“I didn’t fall off my horse on purpose,” Henrietta stated.
“No one is questioning that, and we are most grateful that you did not injure yourself,” her mother said. “But the damage is done, and we shall have to deal with the consequences of it.”
“I intend to sell Piper at once,” her father stated.
Henrietta gasped. “You mustn’t!”
“A horse shouldn’t be so easily spooked as to upend its rider,” her father insisted.
“Piper is normally quite docile,” Henrietta pressed. “I would be devastated if you sold her.”
Her father frowned. “I will give Piper one more chance, but only because I know how much you love that horse.”
“Thank you, Father.”
Her mother reached for her teacup and asked, “Do you remember my cousin Deborah?”
“I do not.”
“I hardly speak about her because she is landed gentry, but I wrote to her and explained our prickly situation.”
Hesitantly, Henrietta asked, “Do you intend to send me away?”
“Good heavens, no,” her mother declared. “Why would you ever think that?”
Henrietta breathed a sigh of relief. “I am not entirely sure.”
“No, but we do intend for you to marry her son, Mr. Roger Drew, after Marjorie is wed, of course.”
Henrietta nearly dropped her fork. Fearing she’d misheard her mother, she asked, “I beg your pardon?”
Her mother calmly placed her teacup down. “Deborah wrote me earlier this Season and suggested that we unite our families through marriage,” she shared. “Of course, the thought of you marrying so beneath you was laughable at the time.”
“You wish for me to marry my cousin?” Henrietta asked in disbelief.
“He is your second cousin, dear,” her mother clarified. “That is a big difference.”
“Is it?”
Her mother nodded. “Of course,” she replied. “Besides, Mr. Drew does have a large estate in Kent and boasts an impressive income. You will not lack for anything.”
Henrietta glanced between her parents. “Do I have a say in this?”
“You do,” her mother said, “but we believe you will see the validity of our plan in due time.”
Her father cleared his throat. “We had hoped for you to make a better match, but that was before your scandal.”
“It was hardly a scandal,” Henrietta stated.
“It’s in the newspaper,” her mother said. “That makes it a scandal. Reputations have been damaged for far less. I just hope you didn’t hurt Marjorie’s chance at making an advantageous match this Season.”
Henrietta pressed her lips together. “What if I don’t want to marry Mr. Drew?”
“You must!” her mother exclaimed. “If not, you could end up as a…” she hesitated, “spinster.”
“There are worse things,” Henrietta claimed. “I could become a companion or governess.”
Her father humphed. “No daughter of mine will work for her income,” he said with a swipe of his hand.
