11. What You Don’t Know

A moment earlier

“Rather fortuitous Engleston played his part so well, wouldn’t you say?” Richard, Earl of Penhurst, remarked as he plucked a card from the deck. “I expect I’ll be free of my ward by this time tomorrow.”

“You could have been free of her if she’d agreed to marry me,” Marcus, Viscount Huntley, countered, rolling his eyes when the card he selected made his hand even worse than it already was.

“But then you’d be married, and I would have to listen to you complain about her every time we were at the club,” Richard said as he spread out his hand on the table. “Show your cards.”

The viscount huffed, tossing his hand on the felt table top. “I have nothing, and now I’m bored.”

Richard pulled his chronometer from his waistcoat pocket. “They should be back soon,” he said. “Unless Engleston has decided to take her to Gretna Green instead of springing for the special license.”

“He’s too honorable for that,” Marcus stated. “He’s probably left her virtue intact. I bet they didn’t even spend the night under the same roof.”

Giving the viscount a quelling glance, Richard got to his feet and headed for the door. He stopped short when he rounded the corner, though.

His niece and the baron were engaged in a discussion that had Marian in tears and David doing his best to keep her from running off.

About to join them, Richard paused when David noticed his arrival and scowled at him. At the same time, Marian ran for the stairs.

“Damn you,” David stated before he hurried to follow her.

A few moments earlier

Marian regarded David with a look of disbelief. “My uncle put you up to this?” she asked in dismay “What? Did he offer you double my dowry to be rid of me?”

“No. Not at all,” David replied, attempting to sort what they had overheard in the card parlor. “I had no idea you even existed when I arrived yesterday.”

“I should have known this was too good to be true,” Marian replied, her lips quivering as tears streamed down her face.

“But it is true. What we have, I mean,” David sputtered. “I love you. I want to marry you?—”

“For the money, I’m sure,” Marian wailed before she ran for the stairs.

Stunned at her sudden departure, David glared at Richard. “I played my part?” he repeated in disbelief.

“Now, now, it’s not like that,” Richard said in an attempt to calm the baron. “It’s just... it worked out so well, you two meeting one another like you did?—”

“She asked me if I was her betrothed,” David remembered. “Before we were even introduced.”

Richard angled his head back and forth. “I might have suggested you were in the market for a wife,” he hedged. “And that you two would make a perfect couple, seeing as how you’re both so shy,” he added with a pained expression.

David huffed. “Damn you,” he stated before he hurried off after Marian. He knew where he could find her—she would be in the room at the end of the hall. But how would he convince her he had nothing to do with how they had met? How would he convince her he hadn’t been part of some sort of set-up? That he wasn’t marrying her for her dowry, even if he might require it until the weather improved?

“The truth is always best.”

David whirled around to discover Mrs. Skarsgard standing at her office door. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her head was angled to one side as if she had paid witness to a dozen similar situations in her position as proprietress of the Soho Club.

“And if she’s still not convinced I wish to marry her? That I wasn’t part of some nefarious scheme concocted by her damned uncle? Excuse the curse, please.”

Mrs. Skarsgard took a deep breath and let it out. “A few kisses should help alleviate the issue,” she replied. “We’ll meet you in the chapel in fifteen minutes.”

David blinked. He had almost forgotten about the wedding ceremony.

Determined to set things straight with Marian, he marched to the end of the corridor and stood before the door. He thought about asking to be let in but decided she would only tell him to go away.

He thought to break down the door. Make a show of force to convince her he was sincere in his affections.

About to put a shoulder into the wood panel, he tested the door handle and found it unlocked. Girding his loins, he opened the door and winced. Marian was face first on the bed, her sobs apparent in how her shoulders shook. The bouquet of flowers had been abandoned on the dresser.

David made his way to the bed and sat down on the edge of it.

“How dare you?” she whispered when she realized he was there.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I dare because I love you, and I wish to be your husband,” he said.

A sob robbed her of breath for a moment. “How much is he paying you?” she asked as a new round of tears began.

Grimacing, David shook his head. “I have no idea what your dowry is,” he replied. “He never said, and I didn’t ask.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to her. “It wouldn’t matter, though. I want to marry you so much, I wouldn’t even require a dowry, except I would like for you and the children to have a decent settlement upon my death.”

Marian’s gasp was quickly followed by a sob. “Ch… children?” she repeated.

He nodded. “As many as you’d like, of course,” he said.

When she didn’t respond but only hiccuped, he pulled her into his arms and settled her on his lap. “Yesterday, when you asked if I was your betrothed, I was dumbfounded. It was such an unexpected question from such a beautiful young woman. I was so shocked and so happy, how could I say anything but ‘yes’?” he asked.

Marian furrowed her brows. “My uncle didn’t speak with you about marrying me?” she asked between hiccups.

David shook his head. “He did not. He didn’t mention it in his letter to me, either. I didn’t even know you were Dickey’s niece until we were in the card room yesterday.”

Dipping her head, she scoffed. “So a girl asks if you’re her betrothed, and you... you just say ‘yes’, without... without so much as... as an introduction?” she asked, her query interrupted by sobs.

Screwing up his face in a grimace, David nodded. “I did. I couldn’t help myself,” he admitted. “But I promise you, it will never happen again.”

“Oh?” she asked, her eyes rounding. Disappointment appeared in her expression.

“Well, of course not. The woman who is going to marry me in five minutes is right here on my lap. And she’s about to kiss me.” He took his handkerchief from her and dabbed her cheeks.

“She is?”

He nodded. “Marry me, Marian. You took my virtue. Now make me an honest man,” he whispered.

She leaned in and kissed him on the corner of his mouth, but he was quick to take advantage and kissed her on the lips. When he finally pulled away, he sighed. “I can hardly wait to make love to you again,” he whispered. He glanced around the room, remembering her comment about the pink decor. “You won’t even notice we’re surrounded by pink,” he added softly.

“Promise?” she asked as another sob robbed her of breath for a moment.

“I do.” David wasn’t about to tell her how much he looked forward to seeing her naked again, no matter what color room they were in.

She took a deep breath and used the handkerchief to wipe away the rest of her tears. “I’ll make an honest man out of you, David Engleston.” She gave him a watery grin.

David sighed in relief as he helped her to stand. Handing her the bouquet of flowers, he offered his arm and the two made their way to the Soho Club chapel.

Although her uncle wasn’t present when they entered and moved to stand before the priest, Richard arrived sometime before the vows were exchanged and signed as a witness. He even managed to kiss the bride on the cheek while Mrs. Skarsgard added her signature to the marriage certificate.

“I apologize for the misunderstanding,” Richard said as they made their way to the dining room. Huntley was already there, a footman seeing to his breakfast. “But as I recall, I did warn you that you would be meeting your betrothed here,” he added, his attention on his niece.

Marian dipped her head, deciding she didn’t wish to argue. “You did,” she murmured, once again wiping away tears from her cheeks.

Tears of happiness.

“Do be sure to see to it my dowry is paid,” she added.

Richard winced. “I will see to it on the morrow,” he promised, deciding it would be some time before he would be back in his niece’s good graces. He moved to sit with Lord Huntley.

“Would it be possible for a slice of the cake to be sent to my husband’s mother?” Marian asked of Mrs. Skarsgard. “She’s in Brighton.”

“I’ll see to it as soon as you’ve finished eating,” Mrs. Skarsgard replied. “And I’ll have the rest wrapped up for you to take to Engleston Park.”

Marian gave her thanks before she rejoined her husband and uncle, surprised the proprietress knew of their plans. Remembering a Soho Club footman had been at the townhouse the evening before, she realized the butler must have relayed the information.

“So, Dickey, when are you planning to marry?” David asked as he held Marian’s chair for her.

The earl gave a start. “How... how did you know?” he asked, looking up from his plate in surprise.

Marian and David exchanged knowing glances. “Just a lucky guess,” David said with a shrug.