gaze over her daughter until it landed on the tear at the bottom of her dress.

“Esther,” she nearly jumped out of her chair, horrified, “Is this how you went out this afternoon? Dressed in these rags?”

“Zeus accidentally ripped my dress. But it wasn’t his fault, he was only trying to show me affection.”

“How many times have I told you to be careful about what you wear in public?” Albina paused and then quietly muttered under her breath “with this appearance, it is no wonder that you have not found a husband for yourself”

Harsh.

Esther self-consciously tried to hide the tear with her foot, feeling like a freak at a circus. But it was too late now. The disappointment on her mother”s face was blatant, and her father shared the sentiment.

“I came straight home the moment it happened,” Esther weakly defended herself. “I assure you that no one saw.”

“You know how important keeping appearances are. Now the ton will have something new to gossip about,” Albina shook her head, “The Coopers cannot afford to put their daughter in decent clothing… oh, I already know I will hear about it at the next gathering…”

“Mother, it is not as though anyone even noticed,” Esther frowned. “Besides, why would anyone assume such a thing? It is quite normal for a dress to tear, regardless of one”s financial standing.”

“Enough,” William spoke up for the first time since Esther had entered the drawing room, “What is done is done. You two have been bickering for longer than needed. We have more important matters to discuss with you this afternoon.”

Esther gulped, feeling the anticipation build up inside of her. Her nails dug into the armrests’ upholstery as she eagerly waited for her parents to finally end the suspense.

“Albina, would you like to start?” William looked to his wife, raising his eyebrows pointedly. Something told Esther that the two of them had already rehearsed what to say before her arrival, which sparked her curiosity and worsened her anxiety tenfold.

What could it even be?

“Yes, very well then, Esther,” Albina cleared her throat primly, looking at her daughter with a steely expression, “Your father and I have come to decision regarding your future.”

Instantly, Esther knew where this conversation was heading.

List item number three: marriage.

Esther nodded at them to continue, feeling her heart sink with each passing moment.

”We have found a gentleman who we believe would make an excellent match for you,” her father interjected, his tone grave and solemn. ”He comes from a respectable family, with ample means and impeccable upbringing.”

Esther”s stomach churned with unease as she struggled to process the magnitude of her parents” announcement. She had always harbored a secret hope that she might find love on her own terms, as every girl did.

She wanted to fall in love and be courted. As Esther grew older, she saw all the girls her age being swept away into marriages, one after the other. The ones she found most interested had always been those that were built on love.

Naively, she had thought that it would happen for her as well someday. As long as she kept hope. But it seemed like her fate had already been sealed for her on her behalf.

“It is time that you embrace your responsibilities as a young woman,” her mother continued. “Each season passes, and yet you remain without a match. This cannot go on forever.”

“There are larger…implications to an eldest daughter who remains unmarried for too long.”

Even though her parents had never outrightly said this to her, she knew that the longer she stayed unmarried, the more she ruined her sisters’ prospects as well. Having a spinster in the family reflected badly on the rest, and Esther had been quietly carrying that guilt inside of her ever since her failed debut.

“Both families have already come to an understanding of what is to follow,” William continued, “What is left is that he comes to meet you one time before we proceed formally with the engagement, and then the ceremony.”

“They seem to be in a rush, as well, so it’s best if we do not waste too much of their time,” Albina added.

“How did they come to find me?” Esther asked. She hadn’t attended a single ball in years and did not have many friends either.

“It’s a miracle that they did,” Albina said. “I say that you should not question it too much, just be thankful that someone has decided to finally send you a proposal.”

Esther fought hard to keep the frown off her face. The prospect of saying yes to a marriage to someone whom she had never even met seemed unfair, no matter what her age was. She had to force herself to swallow the bitter pill of being tied to a marriage of convenience, not one borne out of romantic love.

It was not something that she had ever wanted for herself, as she had not yet given up on the hope for romantic love. But she was not about to express her true thoughts to her parents, who would never understand them.

“I understand,” she summoned all her strength to plaster a smile on her face, “I am happy with whatever the two of you have decided.”

She wasn’t happy, but it felt like her only option. Especially when she noticed her agreement caused a subtle but unmissable flash of relief from both her parents, as though she had just lifted a heavy burden from their shoulders.

“Excellent,” Albina nodded, a faint smile lingering on the corner of her lips, “Then you must already begin preparing for his visit, which will be sometime in the coming week. The first order of business, however, should be that you change out of that awful torn dress that you have on currently.”

Esther looked down at the rip in her dress once again. In some ways, her status as a maiden was similar to that rip – a glaring flaw that was hard to miss once you took note of it. A marriage, albeit not one of her own choosing, could serve to stitch up the rip, restoring a semblance of normalcy in her life and ridding her of the same that she carried.

“I shall make sure to change immediately,” Esther promised, standing up. “I shall be in my room if you need me.”

Her parents nodded once in her direction, signaling the end of the conversation. Esther walked politely out of the drawing room, but as soon as she was out of sight, she raced up the stairs and darted to her bedroom.

The reality of the situation was just beginning to set in for her. In a single afternoon, her life had changed entirely

“Number three, get married,” she repeated to herself as she stood with her back against her door, her chest heaving.

“Esther, is that you?” muffled sounds could be heard from inside her room, which she shared with her sisters.

Esther immediately straightened her shoulders, steadying herself and walked inside. Her emotions would have to wait until she found privacy again. Inside, Frances and Harriet sat at the edge of her bed, looking at her inquisitively.

“Eventful day, sister?” Harriet, the youngest of the three asked pointedly upon seeing her.

“I suppose you could say that,” Esther sighed before taking a seat in the space between the two of them. They scooted over to accommodate her and Harriet held her hand.

“We heard about the proposal,” Harriet’s tone was quiet, and she squeezed her sister”s hand lightly. “I hope that you are taking the news well.”

“Frankly, I have not had enough time to process it. I was only just informed, and I agreed to their proposition without asking too many questions,” Esther admitted, feeling just a little bit better now that her sisters were by her side.

The three were not that far apart in age. Harriet was twenty while Frances had turned twenty and two just last month. When they were younger, Esther had always taken on a motherly role, always tending to their needs in whatever way she could. But now that they were a little older, she found a space of comfort within them where she felt safe enough to express her worries.

“Do you mean to tell us that you did not ask any questions at all?” Harriet was surprised, “Surely you must have asked at least who he is before agreeing.”

Esther pursed her lips. It occurred to her that she had been so careful not to disappoint her parents that she had not even bothered to ask who the man was!

“Well…”

“Oh, Esther,” Harriet shook her head, “I cannot believe you. You really are the ideal daughter, are you not?”

“Quite the contrary,” Esther muttered under her breath. “I suppose I will find out soon enough.”

Frances and Harriet exchanged a worried glance amongst themselves. Esther raised an eyebrow in their direction.

“Unless the two of you are aware of who it is already?”

“Well, Mother shared who it is with us,” Harriet frowned, “I cannot believe that they agreed to the match so easily.”

“No need to startle her,” Frances said hurriedly. She was wise beyond her years, and always served to restore calm in their household, “They’re largely rumors, anyway.”

Esther felt an uncomfortable knot form in her stomach. Had she unknowingly agreed to something terrible? She trusted her parents to make the right decision for her, but the worried expressions on her sisters face told her another story entirely.

“What rumors are you both on about? I do not understand,” Esther asked, folding her hands neatly on her lap.

“Well, what Mother and Father failed to mention is that the man who you are set to marry is the Duke of Trowbridge….”

“And?” Esther knotted her eyebrows together in confusion. She did not understand why a proposal from a Duke was a bad thing.

After all, wasn’t that the dream for most women? She bit down on her lip, waiting for her sisters to explain.

“What do you mean and?” Harriet said, annoyed by her naivety. “Surely you have heard gossip about him. We all have.”

“I am afraid I do not quite keep up with gossip,” Esther sighed. “Therefore, I would appreciate it if you could end the suspense once and for all. What about the Duke of Trowbridge?”

“People say that he is a beast,” Harriet uttered in a low voice, “He might have murdered his last wife.”

“Murdered?” Esthers’ eyeballs nearly bulged out of their sockets, “That is quite the accusation. Do you have thing to prove it?”

“Well, his wife died shortly after their marriage. He is a recluse, and no one really knows too much about him. Some say that he was behind it,” Harriet continued.

Esther remained quiet, trying to process what she had just heard. If that was true, why had her parents so readily agreed for a match with him?

“I have also heard that he has a child,” Frances added, worry lines creasing her forehead, “But no one has seen the child in years. It is said that it died as well.”

“Or was murdered,” Harriet said, dramatically.

“We do not know that,” Frances frowned. “It could be anything.”

“You are right, it could be even worse than we think…” Harriet said. “We could be only proposing marriage to Esther just so he can murder her too.”

“Why would he go through the trouble of marrying her first?” Frances inquired.

“I suppose it makes the process of cleaning up much easier, does it not? In the privacy of his own mansion. I am sure he must pay his servants to do the job for him…”

“Please never paint a picture as horrific as that again.”

“Why not? It helps people like you to imagine the true horrors of this man…”

“Oh, but you’re always so quick to believe everything that you hear. I do not think that he is as bad as everyone is painting him out to be, but I still worry about Esther. She deserves the best, after all,” Frances bit down on her lip.

“There you go, understating everything out of ‘the goodness of your heart’ once more.” Harriet shook her head. “It is clear that something is truly sinister about him. You are just too polite to admit it. He has blood on his hands.”

“We do not know for certain…”

“But his wife is dead,” Harriet pressed. “It is unlikely for a woman in her social class to die so young.”

“I see your point,” Frances conceded, hesitantly. “Maybe there is some truth to the claims of him being a murderer after all.”

“Oh for heaven”s sake,” Esther stood up, “Have you two heard yourselves out loud? It sounds as though you are narrating a scene right out of a book. Surely the rumors are greatly exaggerated.”

Harriet and Frances exchanged another look. “We just thought it was best that you knew, regardless.”

Esther pursed her lips. Even though anxiety gnawed at every fiber of her being, she could not lose her calm in front of her sisters. She must give them the impression of having it all together.

That was what was expected out of her as the oldest sibling.

“I appreciate your concern. But the truth is, no one knows anything for certain. The rumor mill is quick to dish out all sorts of ridiculousness, and we should be weary of it. I am sure Mother and Father would not agree to marry me off to a murderer!” Esther wagered.

“We were both surprised when we found out, too,” Harriet said, refusing to relent. “I do not understand why they are so desperate to marry you off that they will agree to just about anyone…”

The moment the words left Harriet’s mouth, she realized that she had gone too far. Immediately, she got to her feet, and tried to put a hand on Esthers’ shoulder, who was staring back at her sister in shock.

“I did not mean….”

“No need to explain,” Esther sighed, pursing her lips, “I am well aware that the longer I stay unmarried, the harder it becomes for the two of you to secure a good match for yourselves. It is an open secret, even though no one in this house says to me so bluntly.”

“Absolutely not!” Harriet protested, “You are not causing any inconvenience to us in any way. Anyone who believes that wholeheartedly is a rubbish individual.”

Harriet’s readiness to come to her older sisters defense caused Esther to crack a small smile. She had always been bold in asserting her opinions, which often did not align with the traditions and norms of society.

“Once again, I appreciate the concern both of you are showing. It shows me that you care about me. But as far as this proposal is concerned, I believe that I can make my own decision.”

“But is really your own decision?” Harriet frowned.

Did it matter?

“I trust our parents to make the right call,” Esther replied, “He will come visit us in a few days, and I will find out for myself if these rumors hold any sort of weight.”

“As if he will arrive with a sign saying ‘I am a murderer’,” Harriet scoffed.

“Enough,” Esther chided, “Your imagination is running away with itself now.”

“I am only–”

“I need to change out of my dress, if the two of you can excuse me. Zeus ripped a hole at the bottom, and I have been walking around in it ever since….”

Even though Esther did not say it outrightly, the implication was clear that she wanted her sisters to leave her alone. Frances tried to protest, but Harriet stepped in, luring her away. Before they left, Harriet gave her one last worried glance before disappearing out into the hallway.

Now finally having a moment alone to herself, Esther collapsed on top of her bed and took a deep breath.

So the man she will potentially marry was a beast, or so they say. The idea itself disturbed her greatly, at first. But then she reminded herself that she, of all people, should know better to believe in rumors.

After all, society said all manners of terrible things about her for not having found a husband yet.

A pretty face, but no ring on her finger. She must be a handful.

She is jealous of her younger sisters, and just wants to sabotage their chances at happiness.

She must be real bore that no man wants to be with her.

Esther gulped as she recalled what she considered a painful memory and shut her eyes.

She took a deep breath, trying to push aside the feelings of inadequacy that threatened to consume her. The only way out of this, she knew, was to conform to society”s expectations—to find a husband and settle down. It was a daunting prospect, one she had resisted for so long, but now it seemed like her only chance at happiness.

With a heavy heart, Esther opened her eyes, her resolve hardening. If marriage was her only path to acceptance, then she would have to consider it, no matter how much it went against her desires. She owed it to herself to at least entertain the idea, to explore the possibility.