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“You should have asked to leave. How could you be so dimwitted as to go and lay down in another’s bedchamber…?” He went on in a similar vein for their entire journey. Only when the carriage pulled up outside of their house did his words pause long enough for there to be a minute of peace.
Marina jumped down from the carriage, not waiting for the footman to open the door for her. Her father followed then Ruth. They climbed the steps of the house and hurried inside where standing candelabras had been lit, ready for their return home. Marina made a beeline for the stairs, wishing to escape to her chamber, but her father caught up with her and snatched her hand.
“Marina… you cannot go to bed yet.” His voice was dark. “Do you not see what you have done to yourself tonight?”
“It was not intentional,” she lied, her eyes glancing at her mother who crept into the hall, still sniffing and trying to stop her tears. Marina rather wondered if Ruth suspected the truth; that it had been completely intentional. “Let the dice fall where they may, Father. I’m prepared to see my name in the scandal sheets tomorrow, and I’m prepared to read the lies. Now, I shall retire for the night.”
She pulled her hand out of his grasp and walked up the stairs, but she only managed two steps before he spoke, calling her to stop.
“You think it is that easy to see one’s name in the scandal sheet?”
She glanced back, seeing his jowls shake with the words.
“You will be ruined for this. Lord Rutherford… He is a man of pride and standing. He chose you not just for your dowry nor this family’s position but for your impeccable reputation. Do you not think he will have something to say on this matter?” He gestured toward her, his nose curling a little.
Never had Marina felt so small in her father’s eyes than at that condescending look. He had been the least loving of her parents as she had grown, there was no denying that, but he was ultimately a practical man, and that practicality ruled everything else. He had bound her hand to Lord Rutherford’s as if she were a prize cow to be sold off. Now, he merely worried about reputation and nothing else.
“I do not care what Lord Rutherford thinks.” Her voice was strong as she glared back at her father. “I am retiring. Goodnight to you both.” With these final words, she turned and hurried up the stairs. As she reached for her chamber, one question lurked in her head.
I pray he ends our betrothal now.
CHAPTER4
“Ihave apologized, many times,” Marina reminded her father, trying to adopt a gentle voice as she poked at her breakfast, finding she could summon little appetite. At the head of the table, her father glared at her, before turning his eyes down to his plate.
Ruth said nothing. She kept her focus purely on her teacup and had barely glanced at Marina as she had entered the room and taken her place between them.
“Mother.” Marina slowly faced her mother. “Please, talk to me? I am truly sorry –”
“Your mother is despairing as am I.” Joshua’s words had Marina freezing with her hand tightening around her fork.
“Can she not speak for herself?” Marina asked, keeping her eyes on her mother. Ruth glanced up briefly before returning to blowing on her hot tea again. Clearly, she did not wish to risk Joshua’s temper by speaking at this moment. “Father, will you not accept my apology?” Marina asked, turning to face him.
“I accept your reasoning,” he said with a heavy voice, scratching his temple. “Yet the outcome is disastrous. The choice you made last night was a fool’s decision. You should have never gone exploring Lord Frampton’s house on your own.”
Marina gulped and turned to the plate, prodding at the fish and making it flake. The scent of smoked fish and lemon filled the air, yet she could not bring herself to eat. She had not realized how much her parents’ disappointment in her would cut into her heart.
Before anymore could be said between them, there was a knock at the dining room door.
“Enter!” Joshua called. His tone of voice even with the staff was brasher and curter than it usually was.
The butler appeared around the door with a silver card tray in his hand. He avoided looking his master in the eye but hurried over, proffering the silver tray forward.
“The scandal sheet you asked for, My Lord, and… a letter. It was delivered by a man from Baron Rutherford’s estate.” The butler’s words had them all exchanging glances around the table. At last, Ruth had lost interest in her fascination with the teacup, and Marina managed to fork a mouthful of fish into her mouth, just to stop herself from asking what was in the letter.
Joshua snatched both items out of the card tray and issued a hurried thanks to the butler, sending him on his way with a sharp wave. As the door closed behind the butler, Joshua tore open the letter first, breaking the Baron’s red wax seal.
Marina paused chewing, leaning forward with her elbows on the table as she watched Joshua’s reaction. In her mind’s eye, she was thinking of the last time Baron Rutherford had come to call on her. He’d been so forward, so intent on talking to her about their first night together, it made her skin crawl. At one point, she had tried a normal conversation to see if they’d had anything in common, yet the Baron had made it clear he did not appreciate the style of her conversation.
When she spoke of art and how she admired it, he belittled her, saying the creative world was utter nonsense. She had tried to see if the theatre pleased him any better, yet he had laughed at her, calling her a fool for enjoying such mindless entertainment. He preferred his books and never read fiction.
We would be miserable together.
Marina watched her father with bated breath as his pudgy cheeks turned bright red. His nostrils seemed to flare, and she could have sworn the heavy bags beneath his eyes that showed his tiredness seemed to grow deeper.
He moved slowly at first, dropping the letter down on the table. In a surprisingly calm voice, he revealed what was in the letter.
“He has called off your betrothal.”
