Chapter 3

CHAPTER3

Daniel climbed down from the horse and turned his focus to the house before him. The Earl of Pratt’s manor hadn’t been difficult to find. He had called on a friend that morning, asking for its whereabouts, and had found himself here all too quickly. Checking his pocket watch, he saw it hadn’t struck ten o’clock in the morning yet.

I wonder how many people have read that scandal sheet by now.

Even the friend he had visited that morning, Ashleigh Roberts, the Baron of Harpenden, had been sitting there with a copy of the scandal sheet on his lap as Daniel arrived.

“I see you have been having some entertainment since you returned from the Spanish War.”

No matter how much Daniel had tried to shrug off the matter, Ashleigh had made it plain that this wasn’t something that could be gotten rid of. The scandal sheets talked of it with too much delight. Ashleigh had warned him also that the story would run for days and days.

“I have to do the right thing, I have to,” Daniel muttered repeatedly as he left the reins of his steed with a stable boy. Despite the knot in his gut, the anger at the idea of having to marry, he knew he had no choice. “God damn this whole situation.”

He strode toward the house and banged the knocker on the door.

Does this risk my vow? No, not entirely. I will just have to avoid my new wife…

When Daniel had returned from the wars, he’d made a promise to himself. He was never going to have children. Having seen his mother die giving birth to his sister and all the other awful bloodshed there was in this world, he couldn’t fathom why anyone would wish to bring a child into existence.

Better to not bring another soul into the world just to suffer.

The door was opened, and Daniel was forced to push his thoughts away.

“The Earl of Pratt, please. The Duke of Elbridge to see him.”

“Very well, Your Grace. This way.” The butler bowed and showed him into the house.

A hissing whisper drew Daniel’s attention, and he looked at a doorway nearby to see two young women standing there staring at him. Neither was Rachel, though they both bore a resemblance to her, so he presumed they were her sisters. One was very beautiful, with golden hair, and the other had a sweet face and a demure countenance that meant she looked away as her sister whispered.

Daniel rather longed to see Rachel’s unusual beauty again. At least, she was more interesting to look at, more striking!

He was shown into a study, where the butler announced him.

“The Duke of Elbridge, my lord.” The butler must have sensed something was wrong, or had heard the whispers already, for he left hurriedly and closed the door a little too loudly.

At the sharp bang, Daniel looked around, certain for a mad moment he’d heard a musket shot.

No… I’m not in the war now, I’m back in London.

He saw the battlefield for a second, the bloodshed, a face going cold as the eyes turned glacially up to the sky.

“Your Grace?” The Earl’s voice brought him back to the study.

“Lord Pratt.” Daniel bowed to the gentleman who stood from behind his desk. “I believe you and I have a matter that needs discussing.”

“The scandal sheets, eh?” The Earl shook his head and sat down again, gesturing for Daniel to sit in the chair across from the desk. “I cannot pretend this is a pleasant circumstance for us to meet, Your Grace.” He clasped his hands in front of him. “Though, my daughter tells me it is not what it appears, and her dress was torn on a bush… Is that true?” He was genuinely interested, his eyes wide.

“It is, Lord Pratt, though I’m well aware that is not what is being said.”

“Good. Well, at least that’s something.” The Earl looked down at the desk with a small smile. “Forgive me, Your Grace, but I know my Rachel would never willingly involve herself in such a scandal as this, so I was left to think the worse of how her gown was torn—”

“Oh God, no!” Daniel said in a rush and sat forward in his seat, his sudden outburst astonishing the Earl. “Forgive me, I am used to battle, and loud voices are commonplace there. I’m afraid I haven’t grown accustomed to fine rooms again yet.” He looked around the study, feeling as uncomfortable as he was in his own study. The paperwork seemed meaningless, and he wanted to tear down the fine paintings on the walls. “I heard your daughter cry out when her gown was torn, and I went to her to assist. We were seen together.”

“Thank you.” The Earl continued to smile rather sadly. “At least she was in no danger then.” That smile suddenly fell. “Unfortunately, her name is ruined all the same.”

“I pray it is not.” Daniel sat taller. All night, he had not slept, for he’d thought over the matter repeatedly before coming to a conclusion. “No matter what the circumstances were, Lord Pratt, I will not see a lady’s name ruined because of me. If I have your blessing, I’d like to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”

“You would?” The Earl was clearly surprised, his eyebrows shooting up across his forehead.

“Of course.”

“Well, under the circumstances, of course I give my blessing.” The Earl nodded slowly. “A marriage could be the one thing to save both your names, and the reputation of my other daughters. Though, I will say this…” The Earl eyed him carefully. “I just pray my daughter accepts you.”

“That we shall see, Lord Pratt.”

Daniel stood, rather surprised and comforted by the Earl’s answer. He’d known men before who would have undoubtedly married their daughters off without their consent. It seemed that even with the situation presented to them, the Earl wanted his daughter’s wishes to be respected.

“I would like to see her now.”

“Yes, please do. You’ll find her in the parlor across the corridor. Oh, and…” The Earl paused as Daniel hesitated in the doorway. “Keep a chaperone with you this time, Your Grace.”

“I will, I promise.”

Daniel stepped through the door and grimaced, feeling an overwhelming sense of embarrassment that the Earl had felt the need to remind him of his manners. He crossed the corridor, finding the two sisters still standing in the doorway, watching him. He halted as the demure one hurried back into the room and the bolder one straightened with something of a smile playing on her lips.

“Your Grace.” She curtsied to him. “You’ll find my sister in here.” She followed the other sister inside, leaving Daniel to trail behind them, somewhat slower.

The ladies in the room startled him. The bolder sister was watching him openly with folded arms and stood behind an armchair, whereas the demure sister sat and fussed with some embroidery in her lap.

Rachel was pacing at one end of the room, and when she heard his footsteps, she turned sharply toward him. Once again, Daniel was full of that same awe he’d felt before at the lady’s different appearance. Her dark eyes were sharp as she stared at him.

“I’m surprised you came at all, Your Grace. I would have thought you’d run for the hills after what happened last night.” Her wit would have been a pleasing thing under any other circumstance.

Her two sisters sniggered. The quieter one bent toward her embroidery, trying to hide it, and the other didn’t bother to mask it at all. Knowing he had to keep the sisters in the room as chaperones, he crossed the space toward Rachel.

“Well, I must try to speak in confidence with you, despite our audience.” He glanced pointedly at the sisters.

“They are staying here.”

“I know.” He turned back to Rachel as she stopped pacing and faced him. “You and I both know that after last night, things have changed. The fact it was a mere accident that has led to our names being splashed all over the scandal sheets together is now moot.”

Rachel placed her hands on her hips, a look he rather thought was an attempt to appear strong, but her eyes didn’t quite meet his, and she stared at the middle of his chest.

“We are connected, and I am not so vain or arrogant a man to think I could brush off a scandal as this.”

“I’m glad to hear you are thinking of self-preservation, Your Grace.” Her words were quick. He had to suppress a smirk.

“Are you always this acerbic?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. “I should probably know now, in view of the offer that I am about to make.”

“Not always, but you’ll find me not the quietest of creatures. If you thought you’d find a mouse here today, begging for your arrival, then you are wrong. I am not like other ladies.” This time, Rachel met his gaze with a challenging stare.

“I would not have you so.” The sincerity of his words and the low tone must have startled her, for her full lips parted.

He would not confess to her the truth, that after battle, the whole of the ton both bored and enraged him. The idea of meek ladies sitting in corners and offering simpering smiles behind fluttered fans seemed ridiculous. It was not real, but an act, and he didn’t think he could put up with that in a wife. At least, Rachel seemed to have more spirit than that and did not bother with such pathetic acts.

“I will not see your name dragged through the mud,” he returned. “The continuation of the scandal only hurts both of our families. As you have your sisters’ good names to think about…” He paused and glanced at the sisters, who were both staring at him, then he returned his focus to Rachel and lowered his voice further. For some reason, he resented their presence and wished to have this conversation with Rachel alone. “I also have a sister to think about.”

“You do?” she murmured.

“Yes. What happened affects them all, so I seek to remedy it.” He stood taller and cleared his throat. “If you accept, I will marry you, Lady Rachel. I have already secured your father’s blessing, and he wishes for you to have the final say on the matter. If you say yes, I will obtain a special license, and we will marry within a couple of weeks. The fast progression will dispel any chance for further gossip—”

“Your Grace, you speak so quickly that you forget I have not given my answer yet.”

He frowned, not considering that she would actually turn him down.

He stepped toward her, being careful to keep his back toward the other sisters. “Will you turn me down?” he asked in a small voice.

“Do you think I am so arrogant that I would fall at the feet of a handsome man?”

“Ah, well, at least I have one confession from you now.” He couldn’t help the mischievous smile that spread across his lips. “You find me handsome.” She narrowed her gaze, clearly irked she had revealed a secret. “Do not think of it as marrying a handsome man. Think of it as saving our sisters, and your own name.”

Silence followed for some minutes. They stared at one another, and when she looked down at her feet as she lapsed into hard thought, Daniel’s eyes wandered. He knew he shouldn’t have looked at a lady he never had any intention of touching, but he put it down to weakness.

His eyes darted over her slender neckline, the ampleness of her bosom, and her slim hips, which were caressed by the pale patterned gown. She was tantalizing, truly, but a temptation he could not indulge in.

Once, he might have considered bedding her if she accepted to be his wife. He could freely imagine such a thing being a thrill. Even the mere thought of her honey-brown hair tipped back on his pillow as she cried out his name made his heart thump against his ribcage. He inhaled sharply, trying to dispel that image now that it had grown.

Her eyes found his again.

“I suppose I have little choice in the matter, do I?”

“I shall take that as a yes,” he said and walked away, already heading toward the door.

“What?” She followed him, her voice pitching high.

“Arrangements will be put into place quickly. I’ll make enquiries to have the special license obtained later today, and I shall send you the particulars of the ceremony.” He reached the door, then felt her hand curl around his arm. That touch deadened him to a stop.

“You speak as if this is all some military operation. Something without emotion or feeling, but just something to be done,” she said tartly, then looked at the grip she had on him.

“That is a firm grip, Lady Rachel,” he whispered so low that it would be impossible for her sisters to hear. She released his arm and fidgeted, her hands repeatedly clasping and unclasping in front of her. “I am a soldier. Something you should grow accustomed to in my company is that I do not fuss with prevarication or needless conversation. If there is something to be done, then I’ll do it.”

“And I should fall in line behind you, should I?” she asked, folding her arms and standing taller. “I will not obey every word you ask of me. I have a personality of my own, a mind of my own. If we are to wed, then understand that now.”

“Good.” His answer startled her, for she toppled back on her heels. “I ask for obedience from the soldiers that work under me, not a wife.” His eyes flicked down at her.

The words under me had conjured an image of Rachel beneath him on a bed, again.

I shall have to stop thinking of such things.

“You and I will live largely separate lives, Lady Rachel. It will be a marriage in name only. You do not need to fear that I will be a commanding and controlling husband. That does not interest me.” He bowed to her. “I wish you a good day, and I’ll be in touch soon.”

He left hurriedly, not sure he could stand her tempting body any longer. It made him think of things he knew he should not be indulging in.

The moment he was out of the parlor door, he closed it and leaned against the wood. A weakness took over his body, and he did not step away but leaned his head against the wood.

“This is mad, mad!” Rachel’s voice caught his attention, and he strained to hear what else was happening inside the parlor.

“Calm yourself,” one of her sisters said to her. “Surely, this is the best thing to remedy the situation.”

“I did not think he would ask me to marry him. Look at me. Why on earth would he be willing to put up with marrying me?”

Daniel almost strode back into the room but forced himself to release the door. There was something odd about her statement, something that made his gut tighten.

Does she not think she is worthy of marriage?

The striking beauty trapped his mind once again. He shook his head, like a dog shedding water, in an effort to release himself from the image of her.

A marriage in name only, that is what it will be.

He took a step away from the door, intent on escaping the house as soon as possible before they could realize that he had heard something of what they had said to one another. Then, one of the sisters’ next words made him freeze. His hessian boots skidded on the grey-tile floor beneath him.

“Think about it, Rachel, this might be a good thing. You might not have married otherwise.”

“I was not bothered about the idea.”

“You’ve always looked out for us so often, intent on protecting us and guiding us, you might quite have forgotten to take care of yourself in that regard.”

“What of it?” Rachel shot back. “I cannot believe my life has changed as fast as it has.”

At least, he agreed with her in that regard.

He hurried out of the house, moving on tiptoes across the passageway so as not to alert the sisters to the fact he was still outside of the door. Once he was on the drive, he took the reins from the stable boy, thanking him for his help, and pulled himself into the saddle.

Already, he was turning his mind to practical matters. He started planning how to obtain the special license and who would have to be invited.

I hope Ashleigh will agree to be my best man.

He decided they’d have to be married in under a week, which would mean holding the ceremony at his family chapel for speed of preparation.

Before he left, his eyes lingered on the parlor window, where he saw Rachel staring out at him.

I will keep to one vow in this marriage. No matter how tempting she is, I cannot bed her. I refuse to father children.

With that vow made, he rode away as quickly as his steed would carry him.