She whispered, “Your other wives died before you.”
He turned away.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she cried out, despairing over her own thoughtlessness. “I shouldn’t have mentioned that. Of course, you’ll die before me.”
But what a terrible thing. Mr. Hartwell, dead. She couldn’t bear to think of it.
His voice was without emotion. “If you accept me, you will want for nothing. I will provide everything for you, including ample pin money. As I said, your dowry would remain untouched.”
So, thiswasher proposal. All talk of money and death. Not at all how she had imagined it. But she’d never dared imagine it would be Mr. Hartwell asking for her hand.
Everything was so higgledy-piggledy in her mind right now. She must get some orderly picture of what her life would be like.Ashiswife. Even thinking the words made her heart thump wildly.
“Would I live with you?”
“As you wish. It might be best if you did, at first, in order to quell gossip. But after a time, you might want to live elsewhere. My home is in a quiet place, and you might find the countryside not to your liking. I could buy a house in town for your use.”
She shook her head. “Oh, no. No. I have no fondness for London.”
“Ho, there!”
The shout came from across the rose garden. It was Geoffrey, half-walking, half-running, his boots crunching loudly on the gravel. He arrived out of breath and bowed to Henrietta, pointedly ignoring Mr. Hartwell.
“I must speak to you, Hen. Immediately.”
She looked at Mr. Hartwell nervously before answering Geoffrey. “We are in the middle of an important conversation.”
“What I need to say to you is far more important than anything this—” Geoffrey’s lip curled in a sneer, “gentlemancould have to say to you.”
He seized her wrist roughly and pulled her away from Mr. Hartwell.
“Come along, Hen.”
As she trotted in Geoffrey’s wake, she gazed back over her shoulder. Mr. Hartwell stood, head bowed, a lonely, tall figure. As always, she felt an inexplicable tug in her belly towards him, a yearning to be close to him.
“Keep up.”
A wrench on her arm and now she was quite put out with Geoffrey and his rudeness.
“What is it?” she demanded.
“I am willing to marry you,” Geoffrey said angrily, still striding forward, his face red. “On the condition you give me your word you will behave with the utmost propriety going forward. Or there will be consequences.”
Henrietta bridled. She wasn’t a child to be threatened. Or punished. This was not how her father treated her mother, not how a husband treated a wife.
“And my father says if your father increases your dowry and includes the unentailed land next to the Ramsey barony, we can be wed quickly.”
She wouldn’t be Geoffrey’s honored bride, but a bargaining chip for money and land. She felt so dirty, just like the earth she was being traded for.
“And you must promise me you will make an effort with your appearance.”
Shealwaysmade an effort with her appearance. Even with all this tumult, she had bathed and chosen a pretty gown this morning, had sat quietly for Lucy to arrange her hair. But recalling yesterday afternoon, she knew Geoffrey meant something else.
“I should try to becomesmaller?” She used his own word deliberately. “I should try to look more like my sister?”
Geoffrey snorted. “I suppose Amelia is an acceptable size, and Ellen is all right from the waist up, but she’s far too big—” He gestured at Henrietta’s lower half.
Amelia was small and lithe, but she was barely thirteen! And Ellen was a beauty, already greatly admired even though she wasn’t out yet, sure to have many offers of marriage when the time came for her first Season.
