Page 58 of The Marquess’s Forbidden Bride

‘Yes. Aldersby didn’t really harm me, and after pondering the matter, I’m not sure he intended to. He probably meant to frighten me and create a scene so compromising I’d be forced into marrying him. Which, I’m sure you know, I have no intention of doing.’

‘What will you do, then?’ Claire burst out, dabbing at her eyes with a lace handkerchief. ‘Only let Hart and I know what we can do. I feel so responsible! We brought you there. I promised my protection! Had I been at the ball, he might never have lured you away!’

‘Calm yourself,’ Emma said, patting her hand. ‘Your place was with Susanna. You can’t hold yourself responsible for Aldersby’s venal actions.’

‘I’m still wondering how you came to go to the garden in the first place,’ Claire said. ‘Surely not to meet Aldersby!’

‘That part is still a mystery to me as well,’ Emma said. Turning back to Charles, she said, ‘I had a note from you asking that I meet you there. Had you intended to come, and just not arrived yet? Perhaps Aldersby saw me slip away and followed.’

‘It’s more diabolical than that,’ he said grimly. ‘I sent you no such note.’

‘But…’ Emma paused, her brow creased in confusion. ‘It was from you! I recognised your handwriting.’

‘You’ll remember I told you I thought that Lady Routham would go to great lengths to revenge herself upon the family she holds responsible for her uncle’s banishment and premature death? She turned out to be more determined and ruthless than I could ever have imagined. I confronted her last night after you left for London, intent on discovering what part she’d played in creating the scene. There was no need to coerce the truth from her; she gleefully detailed her cleverness.’

‘How did she bring it about?’ Emma asked.

‘It turns out you were right about Loxley—weeks ago, when he saw us riding in Hyde Park. Apparently he went straight to Lady Routham with the news. She was furious, feeling I’d betrayed our agreement. Recall that sense I had of being watched at Astley’s and later, at Kew? She hired a runner to follow me every time I left my lodgings. She’d also observed Aldersby’s pursuit of you and decided his determination to wed you would be the perfect solution. When she discovered we were to attend Lady Telford’s house party, she recognised an opportunity to achieve the end she sought. She inveigled an invitation to Oak Knoll for herself and one to the ball for Aldersby.’ He shook his head. ‘So great was her perfidy, she even forged the note in my hand—she’d seen examples of my signature on estate documents shown her by her mother and had practiced against the need to use it. Having been informed by her friend Mrs Jeffries that we walked in the garden, she speculated correctly that if I sent you a note, you would meet me there, whatever the time. It was then the matter of a moment to send Aldersby in my place, arrange to invite some matrons to “take the air” with her in the gardens—and become witnesses to Aldersby forcing himself on you.’

Anger simmering in him, he concluded, ‘She said she cared not whether you chose to be ruined or wed Aldersby. She just exulted that the daughter of the man who had killed her uncle would be shunned as he was—and that the man who had stolen her brother’s inheritance, whose father had made her mother suffer by ignoring her devotion to forever mourn his first wife, would be deprived of the company of the Wellingford chit he favoured.’

Emma shook her head. ‘I could not imagine such a depth of malice.’

‘Nor could I or I should have better protected you from it.’

‘An interesting story,’ Lady Englemere said drily. ‘But what’s to be done now? For I know without asking, Emma, that you will never wed Aldersby.’

‘I won’t even see him, if he has the temerity to call,’ Emma said. ‘I think it best that I retire to Wellingford. Or better yet, stay with Aunt Felicia at Tricklebrook Cottage. If I’m not in London for gossips to ogle and speculate, talk will die down sooner.’

‘If you retire from London without wedding Aldersby, gossips will believe you lured him to the arbour with the promise of illicit caresses,’ Claire said. ‘That then, finally recognising the flawed nature of your character, he came to his senses and withdrew his offer of marriage. When an engagement is broken, it’s always believed that it was due to some fault found in the lady.’

‘What difference what they believe? I’m ruined, one way or another.’ She ventured a half-smile. ‘Not so bad an outcome. I didn’t want to marry, after all.’

‘Not so bad!’ Claire repeated, her tone furious. ‘It’s infamous! That Aldersby should be excused by Society for his vile actions, and you punished for what wasn’t your fault?’

‘It’s the way of the world—you know that, Claire. Short of wedding him—and I’d rather be exiled to the frozen steppes of Asia than do that!—nothing can be done to avert ruin. Even wedding him would probably be insufficient to redeem my character in the eyes of the many. Redemption being beyond help, what I want is make sure the scandal doesn’t harm any of you three or your families.’

‘I’m not worried for my position,’ Lady Englemere said. ‘My friends know my character and will support me. I expect the same is true for the duchess. And gentlemen—’ she gave Charles a rueful look ‘—are never blamed.’

‘Are you sure nothing else can be done?’ Claire asked. ‘Hart and I will support you, and I’m sure Lady Telford will.’

‘You suggest I should try to brazen it out?’ Emma shook her head. ‘That would only extend the scandal. Be honest. You know the behaviour Society requires of an unmarried, gently born female. Those who trespass the rules are never forgiven. I expect my close friends will still receive me—’

‘Of course!’ Claire asserted.

‘But few in Society would risk censure by accepting me. No, I shall retire to the country. I prefer it anyway, as you know. I think I will be quite content as a spinster, immersed in my flowers as I’ve always wanted to be.’

‘Englemere will settle on you the funds he pledged for your dowry, so you’ll not be dependent,’ Lady Englemere said.

With that sentence, the awful realisation slammed into his chest. Even Lady Englemere now believed the best, only option for Emma was to accept banishment from Society and retire in disgrace to the country. Permanently.

Marriage was the only way to salvage as much of her reputation as could be redeemed, Charles agreed. Much as she vehemently opposed choosing that solution with Aldersby, would she accept if he were to offer?

‘Are you sure banishment is what you prefer?’ Claire was asking Emma.

‘I’m sure. I’ll be content at Tricklebrook. And I hope you will visit when you can.’

‘I certainly will. You must visit us at Steynling Cross as well. I hate to leave matters this way, but if I can’t convince you to try something else…’