He sipped. “What challenge?”
“If you will marry after I do, I will marry by the turn of the year.”
“No, you won’t. You’re a confirmed spinster.”
“I’ve had offers!”
“First I’ve heard of it, and clearly you’ve accepted none of them.”
“Now I will.” Despite the sick churning inside, she took satisfaction in his alarm.
“You’ll accept a man you’ve rejected simply to force me to the altar? I don’t believe it.”
“To force you to start filling the nursery, I will.”
He surged to his feet. “You damnable woman!”
“Norris!” his mother exclaimed.
He froze. “I’m sorry, Mama, but it’s more than a man can bear to be bullied so by a sister.”
“An older sister,” Ariana said, also on her feet. “Older and wiser.”
“A foolish woman, like all women.”
“Now you’re insulting our mother.”
He clutched his curls. “No, I’m not! She’s not supporting this mad plan. Are you, Mama?”
“Whether I support it or not, Norris, you did propose this arrangement. I don’t see how you can back out now.”
For their mother, it was a remarkably resolute statement, and Norris stared at her.
“It’s a petticoat conspiracy, is it? Very well. I’m a man of my word. But I feel safe in the certainty that Ariana will never take herself to the altar. She’d rather marry a book!”
With that, he slammed out of the room.
Ariana found she was actually shaking. “I’m sorry, Mama. I’ve ruined your birthday.”
Her mother patted her hand. “That’s all right, dear. It’s time you married, and I’ll be happy to have grandchildren. But please be sure to marry as agreeable a gentleman as you can find.”
•••
“So you’ve gone and done it,” Ethel said, helping Ariana off with her gown. She didn’t seem surprised.
“I had no choice.”
“Everyone has a choice.” Ethel went into the dressing room to put the gown away.
Ariana called after her, “You had no choice about coming to work here at ten!”
“Every adult, then,” Ethel said, returning and setting to work on the corset laces.
“Not even that, and you know it. Especially women. But this should be a simple enough matter. I only have to choose between one of my disappointed suitors.”
“There’s many a slip... ,” Ethel said.
“I have three cups to bring to my lip: Lord Wilbury, Sir Charles Overden, and Reverend Aston.”
