“Thank you, sir, for the suggestion,” Rupert said politely. “Shall I see you tonight at Almack’s? You do have tickets, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Lord Morgan replied. Nothing more.
“Then I bid you good day until the evening,” the young man responded and departed, shutting the door firmly behind him.
“How could you refuse Rupert your hospitality, Papa?” Allegra demanded angrily. “He is our neighbor, and I have known him my whole life.”
“It would not be appropriate for him to visit with us now, Allegra,” her father said quietly.
“Why not?” Allegra’s violet eyes were stormy with her disapproval.
“Because this afternoon I contracted a match for you with the Duke of Sedgwick,” came the startling answer.
“No!”
“He has agreed to all my terms without a quiver—remarkable for a gentleman who is so prideful,” Lord Morgan noted.
“And so poor!”Allegra snapped back. “He is a fortune hunter, Papa. Surely you must know it.”
“Any man who looks to wed you is a fortune hunter, my dear daughter,” Lord Morgan said. “I am, after all, the richest man in England. At least Quinton Hunter has something to offer in exchange for a fortune. His is the bluest blood in England, and he is going to make you a duchess, Allegra.His duchess. Your children will from their birth be at the pinnacle of society.”
“The family are notorious gamblers, Papa,” Allegra said.
“He has never gambled, my dear, and has an intense dislike of it, for it has brought him to the brink of poverty.”
“And so he is forced by his circumstances to wed me. A young lady of less than peerless social standing and background.No!I will not do it, Papa. I shall marry Rupert Tanner, who at least likes me,” Allegra declared defiantly.
“Do not be foolish, Allegra. I have already refused young Lord Ackerly’s suit. I will not permit you to throw yourself away on a second son. You don’t love Rupert in any event.”
“We shall elope to Gretna Green,” Allegra insisted.
“If you do I shall disinherit you, my dear, and I shall make certain both young Rupert and his father know it. You will not appear very attractive in their eyes without your fortune, Allegra. This is the harsh reality of your situation. Have I not taught you that marriages are arranged to better each family involved? In this instance you will take a huge step up the social ladder. The duke, on the other hand, will regain a comfortable income in exchange. It is not a difficult task to marry this man. You are merely required to behave like the lady you are, be a gracious hostess, and produce a nursery for your husband. He has given me his word you will be treated with kindness.”
Allegra burst into tears.“I hate him!”she sobbed piteously.“And he hates me.”She sniffed.
“You started off badly, I will agree,” Lord Morgan said, “but that was your fault, Allegra. When he asked you for a dance at Lady Bellingham’s ball and you refused him, he saw the empty dance card. He punished you by making certain everyone thought your card was full so you danced with no one except him. You are still angry that you have been unable to repay him in kind, but I know how you can revenge yourself,” her father finished with a twinkle.
Allegra’s look was distinctly interested.“How, Papa?”she asked her father.
“By marrying him, my dear. While I trust Quinton Hunter to keep his word to me regarding his behavior toward you, I know that it chafes him that he must take a wife to save his estates. Worse, that bride is not, he believes, his equal socially.Thatis your not so subtle revenge upon this man. Whatever he may believe, you are most certainly his equal, for his bloodline and your wealth balance each other out. You know it. He may never accept it, and that, my dear daughter, will give you an advantage over this man. But one day when you know each other better, you will, I suspect, soothe his pride so that he believes he has at long last won the battle between you.”
The realization of Lord Morgan’s words sank into her conscience. Suddenly Allegra smiled. “Ohh, Papa, how clever you are! I have been so angry I have not been thinking straight.”
“The duke will meet us tonight at Almack’s Rooms,” Lord Morgan told his daughter. “I thought we would announce your engagement the night of your ball.”
“When will we be married?” Allegra asked her father.
“Not until the autumn. Your new home needs a greatdeal of renovation. I shall arrange to hire an architect and send him down to Hunter’s Lair with a party of workmen next week. I think you will have to spend part of your summer overseeing the work and choosing your decorations. Where would you like to go on a honeymoon trip?”
“I must think about it, Papa. Just getting used to the idea of marrying the Duke of Sedgwick is enough for me now.” She arose from her chair and kissed his cheek. “Forgive my earlier outburst,” she said. “May I tell Sirena?”
“Not quite yet, my dear. Let your cousin have her moment in the sun. Hers is the more unusual of the two matches for she and young Pickford are genuinely in love. They are most fortunate.”
“Am I not fortunate also, Papa?” Allegra asked him. “After all, I am to be a duchess, the wife of the man with the bluest blood in all of England.”
“You are fortunate, Allegra,” Lord Morgan assured his daughter. “Quinton Hunter has no stain upon his reputation. He will be a good husband to you, my dear. See that you are as good a wife.”
“I will be, Papa.After I get used to the idea of it,” she amended her promise.
