Page 62 of The Earl’s Inconvenient Nemesis

“He is only trying to do what he thinks is best for everyone,” Alice murmured, her cheeks burning.

“Without actually asking anyone what they want,” Sarah pointed out dryly. “Men,” she muttered.

“His idea is to marry you now that his mother has passed away. So that Charlie will inherit from him. He would have done it before, but he was trying to protect his mother from his father’s actions . . .”

“I can understand that, but if he had actually spoken to me about this instead of keeping it all bottled up, I would have told him in no uncertain terms that I have absolutely no intention of marrying him,” Sarah said with an exasperated sigh.

Just then Anthony returned to the room. His eyebrows shot up, he had clearly heard at least part of the conversation. Charlie followed behind him, clutching a book.

“Charlie, would you go and play for a little while? The grown-ups need to talk,” Sarah said.

The little boy nodded and left, clearly relieved to escape the tense atmosphere.

“Maybe I should leave as well?” Alice suggested, half-rising.

“I think it is important that you stay,” Sarah said firmly. “This rather affects you too.”

Alice sat back down, not knowing where to look.

Sarah turned to Anthony. “So,” she said, a note of steel beneath her pleasant tone, “Alice has informed me that you and I are to be wed.”

Anthony looked supremely uncomfortable. Alice opened her mouth to explain, but Sarah held up a hand. “It is quite all right, Alice,” she assured her. “You have done absolutely nothing wrong. I am very glad I have now been made aware of the situation so I may set the record straight.”

“It appears I should have involved you more in my plans,” Anthony said sheepishly.

“I think that would have been a good idea,” Sarah replied. “Would you care to enlighten me now?”

Alice watched as Anthony swallowed before speaking. “My thoughts were that now my mother has passed away and a respectable time has passed, we could marry. I would claim Charlie as my own child if necessary, or adopt him so he would inherit from me. But I believe I cannot.”

“What do you mean you cannot?” asked Sarah. “According to Alice you have got it all planned out.”

Alice tried to make herself as small as possible. This was mortifying.

“I thought it was the best option for everyone,” Anthony explained. “I had never truly considered marriage before. I suppose I had always assumed I would marry to continue the family line if nothing else, but who I was to marry I did not know . . . because the only woman I could see myself being truly happy with for the rest of my life hated me.”

Alice felt her cheeks turn bright red. Surely he was talking about her? His eyes met hers, intense and searching, before Sarah broke the tension.

“Thank goodness you saw sense before you proposed!” she laughed. “I have no desire to marry you and I certainly do not ever want to step foot on your estate again.” Sarah’s face softened. “Charlie and I are quite happy as we are. Thanks to your generosity we have everything we could possibly need.”

“But Charlie’s paternity . . .”

“Is not your problem to fix,” said Sarah, gently.

Anthony nodded. “You are quite sure you understand why I cannot marry you? I know it would make your and Charlie’s lives far easier. And it was what I had planned to do.”

“Yes. It would have been a very generous proposal, but a ridiculous one as I do not love you and you do not love me. It would not be right for me to accept. Especially when there is someone else you should be proposing to who will make you very happy.” Sarah smiled warmly at Alice. “I think I shall go and see what Charlie is up to and leave you two to talk.”

Sarah gave Alice a meaningful wink as she left the room. Alice did not know what to do with herself. Should she leave Anthony alone to think about what Sarah had said? He was standing with his arms folded, looking deep in thought. She could just sneak out . . . Sarah had been very clear. It did not sound as though there was any chance she would accept a proposal. Alice could not help wondering if this meant any change in his feelings about marrying . . . someone else. She knew he must have some feelings for her. The way he had acted toward her proved that. Now that he was effectively free of the obligation he had placed upon himself, could they be together?

Alice took a deep breath, readying herself to speak, but before she could, Anthony said distractedly, “I fear I have a business meeting I must attend, so you will have to excuse me.”

“I had better return to my aunt’s,” Alice said, hoping he would ask her to wait for him until he returned. He had said they needed to talk after all.

“Yes,” he replied. “I told her you would leave here after breakfasting. I shall call for my carriage to be got ready for you. I shall be quite content to walk, and no doubt the fresh air will do me good.”

Anthony bowed and left.

Alice stayed seated for a couple of minutes, trying to make some sense of what had just happened, until Wilson came in and announced that the carriage was ready. He offered to send someone to gather her things, but Alice thanked him and said she would do it herself. She hurried upstairs to collect Beth’s clothes. She would have to wear what Sarah had lent her back to her aunt’s house and have it returned later. She shuddered to imagine Aunt Jane’s face if her niece came back dressed as a maid.