Chapter One
“You’re unusually quiet today, young Rose,” said Edwin Williams, Marquess of Carradon, his humorous blue eyes belying the gravity of his tone as he addressed his sister. “What a surprise the rest of the guests will have. They’ve been told that you’re the life and soul of the party!”
Alarmed, Rose started up from her seat opposite Edwin in the Duke of Westvale’s carriage, the rug across her lap falling to the floor.
“But who told them that? Have I been confused with someone else. Oh my, what should I do? I cannot understand…”
“Be calm, Rose,” Magnus, her second brother interrupted quickly, placing a friendly hand on her arm and retrieving the rug. “Our elder brother is only teasing you, as usual, aren’t you, Edwin?”
“Oh!” said Rose quietly, falling back into her seat once more, relieved and somewhat deflated. “I am thankful for that. How awful it would have been if true!”
“You shouldn’t tease Rose so much, Edwin, and you shouldn’t make it so easy, Rose,” added Magnus with a smile, shaking his head at both of them. “It only leads to confusion and family disharmony. With Rose being one-and-twenty and you, Edwin, having attained the grand old age of six-and-twenty, there really is no excuse.”
Edwin took the mild chastisement of his younger brother in good part, acknowledging his faults with a shrug and a sigh.
“I’m sorry, Rose. I was teasing you,” he admitted. “But you know you should try to be a little more outgoing at social events. Next year will be your fourth season and still no sign of a husband, despite your having every advantage a young lady could want. Wallflowers run a real risk of ending up old maids…”
Rose looked down, feeling that Edwin spoke only the truth but a little tired of hearing it. Shewastoo shy and retiring at social events, spending all the time she could with family and close friends. While her fair-haired beauty, family rank and fortune brought beaux by the dozen at balls, Rose always found herself too tongue-tied to hold anyone’s interest once the dancing was over.
She never cared so much for her own sake, since she was waiting to meet her one true love. Still, for her family’s peace of mind, it would be good to have at least some obvious prospects, andmaybe even to turn down a proposal or two – kindly and sadly with best wishes for her suitor’s future happiness, naturally.
Oh yes, Rose could quite imagine herself declining a proposal beautifully, with the same eloquence as Lady Maud inThe Shadow of Ferrars Grange,and for quite the same reasons…
As Edwin continued his well-intended critique of her unsociable behavior and its consequences, Rose pictured herself offering a rejected suitor her hand to kiss before sending him away on a long journey where he would work hard to forget her.
“…and for Father’s sake, I wish to see you well settled too. With his health so very poor now, it must be a worry to him that you are still unmarried and…”
Rose’s dreams evaporated and the reality of her much loved and seriously unwell father filled her head.
It was true that the Duke of Westvale wished to see his only daughter well married. He had said as much directly to Rose on the occasions when he was awake and able to talk. This morning, when she kissed him goodbye, he had laughingly wheezed that she was to come back from Ashbourne Castle with a fine husband.
These words were given additional poignancy by overhearing her mother talking with her father’s physician. The phrase “must be prepared for the worst” still echoed in Rose’s head, along with the warning that “it could happen at any time.” If she could havestayed at home at Westvale Park this week, she would have done. But her family would not hear of it.
Rose’s lip trembled slightly as she contemplated her father’s fragile health. He might be dying and his daughter’s marriage might be his dying wish. She would do anything to grant it if she could. Surely, fate must bring her true love soon?
“Do you know who else is still unmarried?” Magnus interrupted pointedly, after seeing Rose’s face fall. “Edwin Williams, Lord Carradon and heir to the Duke of Westvale. Surely, if any marriage were likely to contribute to father’s peace of mind, it would be yours.”
Magnus flashed Rose a smile as he spoke and received a look of gratitude in return. Rose loved both of her brothers but Magnus was only two years her senior and more in tune with her feelings, as well as resembling her more closely in his blond, slim and finely drawn features.
Brown-haired and solidly built in both body and temperament, Edwin didn’t really understand his unworldly younger sister at all. Rose knew that he loved her and believed that he had her best interests at heart, but this was always as part of a bigger family picture where Rose’s own feelings were not a priority.
“That’s different, Magnus,” Edwin protested crossly, not immediately able to reject his brother’s assertion but displeased by it. “With father unwell, the estate needs my full attention, as you well know. I might marry in due course, when my responsibilities allow,andif I find a suitable bride, although Ican’t say I have any great inclination. Then again, I may not. It makes little difference in the end.”
“Little difference?” Magnus scoffed. “You’re the heir to the Duchy of Westvale and son to an ailing father, Edwin. You need an heir yourself to secure the line.”
“I have you,” answered Edwin glibly, finding his feet again and partly turning the table on his sibling. “Younger brothers are useful spare parts in a family, Magnus. As I see it, if you marry and produce sons, I’m off the hook as far as marriage goes.”
Distinctly unhappy with the turn of the conversation, Magnus frowned and busied himself with rearranging Rose’s rug more securely, the November air being very cold even inside the carriage.
“I will try to be more sociable at this house party,” Rose volunteered, wanting to draw Edwin’s attention away from Magnus and filled with resolution after recalling her father’s words that morning. “I promise I will try, Edwin.”
“Very good,” replied the eldest of the three siblings, somewhat mollified and certainly distracted from needling his younger brother. “Ashbourne Castle is a good place to practice since you will be surrounded by family and friends this week. I believe the new Duchess of Ashbourne is very happy in her marriage and will set you a good example to follow.”
“That’s not what you said about merry Lady Josephine last Season, Edwin,” Magnus muttered with a wink to Rose. “Quite the reverse, as I recall.”
“I have never impugned the Duchess of Ashbourne’s character in any way,” Edwin objected. “Lady Josephine is simply a high spirited young lady and I wondered that her family didn’t take more care to guide the impression she made on strangers. Now that she is so well established, the point is moot, of course.”
By mutual consent, the party then fell silent until the coach pulled up at the end of Ashbourne Castle’s long drive.
