Slanting her a look, Oliver watched her expression as he asked, “Will you?”
Miss Caswell opened her mouth and shut it again. Though she gave no outward signs of blushes or fidgets to signal her unease, Oliver felt it in the tightness of her muscles. Beneath the silence, the young lady searched for something to say.
“You said we need to have a frank discussion, and I believe that is true,” he said. “But we cannot do so without complete honesty, Miss Caswell. Especially concerning you and your family.”
*
Mr. Kingsley’s tone was too marked for her not to notice, and her stomach sank to her toes as Victoria rifled through all the usual excuses she made in such circumstances. However, despite the wealth of experience she had in side-stepping the casual comments and pointed questions, this was a new hazard to navigate.
But even as she attempted to form a response, Victoria met his gaze, which was her undoing. There was no judgment there or derision. No triumph over her lowered situation or glee at unearthing the gossip. Mr. Kingsley watched her with an open expression, his eyes filled with compassion and honest curiosity.
Victoria took in a deep breath and let it out in one long sigh. “We are destitute.”
Mr. Kingsley gave no sign of surprise or shock at that, merely nodding in return, and Victoria curled forward, covering her face. When she pulled away from him, Mr. Kingsley merely brought his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him. Though it was probably wise to distance herself, Victoria gave him her weight, allowing him to comfort her as he could.
“How did you know?” she asked.
“That is unimportant—”
“Hardly!” Victoria clutched her stomach as it began to spin. “Do you know how much effort we put into hiding our disgrace? And to know that others suspect it—”
But it was Mr. Kingsley’s turn to interrupt. “It’s a fool’s errand to think you can hide that. Though I doubt it is common knowledge, I was told a rumor your family is having difficulties.”
Victoria huffed. “That is one word for it.”
“How would you describe it?”
Her throat tightened, her body tensing as though holding back those truths that had lived so long in the dark. The words begged to be released, but a lifetime of silence was not easily overcome.
“Speak, Miss Caswell,” he said with a gentle smile. “Whatever else may come of this, I think it may do you some good.”
And so Victoria spoke. At first, she meant to disclose the barest portion of the truth, but her words expanded and grew like the light flurries of snow that herald a blizzard. Having never been free to speak openly of her family’s troubles, Victoria found it difficult to be circumspect once she’d begun.
For his part, Mr. Kingsley was a mostly mute audience, giving the necessary nods and reactions as she unraveled the whole convoluted mess—from the first time she lied to cover her parents’ empty pockets to her current hunt for a husband. Perhaps she ought to have omitted the last portions, but Mr. Kingsley was far too intelligent not to understand the financial implications surrounding her marriage prospects.
Like a satchel filled with stones, the secrets weighed her down. It was only in the removing of them, stone by stone, that Victoria realized how large a burden she’d been carrying. Though she avoided the stones with Mr. Dixon’s name etched on them, Victoria ridded herself of the rest, and for the first time in a long while, she could breathe.
*
There were ladies aplenty who had mastered the art of manipulation, and though Miss Caswell was skilled enough to nudge others towards her intended goal, there was no malice in her actions, and she rarely did so for her own benefit. Oliver doubted she understood just how thoroughly she was binding his future to hers, but with each sentence, she gave him more and more reasons to move forward with their engagement despite her objections.
Oliver stared forward, his eyes unfocused as he absorbed it all. Only when Miss Caswell finished did he speak.
“And so, you feel you must marry someone willing and able to aid your sisters’ dowries and improve their marriage prospects. Without that, their chances will be greatly reduced, and your parents’ family will offer no assistance, leaving it all on your shoulders.”
It was a stark summary of what Miss Caswell had said, and yet it was truthful and not far from what he’d suspected before she unburdened herself. Though Lily and the other young ladies among his extended family would not be forced into such a position, Oliver knew many young ladies were. For all that society had come to accept love as an important component of any marriage, it was a sad fact that most unions were still based on finances in some manner.
Miss Caswell winced and pressed a hand to her stomach. “I wish I could say I am not as mercenary as that, but I fear I have no defense.”
“Do you realize that not once in that entire confession did you mentionyourfinancial security? Your entire focus has been on securing your family’s future,” he replied with a hint of a smile. “I would say that is entirely defensible and hardly mercenary.”
Turning her head a fraction in his direction, Miss Caswell examined Oliver, no doubt searching for sincerity or duplicity in his expression, and he obliged with all the earnestness he felt.
“You have nothing to be ashamed of, Miss Caswell. If anything, I think your motives speak highly of your love, loyalty, and self-sacrifice.”
Her brows drew together, and a hint of uncertainty clouded her gaze. Oliver had never thought to see that indomitable young lady hesitate, and in many ways that vulnerability made her all the more endearing. Her confidence was admirable, but it was comforting to know she had feet of clay.
“However,” he said, “I cannot understand why you are denying me when I would serve your purpose to perfection.”
