“Then why did you not warn me of that fact? Your scheme was ruined instantly by my mother, for she had no way of knowing not to say a word. Even if I wanted to go along with your plan, I could not have when you did not tell me that there was one to begin with.”
“I am embarrassed enough, Your Grace,” Lord Pemberton snapped. “Is that what you want me to say? I am embarrassed that I have been reduced to putting my daughter in this position. I never once thought that I would have to do this to her, and now here I am. Forgive me for not being man enough to tell her when it was convenient.”
His explanation was precisely why Philip pitied him. As the father, the head of the household, he was supposed to shoulder such responsibilities as having the difficult conversations and making the difficult choices, and yet he was unable to. It was difficult to see how he managed to find a wife to begin with, but then he had no way of knowing how affluent Lord Pemberton had been before gambling it all away.
It was entirely possible that his wife’s death had destroyed him, though his revelation that the two of them never shared things with each other caused that idea to be questioned greatly.
“Does she hate me?” Lord Pemberton asked, defeated.
“I cannot answer for her,” Philip sighed. “But your plan is not ruined as yet. She and I discussed it this morning, and she is willing to go ahead with the courtship. Should it go well, then the marriage will happen, and it will be as though you never betrayed her. But should we change our minds, you are never to blame her for it. You only have yourself to find fault with for lying to her. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Your Grace. I ought to speak to her myself about it, so that I might explain it all.”
“She will be having an enjoyable time right now. You will not ruin that when she returns. If she wishes to talk to you about it, then she will do so in her own time. For now, I want her to enjoyher time here and to be in the best spirits possible so that the two of us might find a connection. Do you understand?”
Lord Pemberton nodded, apologizing once more before leaving the study. With a groan, Philip rested his head on the desk. In spite of what men in gentlemen’s clubs said, he had to admit that ladies had always been easier to be around.
He was not a lady’s man, nothing of the sort, but they were far easier to talk to, and to understand. He found himself missing Lady Jacqueline, as he had enjoyed their conversation that morning, and he wanted to continue it.
Then he thought of how she was eager to see his face, and he was less inclined to see her so quickly. He did not know how to handle that situation, as he could not hide himself forever. The last time a lady had seen the extent of his injuries, it had been Lady Ophelia, and when she did see them, she immediately called off their engagement.
It had destroyed him, and he had never fully recovered from it. The first lady to see them, however, had led to an even worse experience. It had been his mother, and he hated that she had never looked at him in the same way since.
It was not with disgust, but with fear. Ever since that day, she had cared for him as though he were a child of eight, not a man of eight-and-twenty. She had been so careful with him eversince, and he had hated it.Thatwas why he was so frightened of showing Lady Jacqueline the extent of his injuries.
He had only ever seen two responses—to run away or to act as though he needed protecting. He could not decide which of the two was worse.
Chapter 9
Jackie wondered how much a lady could carry before her arms fell off, but only for a moment.
Being in the residence of a duke, it was no surprise to her that the staff were only too happy to take her parcels from her and carry them away for her, leaving her alone in the hallway with her sister.
“That was quite an adventure,” Elizabeth smiled. “I haven’t received so many gifts in my life.”
“I feel terrible about it. That must have cost an awful lot. Do you suppose we could find a way to return them?”
“Certainly not! It would offend the dowager duchess. You might end up the wife of her son, and so it would not be right for you to refuse gifts from her.”
“Liz, for the last time—”
“I know, you are making no promises, and it might not work at all, but I am choosing to believe that all will be well. So that I can be happy until otherwise proven. I would rather that than be miserable at the possibility of something happening.”
Jackie rolled her eyes, but she had to admit that there was some truth to her sister’s words, and she almost admired her for it. She had always been an optimist, Jackie making sure of it, and at last it was proving to have been a good thing.
“I know it is easy for me to say that,” Elizabeth continued. “And I know that you are yet to forgive me. Perhaps you never will, but I want you to see the good in this too. At worst, I do not get to marry yet, and we can return home with our gifts knowing that we did all we could, especially you.”
“That is not true, you would loathe me entirely for it.”
“I could never. If it does not work, then it does not work. I am content knowing that you have sacrificed so much for me, whether it leads to anything more or not.”
“Lady Elizabeth?”
Both ladies looked toward the end of the hallway to see Lord Greene. Elizabeth flashed Jackie a quick smile before running down to him. He kissed her hand gently, greeting her kindly, before walking back to Jackie with her.
“Lady Jacqueline,” he greeted, with a bow. “It is nice to finally speak with you.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” she replied, forcing a smile. “It is good to properly meet the gentleman that has swept my sister off her feet.”
