“Of course we need you,” I said. At least, Father needed her.
Her eyes opened again, and it took a second for her to focus on me. “Elizabeth, all I’ve ever wanted was the best for you.”
“Yes, I know.” The best, according to her standards.
“If you do not follow my wishes”—she stopped to take a labored breath—“then I am useless to you.”
“That’s not true.” Guilt weighed so heavily upon me that my legs grew weak, and I was afraid I couldn’t hold myself up much longer.
“We both need you,” Father said to Mother. “We’ve always needed you. I’m sorry for how things have become between us, Abigail. My work, my stubbornness, my inability to bend.” Tears fell from Father’s eyes, and he wiped them away. I had never seen him cry. He’d always been one of the strongest people I knew.
“There is something I must tell you,” Mother whispered. “Something very dire, indeed.”
Father frowned. “What is it?”
“When I was in England”—her voice broke, but she swallowed and pressed on—“I accepted Lord Cumberland’s marriage proposal on behalf of you and Elizabeth.”
“Yes, I know, my dear.”
“The marquess also had me sign a contract—a binding agreement.”
My heart began to pound. “What kind of contract?” I asked.
“If you do not marry him”—she paused to breathe—“he will sue us for breach of contract. And he will ruin us.”
Father and I stared at her.
“Don’t you see?” Mother asked me. “Why I’ve been so distraught? If you refuse to marry him, we will lose everything.”
“Why would you do such a thing?” Father asked, rising from the side of her bed. “I did not give you leave to be so foolish.”
“You gave me permission to act on your behalf.” She swallowed again. “I thought I could get Elizabeth to agree—but if she continues to refuse, it will be catastrophic.”
“Surely, we can get out of this agreement.” My hands and voice trembled as I looked at Father. “There must be something we can do.”
Father ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I do not know what your mother signed or how legally binding it might be—but if Lord Cumberland has a written agreement, he has every right to sue us for breach of contract. He can demand whatever sum your mother promised—and more. The legal battle and scandal it would cause could be the end of us.”
My throat clogged with alarm. I couldn’t agree to marry Lord Cumberland. I needed one more year.
“Adam,” Mother said to Father, breathing heavily, “I’m sorry.”
Anger and resentment flared in Father’s face—but when he looked at Mother, lying in bed, something broke in his gaze. What if she died because of this?
He turned to me, sadness weighing heavily upon his shoulders. “Libby,” he said. “I’m so sorry.”
My breathing became shallow as I stared at him, hoping and praying he would not ask me to do this thing.
“I don’t see any way out of it,” he finally said.
I swallowed as I frantically thought through my options. But I didn’t have many. There was only one reason I would agree to the engagement, and that was to save my father. ButI would demand we postpone the wedding for at least a year. If we did, I would be gone, and the contract would be nulled because of my death.
I closed my eyes, struggling to use my voice. “I will accept Lord Cumberland’s proposal—if you agree to let me postpone the wedding until next year.”
Father looked both relieved and dejected, but he nodded his approval, and then he looked back at Mother, contempt in his voice. “Did you hear that, Abigail? Libby has promised to marry Lord Cumberland after all.”
Mother’s eyes were open, and she nodded. “I did, indeed.”
I left Mother’s room feeling shaky and uncertain. I had lost my appetite and no longer felt like going on a walk, but I had to leave the house. Father had stayed with Mother to try to convince her to go to the hospital, and I wasn’t needed. I had done my part. Father would see to the rest.
