“Perhaps he would have had the power to do that once, but he doesn’t anymore,” Isabella told her sister firmly. “My husband is a duke. He has some power of influence. Hewillbe able to help. And you never know. Father might be just as happy to see you married to anyone at all—it might not matter so much to him that the person you found is not someone he chose.”
She saw the doubt on her sister’s face, and she could tell that Felicity was still worried. If she was being honest with herself, Isabella knew that those fears were not unfounded. But she gave Felicity a reassuring smile all the same.
This marriage had turned out to be a wonderful thing, both for Isabella and for Arthur. But she had originally gotten into it in hopes of helping Felicity to secure a desirable future, and she hadn’t forgotten about that fact. She wouldn’t give up on it now that the match of Felicity’s dreams was so close. She would do all she could to make her sister’s dreams come true.
“Welcome, Lord Cliffrows,” Arthur said as he, the sisters, and their father took seats in the sitting room. “It was good of you to come today. We’re all very happy to see you.”
Isabella knew it was a lie, of course. No one was particularly happy to see her father. She suspected her father recognized the lie as well, for he didn’t smile.
“Felicity,” he said, “I’m here to bring you back home. You living here is creating a bit of a scandal. It doesn’t make me look very good.”
“Father, you never wanted to be responsible for Isabella or myself,” Felicity reminded him. “You ought to be grateful that I’ve chosen to stay with my sister as it gets me out of your home.”
“You’ll be out of my home soon enough either way,” her father said. “I’ve found you a match.”
Felicity’s face fell. Of course—it was exactly what they had feared.
“Who?” Isabella asked.
Her father turned his attention to her. “This has nothing to do with you, Isabella.”
“Of course, it does,” she countered. “Felicity is my sister. I all but raised her myself—you certainly didn’t have anything to do with it. It has everything to do with me. And besides, you’re not going to marry her to anyone without my finding out who he is, so you may as well just tell us now.”
“The gentleman is a wealthy marquess,” her father said. “Lord Molson.”
Arthur frowned. “I know Lord Molson,” he said. “He was a friend of my father’s before he died. A fine gentleman, but much too old for Miss Felicity.”
“There’s nothing wrong with an older gentleman,” Lord Cliffrows said firmly. “And he has money. So much that she’ll never want for anything.”
“You mean, so much thatyouwill never want for anything?” Isabella asked.
Her father frowned. “Don’t you dare speak to me that way.”
“Don’t you dare speak toherthat way,” Arthur countered. “She is a duchess, and you are in her home.”
“She’s the daughter of my maid. She’s nothing special.”
“She’s never beennothing special. Even when she worked in your household, she was better than you give her credit for today,” Arthur said. “You’ve never seen either of your two elder daughters for what they are, Lord Cliffrows. You’ve never appreciated them.” He held up his hand. “And don’t think of telling me thatIshouldn’t speak to you the way I am because I won’t hesitate to have you escorted from my home.”
Lord Cliffrows turned back to Felicity. “I’m your father,” he reminded her. “Whatever you might think, I do know what’s best for you. Do you want to live with your sister all your life? Become a spinster?”
“No,” Felicity said. “But another gentleman has expressed an interest in me, and I feel the same way.”
“Who?”
“Lord Henrough,” Felicity said. “I’ve become very fond of him, Father, and he says he wants to propose to me.”
“Well, that won’t do,” Lord Cliffrows said. “Lord Henrough is a gentleman, all right, but he has nothing like the financial resources Lord Molson possesses. It’s not the right choice.”
“It isn’t your choice at all,” Isabella cut in. “Felicity should get to decide.”
Her father took a breath. “You overstep, Isabella,” he said. “You forget your place. You may be a duchess now, but I am still your father.”
“Well, you’re not mine,” Arthur said. “And I gave Miss Felicity my word that I would help her secure a marriage to a worthy gentleman ofherchoice. I mean to do exactly that.”
“Forgive me, Your Grace,” Lord Cliffrows said. “I mean no disrespect to you or your title, but I don’t see how you can believe you have the authority to overrule me in this. She’s my daughter.”
“If it’s not enough for you that this is what she wants—if you don’t simply want to see her happy—I do have ways of forcingyour hand,” Arthur said. “We know you were involved with Lady Reeves before her recent arrest, and we know that you’ve taken pains to cover that up now that her criminal activities have come to light. I’m sure you weren’t up to anything unlawful, Lord Cliffrows, but all the same, such a thing could severely impact a gentleman’s reputation. Thus far, I’ve kept your secret, but there’s no need for me to do that. If you won’t allow Miss Felicity the freedom to make her own choice, I might decide it no longer serves me to help you conceal your association with Lady Reeves.”
