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I chuckled, rolling my eyes at his dramatic description. “You can’t judge a person solely based on their public image, Edmund. She may appear cold, but that could just be the way she looks on TV. She might be a wonderful person in real life. She might be nervous. You know how obnoxious the media can be.”
Edward, ever the peacemaker, offered his perspective. “Theo’s right. You can’t judge someone’s character from a few clips on the news.”
I appreciated my brothers’ jests and their supportive words. The truth was, I didn’t know what to expect from this arranged marriage, but I didn’t have a choice. I could go into it kicking and screaming or I could keep an open mind and make the best of it. I wanted to be happy and knew compromise was going to be necessary. She might not be the woman I would have chosen, but I was certain I could find some kind of common ground with her.
The tension at the dinner table was palpable that night. I looked around at my siblings, wondering who did what. Someone was in trouble. I knew it wasn’t me. I had spent my day going over a potential property purchase. I was a good boy. But something was up.
My father’s mood was unusually somber, his gaze fixed on his plate as he pushed his food around. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something significant was about to unfold, something that would change the course of my life.
He wouldn’t look at me. He wasn’t looking at anyone. Yesterday, he’d been excited and looking forward to the return to England. They were going on about opening the house and seeing old friends. Today, it was like they were headed to a funeral.
Unable to contain my curiosity any longer, I cleared my throat and decided to bite the bullet. “Dad, what’s going on? You seem upset.”
My mother sighed. Without a word, he reached for the remote control and turned on the television. The news anchor’s solemn voice filled the room as the screen displayed a headline that made my mouth drop.
“Nora Hansen, Eldest Daughter of Norwegian Royals, Flees Home.”
I couldn’t believe my eyes. Nora, the woman I was supposed to wed, had fled her home in Norway. Panic surged through me as I turned to my father. “What does this mean? What’s happening?”
I felt like I was a loser. I was somehow responsible for her running away in the middle of the night. Shit, I didn’t think I was that bad. My mind was spinning as I thought about the different fallout scenarios. I was going to be the loser that lost his match. She ran away from her crown and family just to avoid marrying me. That was a hell of a blow to the ego, but that wasn’t the worst of it. I wasn’t sure if I would get a match. Other families were going to avoid us like the plague. I was the throwaway Ashford. If I couldn’t find a match, Victoria, my sister and next in line, was fucked. She wanted to get married. Rather, she wanted to get into the Wed season and wear pretty dresses.
He sighed heavily, his eyes still fixed on the television. “Arrangements have already been made, Theo. We cannot let this situation disrupt the arrangement.”
“What does that mean?” I asked. “If she’s gone, how am I going to marry her?”
In my world, it could be anything. I might be pulled from the season. That would be humiliating. It would scar the family. I looked at Victoria. She was hanging on every word. This impacted her the most. She was looking forward to her season. If I didn’t get out of the way, she was going to be fifty before she finally got her chance. As it was, we were already behind the others. I was twenty-eight and not getting any younger.
“It means you will still marry, but it won’t be Nora.”
“You’ve already made an arrangement?”
“Yes. You’ll marry her sister.”
“Nora’s sister?” My brain was struggling to keep up with what was happening.
My father nodded, his expression stern. “Yes, Theo. Emilie has agreed to the match, and we cannot afford to break it like we did with Roman. The stability of our family relies on this union.”
“Emilie,” I repeated the name.
I knew of her, but I didn’t know her. But it was like she was the runner-up. I wasn’t good enough for the winner, but I was suitable for the spare. I wondered how Emilie felt about that. We were both kind of being treated like the leftovers. It didn’t matter if we made a great match. We just needed to make a match.
I felt a sense of duty and responsibility settle over me, along with a profound sadness. My future had been altered in an instant, and I couldn’t help but wonder what lay ahead. I had hoped to find love, partnership, and happiness in my arranged marriage, but now it seemed like those dreams were slipping through my fingers. It had zero to do with compatibility. They chose Emilie because she was the backup plan.
Ideally, when matches were made, the parents considered the people they were putting into a marriage that was expected to last until someone died. They didn’t put total opposites together. They knew better. In this case, I felt like one was just being replaced with another without a lot of thought about what was actually best for either party.
As the news continued to unfold on the television screen, I couldn’t help but think about Nora and the choices she had made. She had followed her heart, even if it meant defying tradition and duty. I couldn’t fault her for pursuing love and happiness, but it had consequences that now affected me. Roman and Anabella had followed their hearts and nearly got disowned. It worked out for them. Barely.
As I sat at the dinner table, digesting the unexpected turn of events, I couldn’t shake the feeling of resignation that had settled over me. My father’s words still echoed in my ears with the news in the background talking about the manhunt underway for the runaway daughter of royalty.
“Nothing changes,” Dad said. “Same family. Same everything.”
“Different wife,” I pointed out.
“We can’t have another failed match.” His tone was firm. I got it. I was stuck. It didn’t matter what Emilie or I thought. This was going to happen.
“I understand,” I replied, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside me. “I will do whatever it takes to make this match work.”
My father’s stern gaze softened, and he placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “I know this may not be what you expected, Theo, but sometimes life has its own plans for us. I believe you and Emilie can find happiness together, and together, you can strengthen our family’s legacy.”
