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Chapter 16
Returning that evening, Margaret and Jane tried to sneak in as best they could. Luckily, Pelham Downs was quite silent, and Margaret hoped that her father was still asleep in his study. As they crossed the hall, Margaret noted that light still emanated from the study, and she peeked her head in the door. To her great shock, her father sat there, entirely awake and eyes bloodshot.
“Come in, Margaret.”
“I… I.”
“I said… come in.”
Margaret turned to Jane, who looked equally as horrified. Jane nodded, signifying that Margaret must do as she was told. She quietly stepped inside and closed the door behind her, leaving Jane in the hall.
“I am sorry, Father,” Margaret said, dropping her gaze.
“Come and sit.”
As Margaret approached, she noted tears in her father’s eyes, something that she rarely saw. “I shall never do it again.”
“No, you shall not.”
“Jane suggested that we go to the dance, but understand that she did not force me. I chose to go.”
“And for that, you should be punished… by your future husband.”
Margaret’s heart ripped apart in her chest. This was the very worst outcome that she could expect. “I do not wish to marry him, Father.”
The viscount paused, the tears in his eyes now dripping down his face. “Now, I shall be the one that pleads with you.”
“Pleads with me?”
“Oh, Margaret, I cannot go on.” The viscount violently brought his hands to his face, his mouth contorted in despair. “This marriage must take place tomorrow. Darkmoor secured the special license. If you do not go through with this, Daughter, I fear that my debtors shall take my life.”
The viscount was now weeping. He brought his forehead to the desk in agony. Margaret had never seen anything like it, and it filled her with equal despair. Her father was finally showing her the depth of his pain, and it was too excruciating for words.
Margaret got up from her seat and came behind her father, placing a consoling hand upon his back. “There, there, Father. I am sure that no one will harm you.”
He elevated his head and gazed at her with fury in his eyes. “What do you know? You do not know of the threatening letters that I receive. I shield you from all of these things, do you not understand?”
Margaret removed her hand from his back and stood straight, her mouth dropping open in shock. Was her father telling the truth? Had it truly grown so serious?
She shook her head in dismay. “Perhaps… perhaps they are merely toying with you?”
“Merely toying with me?” the viscount spat. “What kind of nonsense is kicking around in your head, Child? They are not toying with me. They shall take my life whilst I am asleep in my bed!”
Now, Margaret’s horror caused her to step back even further.
“Father, I am frightened,” Margaret said, unsure of how to proceed.
“You are frightened? I am the one that is frightened. Daughter, can you not see that this now needs to be done with haste? Tomorrow morning we must set out. Lord Darkmoor is making all the preparations.”
Margaret had to steady herself. She felt tremendously off balance and did not know what to do. If only John were there! He would provide her with the support and comfort that she required. But for now, she must suffer alone. Oh, it was unbearable to think of the choices that lay ahead of her.
She walked around the desk and seated herself in the chair again, feeling her hands tremble. She could not bear to look at her father in the eye, so Margaret looked away, hoping that at any moment, she might awake from this nightmare. Sadly, in the silence that followed, Margaret was all too aware of the fact that this was real, and her father had presented her with the most frightening ultimatum that she had ever known.
Margaret brought her hand to her mouth and bit on her nails, causing the viscount to scold, “Don’t you remember your mother telling you never to do that?”
“I am nervous.” She removed the hand from her mouth.
“This is not the time to be nervous. This is the time to take action. Oh, understand,” the viscount went on, “It pains me to put you in this position, but there is simply no other way.”
