AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well?” Mr. Atwood prompted.
“It’s the Marquess of Roth,” Lavinia blurted and then put on a tight smile.What have I done?
Mr. Atwood sat back and steepled his fingers, studying Lavinia carefully. “Is that so?”
“Yes,” Lavinia hastened to add. “It’s a rather new circumstance, and I didn’t want to announce it prematurely.”
“Prematurely?” Brows drew over those calculating eyes.
“By that, I mean that no official announcement has been made. We were going to do that during the upcoming house party.” Suddenly, all her lies were falling into place.
Lavinia was glad she had attended the ball, for if she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have known who to name as her sham fiancé. However, then she wouldn’t have locked herself to the arrogant marquess who happened to be Caroline’s cousin!
Couldn’t she have named someone else? Anyone else!
Her head was splitting from conflicting thoughts, and she placed her fingers against her temples.
“Hmm, that explains the secrecy. However, I find it rather strange that I do not see a marriage contract between you two, and I looked through all the documents in this study.” Mr. Atwood waved his hands at the surrounding books.
“Right.” Lavinia nodded, frantically searching her brain for an explanation that would suffice. “We didn’t have time… in fact, he only received my father’s permission the night before the accident. He-Father was supposed to speak to his solicitor the morning of… of…” Lavinia choked and closed her eyes.
“I understand. I did not mean to make you upset,” Mr. Atwood said in the driest of tones. “One more question if you please, and I shall not deter you any longer.”
Lavinia blinked up at him just as he extended her a crisp white handkerchief. Lavinia looked at it strangely before taking it. Did he think she was crying? Mr. Atwood didn’t pay her any attention, so she folded the handkerchief on her lap. It had a tiny rose embroidered at the corner, and Lavinia found it soothing to run her finger over the stitching.
“What question?” Lavinia asked quietly.
He drummed his fingertips on the desk and watched Lavinia with narrowed eyes for a moment. “So Roth did not mind that you have no dowry?”
Did he wait for her to disprove the fact that she had no dowry? Hadn’t she just told him that she indeed had none because of her father’s spending? Did the man think that was a lie? That she had a hidden treasure somewhere? She almost scoffed aloud.
However, there was more to Mr. Atwood’s interest, and she decided to be cautious with her answers. She crushed the handkerchief in her hands and answered in as composed a manner as she could, although her voice was shaking. “I-I am not privy to these kinds of details, I am afraid. This discussion was between Lord Roth and my father. But since I have not heard otherwise, I assume everything was settled.”
Mr. Atwood held her gaze for one long moment before leaning back in his chair. “Thank you. I do not have any further questions. I didn’t mean to deter you, but some things cannot wait.” He flashed a toothy grin. “You are probably tired, so feel free to… Well, have a pleasant night. I shall deal with your wedding plans accordingly. I shall need to discuss things with my… Lord Birch’s solicitor, of course, before any papers can be drawn. And of course, I shall call on Lord Roth—”
“Oh, but he’s already left,” Lavinia hastened to interrupt. “I mean… He said that he’d leave for his country seat with the light of dawn, right after the ball. For the house party. If you wish to speak to him, it’ll have to be there.”What are you doing, Lavinia?
“A house party?”
Lavinia nodded.Blast!Now he’d want to attend a house party with her. “Yes, we planned to announce our betrothal at the end… Although I am certain it’s in bad taste to do it while my father is ill—”
Mr. Atwood suddenly perked up. “Oh, you are right, my dear. There is no need for any haste. Surely Roth would not make an announcement without papers being drawn. Yes. Go to the house party. Enjoy yourself while I tend to things here… There is no reason for haste. After all, old Birch might wake up any day and walk you down the aisle himself. Wouldn’t that be splendid?”
Lavinia stretched her lips into a parody of a smile. “Indeed.”
Something about everything that transpired just now didn’t sit well. But Lavinia stood, curtsied, and left the study.
“Oh Lord,” she whispered to herself as she hurried up the stairs and toward her room. “What have I done?Whathave I done?”
Lavinia berated herself for the lie she’d told. She then berated herself for telling Mr. Atwood about the house party. There was a calculating glint in his eyes, and if his goal was to marry Lavinia off to someone Lord Birch owed money to, she was certain he would plot to do just that.
If she’d thought that getting married was a necessity before, now it had become an eventuality. She needed to marry and fast.
But whom? Certainly not Lord Roth.
She needed to speak to Annalise. If only morning would come sooner so she’d be able to call on her friend. Annalise would know what to do. She always did. She’d help her get out of this horrid situation. Because no matter what happened next, Lavinia wasn’t getting out of it unscathed.
Lord Roth would not marry her. That was obvious enough. But when Mr. Atwood found out that there was no betrothal, there would be hell to pay.
