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“How did you manage to send so many letters to the correct location when the most important ones went to another?” he asked.

She pressed her lips together with impatience. “Honestly, Charles. How am I to keep all of your and Tristan’s friends straight? There are at least a dozen of them.”

“There are seven of us. Two of whom you’ve birthed.”

She waved a passive hand before her. “You cannot blame me for mixing them up every now and again.” She lowered her voice. “Especially when you live as a vagabond.” She straightened, then smiled reassuringly at the Oakleys. “At any rate, the letters were sent, that is what is most important.”

She was mad. That was all there was to it. Honestly, he wouldn’t put it past her to have sent the letters to the wrong place on purpose.

“What exactly did you write in these letters anyway?”

“Well, there were three, to be exact.” She raised her fingers, counting them out. “In the first, I told you that the Oakleys”—she paused sending an affectionate smile at Miss Oakley—“had agreed to the marriage upon your acceptance.”

“My alleged acceptance,” he inserted.

“In the second,” she continued, ignoring his words, “I informed you that Mr. Oakley had, indeed, managed to procure a special license. And in the third, I told you of our shared desire to maintain discretion. That no one should hear of the marriage until after it had been accomplished, and that the union should be discussed with those around us as a happy one.”

Charles stared. “So your intention was to lie to everyone we know?”

“Not lie,” Mother said with a quick settling smile in Mr. Berryman’s direction. “Our intention was to keep you and Miss Oakley safe from gossip by ensuring everyone that yours was a marriage of joy. At any rate, we did not believe that would be a stretch, due to your good-natured response.”

Charles walked about the room, pacing back and forth and running his fingers through his hair. “Did you not question my supposed acceptance when I did not respond to the others?”

“You are not exactly prompt with your correspondence, son,” Father piped in. “In truth, you very rarely respond at all.”

Charles glanced at the others, heat rushing over his cheeks. Mr. Oakley hardly seemed impressed, Miss Oakley remained unchanged, and Mr. Berryman, once again, didn’t look surprised.

Nothing like his parents airing out their grievances in front of all the world to see. It wasn’t Charles’s fault he couldn’t keep up with all of Mother’s letters. Especially when more than half of them begged to introduce women to him.

Little did he know his lack of correspondence would lead to his mother arranging a marriage for him.

He blew out a large puff of air. This was too much. It was all too much. He needed fresh air. Space to move. Somewhere without six sets of eyes on him.

“Charles,” Mother said softly, seeming to sense his overwhelm, “all of this letter business hardly matters now.”

“It most certainly does matter,” he stated, refusing to be mollified. “For everyone who expects the marriage will now surely be disappointed.”

The silence grew so thick, Charles couldn’t move now if he tried.

“Disappointed,” Mr. Oakley said. “You mean to say you have no intention of marrying my daughter?”

Charles straightened. “No, sir. I do not.”

Mr. Oakley took an abrupt step forward, but Charles stood his ground. Before the man could move any closer, however, Miss Oakley’s hand shot forward, staying her father’s advancement.

“Father, a word?”

Chapter Four

With sure steps, Marie pulled her father to the far side of the room, acutely aware of Mr. Charles Shepherd doing the same with his own parents so there was no chance of overhearing either conversation.

Mother remained beside the vicar, standing in silence with an unbothered smile, just like always.

“The audacity of the man,” Father grumbled as she faced him. “To imagine he believes he can simply escape this union by his own miscommunication. It is unthinkable.”

Marie nodded, soothingly. “I know, Father. But we must maintain our dignity. His parents are our friends, first and foremost.”

“Yes, but how can I remain calm after he insults you so?”