Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

" I t can't be," Jasper murmured to himself as he sat before the enormous windows that looked out over his estate.

He glanced down at his gloved hands with renewed amazement, remembering how his bare palm had lain across Lady Arabella's cheeks only last night.

Never before had he been able to touch someone without that same, all too familiar numbness. Normally, he would have been shaking to even have her near him.

Shaking his head, Jasper told himself it was only because Lady Arabella had surprised him. The touch had been too sudden. That was the only reason why he had not had time to react the way he always did.

That could be the only explanation.

"Ah, there you are."

Jasper continued to stare out the window a moment more, recognizing his uncle's voice, but unwilling to engage with him just yet. He could tell, already, that the older man was aggrieved. His tone always gave him away. As stoic as Reginald was, Jasper was always able to read his uncle's emotions as if he wore his heart on his sleeve. He had learned the trick of it over time, he supposed.

When Reginald cleared his throat impatiently, Jasper held back a sigh. Turning, he faced his uncle. "You were looking for me?"

Reginald raised an eyebrow. "Are you surprised? I have been wracking my brain all morning for a way to get you out of this absurd position." Reginald shook his head. "I cannot begin to tell you how badly the situation looked. I myself had trouble believing your story. If I did not know you as well as I do, I should have assumed the worst, as all the others have."

"But you acknowledge that it was a misunderstanding. That is all."

"That is not all," Reginald replied firmly. "The ton will be alight with the gossip of scandal. Even a duke like yourself will not be untouched by it. The blemish on your name will make it all the more difficult to find you a wife."

Reginald sighed and passed a hand over his face. "I shall have to double my efforts, and with greater speed. Tomorrow morning, I plan to leave, and I will not return until I have secured at least one prospective bride for you."

Jasper stayed silent, allowing his uncle to bluster. Reginald was pacing now, his mind undoubtedly whirring in the desperate pursuit of a way to correct their current situation.

But Jasper would not apologize. He had nothing to be apologetic about. His encounter with Lady Arabella had indeed been nothing more than an accident.

Still, no matter the truth, Jasper had to admit that his uncle was probably right. Once the ton got ahold of juicy gossip like this, it was quite unwilling to let go. He could only imagine how Lady Arabella would fare.

A sudden image from that night flashed across mind: Lady Arabella standing tall beneath his gaze, fists clenched at her sides, and her words as sharp as her glare. Surprisingly, this woman might not be as helpless as she might seem. She had certainly held her own with him in the library.

Still, whether or not she could defend herself, the ton would delight in her misfortune. And, once marked with scandal, there was little to nothing that a woman of her position could do to recover her good name.

"I shall try to find another suitable match," Reginold continued. Then, flicking an annoyed glance at Jasper, he shook his head. "Though it shall take me some time to find a prospect which you have not already turned down."

Jasper shifted in his seat, uncomfortable. He wished this conversation to be over. "You needn't worry, uncle. I have already found someone."

Reginald all but scoffed as he turned to face his nephew with obvious disbelief. "I beg your pardon?"

"I intend to propose to her this morning. Just after breakfast."

The older man's mouth fell open. "And who, may I ask, is your future bride?"

"The same woman who started this whole affair," Jasper sighed.

Reginald's face fell. "Not Lady Arabella."

Jasper shrugged. "The very same."

"Give me strength," Reginald muttered, looking up to the heavens. When he returned his gaze to Jasper, he fixed his nephew with a withering look. "You cannot be serious, Jasper."

"Am I. Perfectly."

"But she must be the most ill-suited woman to the task at hand! Lady Arabella simply cannot be your duchess."

"And why not?"

"Where shall I begin?" scoffed Reginald. "The Merton family has been the center of gossip throughout the ton for months. The eldest daughter left the family home and married a commoner with hardly a cent to his name. Something which, even more bafflingly, the family seems to support."

"In addition to which," he continued, "Lord Clement is known to be as gullible a businessman as there can be. It is a wonder they have not lost their entire fortune due to his ineptitude. Though I am certain that the family is headed toward poverty. And quickly. So Lady Arabella will have no dowry to speak of, I am quite sure."

Reginald's frown deepened. "This is the woman you wish to marry? One drenched in scandal and headed for bankruptcy?"

"I do not think that Lady Arabella is responsible for her sister's actions nor her family's financial state," Jasper replied calmly. "Nor was she responsible for the scandal she found herself in last night."

Though Jasper had initially assumed that she had been in the library to try and entrap him, her evident humiliation upon being discovered with him told Jasper that she took no delight in the sudden spotlight.

"Be that as it may, she is still clouded by dishonor. And therefore, unfitting of becoming the wife of a duke."

"She is the only one who may become my wife," Jasper countered. "She and I were caught up in a scandal together. It is my duty to protect her good name."

"If she did not wish to be regarded as a harlot, then she should have not allowed herself to be alone in the company of a man," Reginald spat. "I do not see how her situation should concern you in the slightest."

"It should do nothing but concern me." Jasper stood, his patience quickly thinning. "I could not call myself a gentleman if I allowed her to take the brunt of this scandal. I too was involved. So I must help find a way to save the situation."

Reginald opened his mouth, but Jasper held up a hand to stop him. "I have made my decision. Need I remind you that I am free to do as I choose? And I have chosen to offer marriage to the lady in question. That is all I will say on the matter."

"But your decision affects more than simply yourself," protested Reginald, holding his ground. "More than me, even. It affects your staff, those who live on your estate, even your business partners who may suffer should your good name become tarnished."

"You think highly of the woman that she might bring chaos to so many areas of my life," Jasper mused dryly.

"I do not know Lady Arabella herself, but I know of her family. And you must hear me when I say that I strongly disapprove of the match."

"You speak as if I were to marry for affection," Jasper countered. "That I might be somehow swayed by my new wife. I assure you, that will not be the case. I marry only for duty. And Lady Arabella seems to be the easiest to fit into my life as it stands. I will not allow her to alter myself or my chosen lifestyle."

Reginald seemed to take this in for a moment, silently wading through Jasper's counterpoints. Finally, with an exasperated sigh, he threw his hands up. "You will do as you see fit. I can see that now. But do not say that I did not warn you."

Then, his foreboding caution hanging in the air behind him, Jasper's uncle turned and left.

Jasper sighed. He could only hope that his uncle was mistaken.

"Arabella? Where are you?"

Arabella sat before her mirror as her maid finished arranging her hair for the coming day. It was early enough yet that she was surprised to hear her mother's voice outside the door. She was surprised, too, to hear the note of panic in Emily's voice.

"In here, mother," came Arabella's reply. She quickly dismissed her maid and moved to allow her mother entry into her bedroom.

As she opened the door, her stomach dropped. Emily's face was lined with tears. Her bottom lip quivered as she took in Arabella, hesitating only a moment before hurrying into the room and closing the door behind her.

"Whatever is the matter?" Arabella asked, already guessing at the source of her mother's dismay. She was worried about what had transpired at the masquerade last night. Of course she was. What else could it be?

Arabella herself had been up half the night reliving that horrifying scene.

"Oh, my dear," Emily breathed, sinking down onto Arabella's bed. "I do not blame you…but I cannot help but worry!" A sob cut her off and Emily pressed a hand to her mouth.

Quickly Arabella moved to sit beside her mother. She placed a gentle hand on her back. "Mother, I know things seemed dire last night –"

"They were!" Fresh tears coursed down Emily's cheeks. "Oh, if only you heard what people were saying. "By the time I found you outside by the carriage, word had already spread throughout the entirety of the ball. All about how the Duke of Gysborne and the scandalous Lady Arabella had been caught together in the most indecent of situations."

Emily shook her head sadly as Arabella fought off a fresh wave of guilt. Was that what people were saying? If that was how badly she had been painted last night, what would happen today when the rumor mill had begun to work its horrid magic? Seven new tales about her exploits would no doubt be circling around ton by the end of the day.

"We are already rejected and disparaged because of your sister," Emily continued quietly. "And now…I fear I shall never see any of my other girls married! Oh Arabella, poor Madeline – she is not even of age yet! And already to be condemned to the fate of an old maid!"

Emily's hysterics were doing nothing to alleviate Arabella's shame. Though she doubted the situation was yet as undeniably unsalvageable as her mother painted it out to be, Arabella found that she could think of nothing to ease her mother's mind.

"But I may yet be married," Arabella finally managed to say, forcing her tone to be light and reassuring. "The duke may yet propose."

Emily's eyes went wide. "Has he said anything to you regarding such matters? I did not know that you and he were acquainted."

Arabella hesitated. "We are not. Or, rather, we had not been until last night. And though he has said nothing of marriage, surely he is aware of the scandal he helped to create. A gentleman would not leave a woman in such a position as mine."

Her mother looked far from convinced. "You will find that few people believe they owe anyone anything in this life, Arabella. Though your father and I have always taught you children to do your best to help others, you will find that such a sentiment is not universally shared."

The two women sat in silence for a moment. Then, sniffling, Emily straightened up a little. "But if His Grace were to ask for your hand… would you be inclined to accept him?" she asked hopefully. Then, in the next moment, she shook her head dejectedly. "No, of course you would not. You hardly know the man. You cannot be expected to marry someone you do not know. If you two had been in love, then I might have been able to accept that the heart had overruled propriety, but –" she sighed. "Oh what shall we do?" she whispered, her head in her hands.

Arabella stayed silent for a moment, her heart breaking as her mother began to cry once more. She knew what her mother had been asking. And she knew what Emily now needed to hear. But she was not sure she had the strength to say it.

But this was her fault. Accident or not, Arabella had brought shame to their family. She had put her younger sister's marriage prospects at risk. Perhaps her little brother's future too – what men would want to do business with someone marked by shame and scandal? The ton already knew how poorly their father managed his resources.

Emily was asking if there was any chance that she might want to marry the Duke. She was hoping beyond hope that there might be something between them to make Arabella hope for a marriage between them.

And, despite it all, despite the harm Arabella had done to her family's reputation, wanted to say no. Marry the Duke of Gysborne? The man who had managed to offend her in less than two minutes? A man who exuded pride and self-satisfaction? She would rather remain a maid the rest of her life!

Even as she thought of how infuriating her short time with him had been, Arabella felt her cheek go warm where the duke had touched her. He had stroked her cheek with such tenderness, taking her entirely by surprise. And to take such liberties after accusing her of entrapping him outright – it perplexed Arabella to no end.

But when she glanced over to see her mother's figure doubled over in despair, Arabella knew she could not let Emily down any further. "He is a very handsome man," she began gently. Emily raised her head. Arabella forced herself to go on. She forced herself to say what Emily needed to hear.

"And he was able to leave a lasting impression," she continued carefully. "We spoke only a little, but I found him very interesting. He is a duke as well," she added, forcing a smile onto her face. "You may think me foolish to jump to conclusions so suddenly but I think, if he were to propose, I would happily accept him."

Not that an arrogant man like him ever would, she thought grimly.

But this seemed to alleviate some of her mother's grief. The woman smiled sadly and reached out to press Arabella's hand between hers.

"Does the rest of the family know?" Arabella asked after a moment.

Emily shook her head sadly. "Your younger siblings are still readying themselves for the day. Your father asked how the masquerade had been after we'd arrived home last night, but I hadn't the heart to tell him then. They shall all have to hear, of course. Better to be prepared for what will come."

"I will tell them." Arabella winced at the thought, but she knew that this was her burden to bear. She had brought this shame upon her family. If only she had not fled into the library. If only she had made up some excuse and left the moment the duke and his companion had walked into the room.

But such wishing would not change the present.

Arabella stood and held out a hand to her mother. "Come, let us go down to breakfast. I suppose we cannot postpone things any longer."

Emily sighed and allowed Arabella to help her up. Then, pausing, she wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders. "We will make it through this," she murmured, giving Arabella a little squeeze. "I do not know how yet, but we will."

But Arabella was far from convinced by her mother's tone. She suspected that Emily herself did not quite believe her words.

The women were just heading toward the door, when a gentle knock made Arabella pause. "Come in," she called.

Her maid, dropping into a quick curtsey, entered. "Begging your pardon Ma'am," she said to Emily. "But there is someone here to see Lady Arabella."

Arabella frowned. She was not expecting visitors today. Unless, perhaps, Catherine had come to console her after last night's unfortunate events.

"We are about to take breakfast," Emily began. "I suppose we shall have to ask them to return later."

"Begging your pardon again, Ma'am," the maid pressed nervously, "but I think you will want to speak with the gentleman who has arrived."

"Gentleman?" Arabella exchanged a confused look with her mother. "Whom do you mean?"

"His Grace, the Duke of Gysborne."

Arabella's heart nearly stopped. Beside her, Emily let out a cry of joy. "His Grace is here?" the older woman pressed, hurrying to the maid. "And he has asked to speak with Arabella?"

"Yes, Ma'am." The maid looked between the two women nervously.

"We are saved," Emily breathed, turning to face Arabella with a teary smile.

But Arabella could not share in her mother's mirth. She could only press a hand to her chest, wishing to still the racing heart that lay within. The duke was here. To see her. There could only be one reason for his visit. Right?

But perhaps not. Perhaps he had come to scold Arabella for what had happened last night. Maybe he wished her to clear his name somehow. He would not offer to make her his duchess simply out of duty, would he? He did not seem at all that sort of man.

Nor did Arabella particularly want him to be. Entirely conflicted, her heart still beating wildly within her, Arabella had no choice but to follow her mother out of the room and down the stairs to greet their guest.