She looked up. “Goodafternoon, Father.” Her lips quirked at the surprise on his face. “It is already gone midday.”
“I see. I had an excellent evening last night, you understand.” He beamed at her, seemingly quite delighted with whatever had taken place. “AndI spoke at length to Lord Ashworth!”
The smile fled from her face. “Lord Ashworth?”
“Yes, yes. He is anexcellentgentleman, a superb fellow, I must say,” her father continued, walking about the room as Eleanor, her eyes trained on him, began to feel a deep anxiety start to clutch at her stomach. “A man with all manner of excellent notions about the future and what it should look like for gentlemen of our standing. I think he will do very well for you, Eleanor.”
Her throat closed up as she stared at her father, shock rifling its way through her.
“I know that your aunt is quite set on another fellow, but since he, whoever he is, cannot make himself available to you at the present moment, I think it best not to delay,” he went on as Eleanor clutched at the arm of her chair, her heart beginning to beat in a frantic rhythm. “Lord Ashworth has made it quite clear; he not only wishes to court you but to consider engagement very soon. Given his standing and his title, I think it quite settled.”
“But I do not.” Eleanor, shaking inwardly, got to her feet, feeling herself tremble all over. “I will not accept Lord Ashworth.”
This brought the look of contentment on her father’s face crashing to the floor. “I beg your pardon?”
“I cannot accept Lord Ashworth,” she declared, gripping her hands together in front of her as she held her father’s gaze steadily. “I am sorry, father, I know that you think well of Lord Ashworth, but this other gentleman, the one that my aunt spoke to you about,heis the one I want to consider.”
Lord Hereford’s eyes sharpened. “Eleanor, you have no right to speak to me in such a manner. I am your father, and as such,I have every right to do what I think best, and that includes guiding you towards a suitable match!”
“But I already have one!” Eleanor exclaimed, frightened now that, despite being so very close to a happy future with Lord Finchley, it was to be snatched from her. “Father, I have found a deep connection with another and want very much to considerhimand him alone.”
Lord Hereford shook his head. “No, I have decided for you. I told you that the expectation was for you to marry this Season, and since this other gentleman has not made himself knownandcannot seem to do so at a pertinent time, I shall tell Lord Ashworth – ”
“I am already engaged!”
The words shot from Eleanor’s mouth before she could prevent them, but with the threat of being pulled from Lord Finchley forever hanging over her, it was the only thing she could think to say. Her father’s eyes rounded, his mouth falling open – only for anger to replace his shock.
“Engaged?” he exclaimed, striding towards Eleanor, one hand out, finger shaking in her face. “Youcannotbe engaged! I have not given my consent, I – ”
“Do pardon me for coming in so unexpectedly and without announcement, but I heard raised voices and felt myself deeply concerned.”
Eleanor turned at once to her aunt, reaching for her with one outstretched hand. “Oh, Aunt, thank heavens you have arrived. I was only telling father that I have onlyjustbecome engaged, for he has it in mind to wed me to Lord Ashworth.”
Lord Hereford rose, his chest filling with air. “Do you mean to say thatyouknew of this, Augusta?”
Lady Cumbria took charge of the situation in a moment, a small smile on her face as she put one calming hand on LordHereford’s arm. “My dear Hereford, are you not overreacting a good deal? This is wonderful news, is it not?”
“Overreacting?” Lord Hereford’s face went red as Catherine, who had slipped into the room behind her mother, came to stand alongside Eleanor, her arm going through hers as a show of solidarity. “I find out from my daughter that she is engaged, but no one has eventhoughtto ask me? I do not even know this gentleman! I have not once been introduced, and you continually refused to tell me his name! Why shouldhetake the hand of my daughter when Lord Ashworth, who has behaved properly in all of this, seeks to do so also?”
Lady Cumbria clicked her tongue. “You forget yourself, Hereford. Do you not recall that you told me specifically that you did not care to have much involvement with Eleanor’s Season? That you gave that responsibility, on the whole, to me?”
Eleanor watched as her father deflated just a little, although his face still remained a shade of red that warned of his deep anger. Her breathing was quick and fast, her blood pounding in her veins as she watched and waited, unable to say anything more for fear that it would upset her father all the more.
“I have told you that there was a gentleman eager for Eleanor’s hand, did I not?” Lady Cumbria shook her head. “I am sorry to see just how unwilling you were to take that seriously, given that you have so quickly gone to Lord Ashworth – and he a lesser title than Eleanor’s betrothed!”
Lord Hereford began to blink rapidly. “I – I beg your pardon?”
“Lord Finchley is a Marquess, father,” Eleanor said, hoarsely, her eyes turning to her aunt, who smiled encouragingly. “He has been waiting to make certain all is well with some investments, to make sure that his situation is firm and established before he offers for my hand. That is not to say he is not wealthy enough, only that he wanted to be quite certain that he had a splendidfortune and future waiting for me.” This last part was not in the least bit true, but given the doubt in her father’s expression, Eleanor wanted to say anything she could that would convince him Lord Finchley was the very best gentleman for her.
“You will not pull her from a Marquess and give her to an Earl, I am sure!” Putting a comforting hand around Eleanor’s shoulders, Lady Cumbria kept her voice light and her smile warm. “I thought you would be pleased, Hereford!”
“I – ” With a scowl, Lord Hereford ran one hand down his face. “That is not at all… ” Seeming to think better of whatever it was he had been about to say, Lord Hereford ran one hand over his face. “I have already told Lord Ashworth that he has my blessing to pursue you, Eleanor.”
“Then you will simply have to explain that you did not know about your daughter’s expected engagement,” Lady Cumbria replied, before Eleanor could say anything. “I am sure a gentleman of his standing will quite understand.”
Lord Hereford grimaced. “I have not yet met Lord Finchley. I would much prefer – ”
“You shall, of course!” Eleanor exclaimed, interrupting her father but sensing a weakening in his determination. “The fact that he wanted to make sure all was well before he considered my hand should speak well of his character.” She glanced at her aunt. “And my aunt thinks well of him.”
