“That is not– I–”
“But you did, and you cannot blame me for making an assumption when you were the one to guide me to it. Now, if you truly did not mean to cause such a fuss, then I ought to apologize for my outburst, and if you truly want to be a spinster all your life, then I commend you, but you need to consider what sort of life you will lead.”
“How dare you? I have passions, and I have friends. I do not need a marriage to complete me when I am already so fulfilled.”
“Yes, and I am certain that your friends will like you just as much when they themselves are married, and that you will never feel excluded as you watch them raise their families, and you will never wish that you had swallowed your pride when you were younger and done what was expected of you rather than rebelling for the sake of it.”
“That is most reductionist. Tell me, do you see me as a lady, or as breeding stock? If you were a gentleman, you would understand that I am a person, one that can have greater desires than being someone’s wife and another person’s mother, but of course I would never expect someone such as yourself to do that.”
“Someone such as what, pray tell?”
But she was already walking away, and Cassandra felt her cheeks flame. For once, she was grateful for her complexion, for had she been pale everyone would have seen that she was scarlet.
She had always thought that nobody understood her; that she had said what she wanted enough times that they all believed it,but a stranger had taken one look at her and sized her up on his third attempt.
“Are you all right, my lady?” her maid asked.
“Yes, but I wish to return home now.”
The embarrassment was too much, and the point of her outing, escaping the expectations of her family, had been ruined. As they returned home, her mind settled, and she knew what she would have to do.
She found her mother and father in the study. She had tried to conceal how she was feeling, but she must have failed as they both looked at her with sudden concern.
“Whatever is the matter, dearest?” Lady Hurton asked.
“Find me a match,” she declared. “I do not care who it is, but I must be done with all of this at last. If everyone is only going to make me miserable for my choices, then I shall bend. If you find me someone I deem suitable, then I will do it.”
Her father brightened at once, and she knew that she had sealed her fate. She had promised, and there would be no going back on that. Cassandra had once hoped that she would find a man that ruined what she thought was true, and proved that she could love, but she had given up on that years before.
If it was practicality that they wanted, then she would give them it.
Chapter Two
“She was quite possibly the most exasperating person that I have ever had the displeasure of meeting.”
George had been in Hyde Park for some air before he attended his club that evening. He had wanted to calm himself, for he knew he would see his creditor that night and needed steady nerves before facing him. Instead, he had been confronted by a lady with wild hair and an even wilder demeanor.
“Perhaps she was not aware of the fact that you are a duke?”
“Nonsense. Everyone knows that I am the Duke of Sherton. I have been so for six months now.”
“That is still relatively new,” his sister said gently. “You have a tendency to assume the worst in people. Perhaps it might be best for you to let this time go?”
George sighed, looking at his sister with a raised brow. She looked almost exactly like him in terms of her features, though her nose was smaller, but she was the exact opposite of him when it came to her demeanor. She was not quick to fight back, nor did she truly like confrontation at all. She was a sweet girl, and he admired her for that, but it made caring for her even more difficult.
Her sweetness, he knew, was naivety, and that made her vulnerable, and he could not allow that.
“Regardless,” he continued, “I hope to never see her again.”
“Brother, the first ball of the season is tomorrow night. If she is of status, and unmarried as you claim, she will more than likely be in attendance.”
“Must you always have to ruin my hopes?” he laughed. “I thought that I might at least avoid her for a short while.”
“Well, if you do not force me to debut, you can.”
He raised a hand to signal to her to stop. She had already tried to convince him to delay her debut, but he knew it had to be done. But Philippa sauntered out before he could retort. George remained still, jaw tight.
He knew that he perhaps did not have the best way of handling matters, but it had worked well for him. In the six months following his father’s death, he had made such great changes tothe estates that he would be able to build a truly brilliant life for his family.
