“This is hardly a strong basis for the beginning of a marriage.”
“Please try to see it my way, Louisa. And now that you know why I want to get married, we are being honest with each other, are we not? Honesty is a sound basis for a marriage.”
“Yes, but if you can’t love me, then it is not enough.”
“Marriage doesn’t need love. It’s not much more than a business partnership.”
“A business partnership in which one of the partners has no power or freedom.”
“Oh, here we go with the Wollstonecraft business.”
Louisa bristled at that. Had he been talking to her mother? She stood up. “Am I wrong? The woman in a marriage has no power. She is basically a broodmare for her husband to produce heirs and look pretty. That’s all you want of me, isn’tit? And perhaps that is enough for some women, but it isnotenough for me, and I don’t see why I should subject myself to it, especially when I have a better offer.”
“And what will you do when Iruinyour family, Louisa?” Daniel stood. “What then?”
Louisa couldn’t tell how serious Daniel was being. Could he really ruin her family? Why would he do such a thing? “Surely you can find an unwitting debutante who is too empty-headed to uncover your schemes. You don’t really need me.”
“I could do that, but you’ve already said yes. And I have no intention of ending our engagement. The wedding is still happening. You’d do well to get used to the idea. I believe we’d make good companions for each other, and I think with time, you will see that.” He stood and put his hat back on his head. “Good day, my lady.”
With that, he stormed out of the room.
Louisa took a moment to gather herself. She was so angry she wanted to hurl the precious ceramics her mother collected at his departing figure. Several figurines were on the mantel, and wouldn’t it feel so satisfying to watch that ceramic cherub break into pieces against the floor?
Before she committed any crimes against ceramics, her mother walked back into the room. “Louisa, what happened?”
“I tried to break the engagement and he refused.”
“Well, of course he did. Why would you do anything so foolish?”
“Mother, he and I do not suit. We have little in common and he seems not to have much respect for me. If he’s not stepping out on me now, I can guarantee he will in the future. How can I marry him?”
“Louisa, I’m not having this argument again.”
“He said some pretty cruel things to me. He only offered for me because of my advanced age because he wanted someone desperate enough not to say no, and then he made the deal with Father to keep me trapped.”
That seemed to give her mother pause. But then she said, “Don’t be dramatic, Louisa,” and swept out of the room.
Not knowing what else to do, Louisa let out a scream, ran to her bedroom, and threw the door shut.
* * *
Lord Petty kept an office on Bank Street, so Fletcher went there hoping to catch him without his wife or daughter around. He was pleased when Lord Petty’s secretary said he was in and would see Fletcher when he finished with his current meeting.
Fletcher spent his time waiting in the hall trying to mentally formulate what he would say. How did one broach a subject like this?Your daughter is desperate to break her engagement to the man you have an important deal with. Would you mind disclosing those details?
Obviously that would not do.
The secretary showed Fletcher in as a man Fletcher didn’t recognize walked out. Fletcher couldn’t remember exactly the sort of business Petty most frequently did; real estate holdings, he suspected. England’s most profitable asset was its land, after all, and Petty was a fairly wealthy man.
“Ah, Fletcher,” Petty said as Fletcher walked in. “Good to see you, son. How many I help you today?”
“I want to discuss something delicate with you, my lord. So I thought I’d start by reminding you of how fond you were of my father.”
Petty regarded Fletcher warily. “Yes. I miss him a great deal.”
“As do I,” Fletcher said.
“Have a seat.”
