“Mother!”
Mother clucked her tongue and assumed a more formal posture. “Rotherfeld is aduke.”
“And?” said Louisa.
“He’s wealthy and powerful. His grandmother is close with Queen Charlotte.”
“He’s dull, Mother. He barely seems to like me. I’m starting to think he manipulated me into courtship and betrothal for his own purposes. And I don’t love him.”
“Love,” her mother spat. “Marriage is not about love. We women must marry to ensure our continued survival.”
Louisa rolled her eyes at that. While it was true that women had few property rights, the Pettys were wealthy. Louisa could not imagine her family would let her live on the streets should her spinsterhood persist. “So you mean to tell me that nothing else matters but Rotherfeld’s wealth and power? That if he were cruel or unfaithful, that these are things I must endure?”
“That isnotwhat I said. But you are naïve if you think your husband can be this perfect angel of a man. And Rotherfeld is not cruel, I’ve never heard anyone say he is. And your only evidence for his unfaithfulness is that you saw him talking to a woman at a ball.”
“But I don’t want to marry Rotherfeld,” Louisa tried, weakly.
“You’ve already committed, Louisa. You cannot tolerate the scandal it would cause if you were to jilt him.”
Louisa was mildly worried about the scandal, but she said, “I hear what you’re saying, but it’s not like I’ll die alone if I choose not to marry Rotherfeld. Should I end my engagement with Rotherfeld, I have another offer.”
“From whom?”
“Greystone.”
Mother balked. Then she shook her head. “I have been too permissive with you. Allowed you to read books I shouldn’t have. You’ve had a taste of freedom and think you have autonomy. Did you think Rotherfeld’s decision to court you was entirely his idea? It wasn’t. You’ve turned down too many proposals. After this season, had no one offered, you’d be on the shelf.”
“What are you saying? Did you arrange things directly with Rotherfeld?”
“I had a hand in it. Your father has business with him. This was never intended to be a love match. It’s a business arrangement.”
That was a punch to the gut. No one had ever said that this was intended to be anything other than a courtship. How had Louisa not known this was arranged?
Because her own mother thought she was incapable of finding a husband.
“What’s wrong with marrying Greystone instead of Rotherfeld? You like him. You’ve known him his whole life. He was like a second son to you, no? And he’s just inherited a title and the wealth that comes with it. He’d make a fine husband.”
“Greystone offered because he pities you,” Mother said. “He showed no interest in you until Rotherfeld offered, so now he is telling you what you want to hear because he is your friend.”
“That is not true.” Louisa believed Fletcher now. She believed he loved her. And, truth be told, she’d been fantasizing about what marriage to him would be like for the last couple of weeks. It seemed far preferable than a dull marriage to a man who barely liked her. “Fletcher’s offer was genuine.”
Mother shook her head. “You cannot take his offer. There is a precarious business arrangement that will fall apart if you refuse Rotherfeld.”
There was awhat?“How can you have done this? Why did you not tell me?”
“It was not important toyou. I suppose I should have expected your impertinence. But I assumed that, once you agreed to marry Rotherfeld, it was a done deal. And money and business are not the domains of women.”
Louisa fought not to roll her eyes at that, too. This was completely absurd. “What kind of business arrangement?”
Mother waved her hand as if it didn’t matter. “I know nothing of the details, and it shouldn’t preoccupy you, either. What I know is that your father and Rotherfeld have entered into an agreement.”
Louisa couldn’t believe this. How could she have been so stupid? It was like everyone around her had manipulated her into agreeing to Rotherfeld’s suit, and now that she recognized it, it might be too late. “And if I refuse to marry Rotherfeld?”
“Our family stands to lose a great deal of money, and you’d be shamed by theton. Besides, Rotherfeld has a great deal of prestige. You’d be a fool to turn that down.”
“And Greystone is a marquess who just inherited a fortune from his father. It’s not like we’d live in poverty. If Father wants money—”
“You are naive and it is not that simple. Your father made a deal with Rotherfeld. The two of you suit. You will be closer to power, and you will not want for anything. You don’t love him now, but he’s friendly and handsome. You will grow fond of each other over time.”
