“It’s imperative we speak with you and Lady Brightley,” Axel turned his hazel gaze to land on Felicity’s and added, “together.” His voice carried calmly from where he’d risen from his seat across from her.
Nodding, Felicity carefully picked her way around the table to stand at his side.
“My lord, I think that perhaps you ought to hear them out.” Rather than panic, as Felicity half expected, her mother seemed to have realized that this meeting was of considerable import. Perhaps it was because Felicity had never outright defied her father like this before. Perhaps it was the pleading look Felicity sent her.
Or perhaps she’d noticed some of the changes Felicity had gone through over the past almost two months.
Her father’s scowl deepened, and she could only guess at the struggle waging inside of him. He was not a person to back down.
Was that why she’d never defied him before? Because she’d known it was all but impossible to act outside of his will?
“I would not have come if it was not of the utmost importance,” Axel added.
“Come,” Felicity’s mother patted the space beside her. “Just for a moment, Milton.”
The room was silent but for the ticking clock on the mantel, which had to have gone on for some thirty seconds before her father nodded and then crossed the room.
Felicity lowered herself onto her seat, but Axel didn’t join her until after her father was seated.
“Very well.” Her father fingered the fob watch hanging from his jacket. “You have five minutes.”
The air flew from Felicity’s lungs because this was the moment she’d been dreading for weeks now.
“I need,” Axel paused meaningfully, “Ineedto marry your daughter.”
“I already told you—”
“I am not asking, my lord. It is of the greatest importance that I marry your daughter and, allow me to be perfectly clear; time is of the essence.”
Axel took her hand in his, and Felicity was finally able to breathe. Her mother’s mouth had fallen open, and her father, if anything, appeared even more enraged.
“I’ll meet you on a field of honor, sir. How dare you take advantage of my daughter!”
“He did not take advantage of me!” Felicity decisively found her voice. Only… she couldn’t expose what had transpired in the orangery, or how, or that she’d hardly known Axel before that. And yet, her parents would expect an explanation. “We fell in love months ago. After Westerley broke off the betrothal—after you lost my betrothal in a game of cards—” she could not help but add, “I was so relieved, and Axel proposed, and well… It’s not only that we have to get married, but that we want to. I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with him.”
Everyone in the room, it seemed, was stunned by her declaration. Perhaps Axel more than either of her parents. To emphasize her point, she lifted both their hands to her mouth, pressing a kiss to the back of his.
Axel cleared his voice. “Please, sir, your daughter will be distraught without your blessing.”
“Is it true?” Her mother asked. “You are with child?”
Felicity could only nod.Your daughter will be distraught without your blessing.
She’d told him she wanted an actual wedding. He understood that her father was beyond overbearing, but he’d also known this was important to her.
“Hell and damnation.” Her father slumped against the back of the settee. “I thought we taught her better than this,” her father grumbled into his collar.
“You gambled away my betrothal, Father. How is that teaching me better?” She’d not ever challenged him on anything. “You built up a future for me and then threw it away with a turn of the cards.”
And he’d never bothered to apologize for it. Felicity straightened her spine.Yes,she’d made a mistake,yesshe was lying to him about having fallen in love, but…
He was not without fault, either.
“You told me Lord Crestwood belittled his son to you. But I am yourdaughter,and on more than one occasion, you’ve complimented my intellect, my talents, and my abilities. I am telling you that my, myfiancé, has impressed me with his intellect, his talents, and his abilities to no end. Lord Crestwood is wrong, and I have no concerns whatsoever that our…” heat crept up her neck, “our child will be born anything but perfect.”
Axel shifted beside her, and she guessed that he did not like being discussed like this. She would not either if she was him, but she needed to set both her mother and father straight on this count right now.
“Why would Crestwood lie?” Her father directed the question to the man sitting beside her.
