“That’s it. Take it or leave it.”
“Oh, very well.” She turned to Lady Winifred and the others who were with her mother. “Lady Winifred wanted to make sure you were introduced to Lord Reginald Cross.”
The man was a toad, but she could see why he appealed to her mother as a marriage prospect. He was at least thirty years older than she was, had white hair which he kept pulled back. He was obese and his face was a shade of red she didn’t think she’d ever seen. With all that going against him, Lord Cross thought he cut a dashing figure.
“Lord Cross,” she said in a monotone.
“A delight, Lady Harriet,” he replied. “Would you do the honor of dancing the next set?”
“I’m afraid I can’t, Lord Cross.”
“Harriet! There’s no need to be rude,” her mother trilled.
“I don’t think I was being rude, I simply have no time. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She began to walk away with Arthur and Lucien.
Whatever was being said, Harriet had no time for. Knowing her mother, she was most likely apologizing to Lord Cross for her bad behavior.
“Here, take my carriage back to the house. Daphne and I will be along shortly, Arthur said as they stood outside.
On the way back neither said a thing for the longest time. Finally, Lucien spoke up. “What would you prefer to do? Go to Scotland or marry here in private?”
“If we go to Scotland, it’ll just be you and me. If you get a special license and we marry here, it would be Arthur, Daphne, and your parents. I think I’d prefer the latter.”
“Your wish is my command,” he replied. “I know this isn’t how either of us planned on getting married, but…”
“Don’t apologize. I know how my mother is. Everyone does.”
“As long as you’re happy. That’s all I care about.”
The carriage came to a stop in front of the house. After helping Harriet down from the carriage, Lucien went to speak to the coachman about returning to the ball to pick up the duke and duchess.
“I suppose I should take my leave. I plan to see the bishop in the morning. I’ll come by after I do.”
“I look forward to it,” she replied. Stepping up she kissed Lucien on the cheek. He, in turn, kissed her on the lips. He didn’t make it all that passionate because there were servants around and he didn’t want gossip from anyone.
He was flustered because he wanted her under him. He wanted her more than any woman he’d ever met.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes, I will.”
She watched as he walked over to his carriage and climbed in before turning to go inside. Tomorrow was going to be a huge change for her.
Chapter Twelve
Lucien paced thefloor of the bishop’s receiving room waiting for the man to finish up a meeting he was having in his office. He’d met Bishop Chandler a few times, usually with his mother or father. This was different. He was here to request a special license in order that he and Harriet could marry.
This wasn’t going to be the sort of wedding Harriet dreamed of, but her mother had plainly made that evident. He wasn’t the man she wanted her daughter to marry, even though he was heir to a powerful dukedom and money was what impressed the marchioness.
The door leading into the bishop’s office opened and out walked an older man, dressed in a priest’s clothes. He acknowledged Lucien with a slip of a smile as he walked past him. Lucien then heard to bishop’s powerful tenor boom, calling him into the office.
Walking into the office, he saw the man standing next to his desk. Lucien stepped to greet the man.
“Your Excellency, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” Lucien said.
“It’s always a delight to see you, Kingston. I’ve known you since the day you were born. We’re far beyond formalities.”
The bishop motioned him to sit in one of the wood chairs on the other side of his desk. Lucien picked one and sat.
