He might have said more, but at that moment there was a great ruckus from the terrace behind them. They both turned toward it and when Roderick squinted he could see Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart standingtogether on the terrace, gathering the party to them. Clarissa was standing behind them, her appearance ragged and exhausted.
“Christ,” Roderick muttered, and started toward the stairs back up to the crowd, George on his heels. He had a sinking feeling he knew what was happening. Yet again without his leave or a thought to how it would look or sound. And that was proven to be true when a sweaty footman met them halfway to the stairs.
“I’ve been sent to get you, my lord,” he panted. “They’re making an announcement and want you to join them.”
“No,” Roderick muttered, and took the stairs two at a time to get to the crowd. He could hear what they were saying now as he rushed to them.
“—though our daughter hasn’t had much success, as you well know,” Mr. Lockhart was saying.
Clarissa bent her head, Roderick could see her trying to be smaller behind her parents. Trying to disappear.
“Ah, there is Kirkwood!” Mrs. Lockhart called out, waving him over. “And we can share our enormously happy news.”
He smoothed his jacket and went to them, doing everything in his power to keep his expression benign when he wanted to grab both of them by the ears and drag them into the house for a scolding. But it was too late for that now. The storm had come. He had to ride it out.
“Lord Kirkwood and our Clarissa have formed a…a bond since he joined us,” Mr. Lockhart said. “We’ve told some of our guests already, but we’re pleased to announce to the rest of the party that they’ll marry by special license as soon as we return to London in a few days.”
There was a gasp amongst the crowd and Roderick felt all their eyes swing on him and Clarissa. He responded by stepping closer to her, resting a hand on the small of her back so she would know he was there. She jumped a little at the familiar touch and then looked up at him. She put on a false smile, but he could see her blinking back tears.
“I am exceedingly happy that the lady has said yes,” he managed to croak out. “And cannot wait to call her my countess.”
The crowd applauded, though they still looked stunned on the whole. Some of the gentlemen put their heads together to talk and the ladies stared at Clarissa. Her cheeks were dark pink, but she managed to look serene otherwise and unbothered even though he could feel her trembling against his palm.
“Our supper tonight shall be a celebration,” Mrs. Lockhart said with a wide smile, as if this was all wonderful. “And our farewell ball tomorrow even more of the same. We’ll see you all tonight.”
That ended the afternoon event and the guests began to go off in pairs and groups. Some went inside, likely to rest briefly and then ready themselves, others took the stairs to the gardens for walks. George slipped up closer and briefly squeezed Clarissa’s hand. She wouldn’t look at him, just bowed her head as her cousin stepped away.
“I thought they were finished,” she whispered with only the barest glance toward Roderick. “They dragged me down here before I could stop them.”
Roderick turned toward them. “You needn’t have done that,” he growled just under his breath at the Lockharts. “I thought we agreed to wait until supper to share the news with the entire party.”
“Now or later, what does it matter?” Mr. Lockhart said with a laugh. “Come now, I had to be certain neither of you would renege on the agreement and now you cannot.”
Roderick squeezed his eyes shut and fought with his desire to make a scene. As if George felt that, he rushed to his aunt and uncle. “Why don’t we go inside as a family and have a drink before we all take a rest and get ready?”
“I need a moment,” Clarissa said so softly Roderick thought he might have been the only one to hear her. She looked up at him, bottom lip trembling. “Please.”
He nodded and then stepped away to urge her family inside. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. Come then, I’ll join you three while Clarissa gets some air.”
George took his aunt’s arm and herded Clarissa’s parents away. Roderick glanced back at her as she walked to the edge of the terraceand clutched her hands along the railing, her head bent. She looked defeated. As defeated as he felt. And though they shared the emotional weight of this day, he realized neither one of them was ready to share it with the other.
Which meant that they were alone, and that was what he feared most going into this marriage.
Over the years Clarissa had experienced a few times when her emotions had overwhelmed her. It felt like a fist opening in her chest, pain and worry spreading throughout her body until she shook from head to toe. Now she stood looking out at the garden and battled the war to keep herself from screaming.
Losing herself to this would only be a break in protocol and she needed good comportment more than ever now. This misstep ensured that she would have to walk the straight and narrow path for many years before people would forget her surprise engagement to a man who clearly didn’t want her.
“God,” she whispered, shaking out her tingling fingers and trying to push those difficult thoughts away so they wouldn’t take over.
“Miss Lockhart?”
She stiffened at the sound of the Marquess of Mickenshire’s voice at her back. When the engagement had been so suddenly announced, she’d seen him in the gathered crowd and his surprise had been evident. And then he’d glared at her. He hadn’t stopped glaring at her during the entire horrible display her utterly proud parents had just concluded.
She turned slowly and hoped her expression was serene. “My lord. I didn’t see you there.”
“I assume not,” he said with a sniff as he looked her up and down like she was something disgusting he’d scraped off his shoe. “You seem to have forgotten me entirely after acting a tease for the last few days.”
Her mouth dropped open. She could understand if he were irritated with her, but she hadn’t expected him to say it so plainly. She cleared her throat and wished her chest didn’t feel so heavy as she tried to find words.
