He blinked in surprise. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“It has everything to do with it and you know it. I saw something that bothered me earlier. I think Mr. Douglas is in love with our daughter. Indeed, I would wager her entire dowry on it.”
“Blast it, Catherine. You know as well as I that such a match is impossible.”
“I never said anything about a match,” she pointed out. “Just that he is obviously in love with her, and I can’t imagine our Jenna becoming...becoming intimate with a man she didn’t have strong feelings for.”
The earl fell silent. “What are we going to do? This whole thing has turned into a huge debacle. I don’t even know what all has transpired. We come home to see our daughter in the arms of a strange man, a gaping wound in her shoulder and learn our daughter’s future husband has shot his father who is believed to have murdered his wife and betrayed his country.” He took a deep breath. “Does that cover it all?”
“I think it time we had a lengthy conversation with our sons, don’t you think?”
“Yes,” the earl agreed. “I’ll summon them at once.”
Minutes later Quinn and Sebastian entered the study, their faces still drawn in concern. “Has she awakened yet?” Quinn asked.
“Yes, briefly,” Catherine replied. “She is resting now.”
“I want to know what all has transpired in our absence,” the earl said, not mincing words. He looked expectantly at Sebastian.
Sebastian ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know anything about what happened today. This whole mess about Stuart and his father, well, I cannot even fathom it.”
Quinn stepped forward. “I must know, Father. Why did you betroth Jenna to Stuart?”
The earl’s eyes narrowed. “I fail to see what that has to do with the matter at hand.”
“It has everything to do with it,” Quinn burst out. His lips were firm, and even if he had qualms about questioning his father, his expression didn’t betray him. “She’s been bloody miserable over the whole thing.”
“Watch your tongue,” Catherine said sharply.
He flushed. “Sorry, Mamma.” He looked back at his father. “She’s been miserable ever since you announced her marriage to Stuart. It’s been deuced wretched to watch.”
“I had no idea she was so unhappy,” the earl murmured.
“Really, Pen, did you expect she would be happy?” Catherine muttered.
He arched an eyebrow in surprise. “Am I the only one who had no idea how Jenna feels?”
“Why did you do it?” Quinn asked again.
“I do not intend to explain myself to you,” the earl said through gritted teeth.
“No, Pen, I too want to know your reasoning,” Catherine said quietly.
The earl swung around his jaw dropping surprise. “Catherine, this isn’t the time.”
“And when is? Our daughter came within an inch of death and now she lies in her bed, desperately unhappy. I think you owe us, her, an explanation.”
The earl stared incredulously at his wife then back at his sons who looked expectantly at him. He sat down in the armchair behind him, his face a mixture of anger and regret. “The viscount came to me to call in a favor. You see, he saved my family from ruin years before I met you, Catherine. My father, as you know, was an incompetent lackwit who spent all his time gaming and drinking. When he lost everything in a drunken stupor, Lord Dudley bought back his vowel and presented it to me without fault.
“He never mentioned it, nor did he ever ask for repayment. His only statement was that one day he might need a favor from me.” He stood and began pacing in front of Catherine. “A week after Jenna’s sixteenth birthday he came to see me. He brought a marriage contract he’d drawn up between Stuart and Jenna. I was taken aback, but didn’t see anything wrong with the match. Stuart was a fine young man and seemed to get along well with her. It was only after this that Stuart started acting so strangely.
“I told him I would speak to Jenna about it, and he was most insistent that we seal the contract immediately. He then hinted that he was no longer as financially secure as he’d been in the past. I got the impression that Jenna’s dowry would go a long way in replenishing his wealth.
“He didn’t bring up the favor he’d done me all those years ago, but it hung between us. I couldn’t refuse him, particularly when I thought Stuart would make Jenna a fine husband.
“I told Jenna that their marriage had always been arranged because I thought it would be easier for her to accept. I couldn’t think of any other way to explain Dudley’s sudden interest in marrying her to Stuart. I certainly didn’t want her to think he was only after her dowry. Better that she thought it had always been planned.”
“So youdidthink she wouldn’t be very happy about it,” Catherine pointed out.
