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“I intend to honour the commitment I made last night,” he said, speaking slowly to give her plenty of time to absorb his words. “You are a kind woman and - and it was a misunderstanding…”
“But unfortunately, people won’t see it like that,” Marion added sardonically. Simon found himself smiling at her realistic outlook.
“They will not. It’s true,” Simon sighed. “But your honour is worthy of protection, and a marriage will do that.”
“It is hard to marry a woman out of obligation, only to save her honour,” Marion said quietly. “Are you sure?”
“Well, I have…certain needs,” Simon swallowed hard. “It can be a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
“What are those needs?” Marion asked, glancing at him with her dark, whirlpool eyes. They weren’t filled with any judgement or disdain, only curiosity and kindness. He wasn’t afraid to tell her the truth of his circumstances.
“I have been told, over and over, that I must remarry,” he sighed, looking over the deer park at the golden sunshine dancing through the trees. “That I must produce an heir. My mother is incredibly insistent.”
“You are the sole heir to a very important earldom,” Marion said softly. “It is only natural she should push you that way.”
Simon thought it was remarkable that she was being so charitable towards his mother, when his mother had nothing but choice words concerning Marion.
You cannot intend to truly marry her! What are you thinking? This is complete insanity—she is utterly unsuitable to become the next Countess of Reading! She is a nursemaid!
Simon pushed his mother’s voice from his head, trying to focus instead on what he wanted to do. No matter what his mother said, he would not abandon Marion. To do so was entirely contrary to his moral code. Not to mention, he felt an attachment to her. Something that made him want to protect her.
“I was sincere when I said last night that I had no intention to marry…but…”
Simon didn’t know how to say that although this situation would probably be his last choice, that she may be his best choice. Luckily, Marion was a woman of significant intelligence and could surmise his thoughts without him having to say it.
“But I would always help a friend in need and…we might be able to have a marriage of…”
“Of mutual convenience?” Marion finished for him.
He noticed the way she held back from pulling a face at her own words and he chuckled lightly.
“The words do sound…dreadfully pragmatic, I suppose?”
“They do a little,” she smiled tightly, “but I assume you know what I mean.”
“I do.”
They had reached a lovely part of the woodland on the parkland. Ahead of them, Eleanor and Nathan had dismounted and were walking their horses through the lush grass so the horses could slowly graze, both of them hand in hand. Simon and Marion followed suit but didn’t hold hands, awkwardly falling into step beside one another.
“Nathan says that you have desires for your own family one day.”
“I do,” Marion said, nodding slowly. “Though it feels strange to be speaking about it with you, I admit.”
“It is strange for me. too,” Simon confessed. “My first marriage was a love match. We did not have the organisation associated with an arrangement made by parents. Though they are, of course, not uncommon.”
“They are more uncommon in my level of society,” Marion said lightly. “No one is rushing to ‘make a match’ with a governess.”
Simon had not thought of that. He supposed that when there was no money available between people, then they would perhaps only match for love.
“Do people not marry for - for assets?” he enquired gently, not wanting to cross an inappropriate line or appear condescending, but it seemed important that they got to know one another. “Or just for companionship?”
“Yes, they do marry to form strong familial alliances, I suppose.” Marion nodded. “But I imagine that companionship would be all I could hope for in the future. That perhaps another servant might want to get married, have a family. Just as we are speaking now.”
“And would you be content with that?” Simon pressed, but not unkindly. It seemed important that they know one another’s positions. She already knew he would not usually accept a marriage of convenience, would prefer to honour Stella in his continued status as a widower, but he didn’t know what she would accept.
“Would you have declined a marriage of companionship in order to hope for a marriage of love?”
Marion didn’t answer. They walked slowly together, their footfalls almost soundless in the soft grass. Simon realised he was comfortable with her, that he felt as if he could wait for her to answer all day long. Her face was blank. She hid her emotions well when she wanted to, and Simon realised he could not see in her eyes what she was thinking.
