"You would have never agreed," Theodore snapped, his voice rising with desperation.
"You could have tried," Oliver said coldly. "You could have come to me like a man instead of sneaking off like a boy. If anything, this confirms to me that you are not yet ready for the commitment that you sought out to make."
"It is easier to chide me now that the event has taken place," Theodore argued, the flush in his cheeks betraying his guilt. "But I love Joyce. You don't understand what that feels like."
Oliver opted to ignore the jab. It was true, he was not one who bothered with love or all that came with it. It made one foolish, and nothing proved him right more than what his brother had done in the name of love tonight.
He noticed Alethea flinch at the sound of their raised voices. She crossed her arms in front of her, as if to protect herself. His anger dulled slightly. It was not good to lose one's composure in front of a lady.
"This is madness," she spoke again, more to herself than to either of them. "I did not anticipate listening to two men debate whether or not my presence will become a public disgrace."
Oliver exhaled and stepped closer to her.
"Miss Carter," he said, "I know this situation is intolerable. And I cannot undo what has been done. But I give you my word, I will do everything I can to preserve your dignity."
She looked up at him, as though trying to decide whether or not she should believe him.
"I will take you home," he continued. "But if we go now, and anyone sees you, the damage will already be done. It will far too big of a stain on your reputation."
"People will talk," she said. "But I had already been warned of that before."
Oliver was not quite sure what she meant. But he continued on to make his point.
"Talking would be the most generous thing, my lady. They will do much more, beginning with the scandal sheets. A rumor of this sort will not only make your life harder, but also that of your family's."
"I do not want that," Alethea said quickly. There was a surety in her voice now that had not been present before. Oliver took it as a sign that she must care deeply for her family.
"There is a way to shield you from scandal. But it is not a pleasant one," he spoke again, looking at his brother.
Theodore's head snapped up. He understood exactly. "No."
Oliver ignored him.
"If we were to say that this.. incident occurred with honorable intent," he said, choosing his words with care, "and that you are to become my brother's bride…"
"No," Theodore blurted, stepping forward. "You cannot be serious."
"It would explain the abduction,' Oliver continued on to ignore his brother. He had caused enough trouble as is. "Misguided, yes, but born of affection. And if a wedding were announced promptly, no one would dare say otherwise. It would protect both your reputation and ours."
Alethea's lips parted. Oliver could sympathize with her. No lady wanted her marriage to be decided in this manner, and have such little say in it.
"You cannot ask this," Theodore cried. "I love Joyce, and my plan had been to marry her."
"You had no plan. What you had instead was a fantasy. A selfish fantasy that nearly ruined two women's lives in one night," Oliver chided his brother.
"I can't marry Alethea," Theodore said, pleading now. "I don't love her. Surely, my lady, you can make my brother understand just how silly he is being."
"So you decide not to marry her," Oliver replied. "And then what? What becomes of her reputation?"
"People will eventually forget," Theodore argued, albeit weakly. "But I shall never be able to get over my love for Joyce. It would be cruel for you push this fate onto me."
"You speak of love as if it absolves you of consequences. It does not," Oliver replied.
"I won't do it," Theodore said, as stubbornly as before.
"I do not want to marry him," Alethea said suddenly. "And I certainly do not want to be passed off as the lesser bride simply because I was the one mistakenly taken."
"You are not lesser," Oliver replied, his tone softening.
