Chapter One
“I willnotmarry a chuckleheaded lackwit and that’s the end of it.”
Charis Forbes-Wilkinson put her hands on her hips, thrust out her chin and glared at her aunt.
“You will do as you’re told, young woman. Must I remind you that your appalling behavior brought this down on your own head?” The older lady glared right back at Charis, indicating how serious she was by narrowing her eyes and tightening her lips. “Had you not created such a dreadful scandal three years ago, you’d be married and settled by now.”
“Faugh.” Charis threw out a hand to deflect the accusation. “That was no scandal. Barely a ripple through the Ton. You speak as if I single-handedly undermined the Duke of Wellington’s battle plans or something.”
Margaret Winston folded her hands in her lap and stared at them for a moment or two before looking sternly back at her niece. “You were caughtin flagrante delictowith a young man. A person you were not married to, I might add. He was—” She interrupted herself with a shudder and raised a handkerchief delicately to her lips. “Well, to say he was taking liberties would be to put too fine a point on it.”
“He wasn’t doing anything I didn’t want him to do.” Charis’s chin went up another notch.
“You shouldn’t have wanted him to doanything. Young women of good character don’t possesswantslike that. Good God, girl. You werenaked. Inbed.” Aunt Margaret’s voice was harsh. “There was no getting past that. You were utterly ruined and you know it. Thank God your father was able to hush the worst of it up.”
“Oh yes. ThankGodfor father.” Charis’ lips turned down in a bitter curl. “He packed me off to Bridlington Manor and managed to get Charles sent to France. That turned out well for Charles, didn’t it?”
Aunt Margaret callously dismissed the young man’s early demise on the battlefield with a wave of her hand. “That’s in the past and not in the least bit germane to the subject under discussion. In fact, I command you never to speak of it again. You’ve been brought here from Bridlington because at last I’ve received notice of an offer for your hand.”
“Which brings us back to the lackwit.” Charis sighed and turned away from her aunt, staring out of the window at the politely neat gardens surrounding the small Hampshire estate. They were very different from the untamed wilds of Northumberland where Charis had spent the last three years.
“Lackwit or not, he seems willing to overlook your youthfulindiscretion.” Aunt Margaret’s spine was unbending as she sat correctly in one of the two chairs beside the fireplace. “Which is quite an accomplishment, too. Not many would wish to ally themselves with soiled goods, you know.”
“Is that what I am? Soiled goods?” Charis snorted. “You make me sound like a lightskirt.”
“Charis.” Her aunt’s tones were scandalized. “You will not use such words in my presence. And for God’s sake try to comport yourself as a lady born. I know it’s probably too late to suggest that, but you might at least make the effort.”
“Hmph.”
“Now your suitor appears to be a gentleman, from what I hear. A cousin of Professor Owen Lloyd-Jones, the scientist. You may recall I have some acquaintance with dear Squire Adams and his wife Dorothea. They vouch for him, and his man of business is most professional, everything one could wish for.”
“Soyousay. I still think he’s a lackwit for wanting to wed me.” Charis turned as her aunt’s words sank in. “Wait a minute,from what you hear? You mean you haven’t evenmethim?”
“Anyone willing to marry you is a blessing from Heaven and one I’ll accept without any hesitation. The offer came formally from his representative to your father. You’re an embarrassment to this family, Charis. It’s no secret to anyone who knows about what happened. I should think you’d be pleased to be able to go about in Society again, which you can do once you’re properly wed.” Aunt Margaret remained firm. “These things matter. You’re a fool if you believe otherwise.”
Charis clenched her teeth. Her aunt was right. Her father had not visited her in over two years. This summons had been the first contact anyone in her family had initiated since the “incident” as they referred to it. Had her mother lived…she swallowed. Had her mother lived, things might have been different.
But—she mentally shrugged. She missed her mother to this day, but refused to dwell on the past. Especially not now, not with a suitor breathing hot and heavy down her neck. “So you haven’t actually met the man. You know nothing about him. He could be…anything at all? Old? Disease-ridden?” She winced.
Aunt Margaret stood and shook out her skirts. “You’ll take him, no matter what he is, girl. For once, you’ll do as you’re told. The only other option is permanent exile to Bridlington and a reduced allowance. I doubt that you’ll fancy that once your horses are sold off.”
“You’d sell myhorses?” Charis was aghast.
“I wouldpersonallyhave nothing to do with it, of course.” She gestured to papers on a small side table. “These are your father’s instructions. Naturally we communicated after he received the offer. If you refuse, you will return to Bridlington. You will take up residence there, but your horses and other nonsensical things like books will be sold, the monies to go to your Cousin Frederick for your upkeep. He and his wife will be moving into Bridlington soon. Your father has approved Frederick’s request to take up residence there. They are expecting their fourth child, you know, and they need the room for their growing family.”
“Oh dear God.” Charis closed her eyes. If she refused the lackwit, she’d be little more than a maiden aunt. Which translated into someone who was neither fish nor fowl in anyone’s household. And she loathed Cousin Frederick and his annoyingly superior wife.
“You are reaping the rewards of your folly. There is no one to blame but yourself.” Aunt Margaret looked down her nose at her niece, which was quite an accomplishment since Charis was a good six inches taller. “I make no bones about the fact that I never liked you, Charis. You were headstrong, impetuous and bound to come to no good. I told your father what I thought in no uncertain terms, but at the time he was clearly under the influence ofthat woman. Thankfully, he’s now come to his senses where you’re concerned. Especially after you revealed your unfortunatetrue naturethree years ago.”
Charis bit down the surge of fury her aunt’s words engendered. Hearing her mother referred to in that way was bad enough. To respond would only make matters worse. If she’d learned anything over her years of exile it was to keep her tongue still when she was angry.
“The gentleman is to arrive soon. The marriage will then be arranged. The entire matter ends here.”
And good riddance.
The words hung unspoken in the air between the two women, one erect and supercilious, the other fighting down impotent rage. Charis harbored no illusions about her aunt. The dislike she’d confessed was mutual.
Dipping her head in a miniscule gesture of respect, Charis watched Aunt Margaret leave the room with a satisfied swish of her skirts, leaving a thousand questions deliberately unanswered. She’d never even bothered to tell Charis hisname. If ever the wordbitchcould be applied accurately, it would be to Aunt Margaret. No wonder Uncle Martin had passed on to his reward only two years after they’d wed. Charis wondered if he knew what a lucky escape he’d had.
