by Ayles, Abby
“That depends on how you intend to direct that boldness,” Natalie replied.
“I am hoping that I could persuade you to come into the side parlor with me,” he said. “I know where it is, although it has been some years since I have visited the house.”
Here it was, Natalie thought. Could it be that he was going to ask her of his own accord without any prompting?
It made her wonder what was going on in his life that he would be leaping through the steps of courtship so quickly. She knew why she was, of course, but what compelled him?
His estate wasn’t also held by Lord Pettifer, was it?
Oh, that would be the cruelest jest the universe could bestow upon her. Yet, she did not think so. It must be for some other reason then.
Louisa was standing to the side and watching them, her hands clasped nicely in front of her.
“If you will tell my sister where we are going so that she is aware, then certainly,” Natalie said.
She did not think that anything improper was going to happen. But better to be safe than to be sorry later. Mother had been fond of saying that. Bridget had taken it up after Mother’s death.
Oh, Mother. If only you were here now. There would be no need for any of this nonsense if only you were still around.
Father wouldn’t have turned to gambling. He wouldn’t have lost to Lord Pettifer. And none of them would be in this mess.
But really, what was the use in being upset over something as silly as a bout of pneumonia? What had happened, happened.
She had to focus on the now, which was the possibility of being proposed to by the son of an earl.
Lord Ridgecleff returned, with Louisa by his side.
“Very well,” Louisa said. Her voice was soft, as always. “I shall be just outside the door for if I am needed.”
The three of them moved off to the side, to where there was a door. There were many doors leading off from the large ballroom where the dancing was being held.
Natalie was not well enough acquainted with Lord and Lady Morrison’s estate to know which door led to which room. Many rooms were full and contained people sitting and chatting. Others still had food in them for people to nibble. A couple had pianofortes where people might play.
Lord Ridgecleff clearly knew the house more intimately than Natalie did. He led them straight to the door of his choosing and opened it to reveal an empty study.
“Lord Morrison has had me in here while we were writing correspondence, when I visited,” Lord Ridgecleff explained. He held the door open for her. “After you.”
Natalie entered and Louisa took up her post just outside the door.
It was commonly accepted that a proposal of marriage be done in private. Almost all things regarding romance were to be done in a private manner.
Natalie had often found this ironic, seeing as the courtship itself had to be public so that nothing untoward could happen between the two lovebirds before marriage.
Nevertheless, proposals were in general private. This was also because the lady had the right to refuse the proposal. No man had the right to demand that she justify her reasoning. If she wished to give a reason, she could. But she did not have to.
To be rejected in front of others could be a mortifying thing for any person. This was doubled, nay, tripled when it came to asking for the hand of a person in marriage. All of one’s hopes of happiness rode upon such a question.
Lord Ridgecleff closed the door behind Natalie and faced her. They were still some distance apart, as was proper. His face, for the first time since she had met him an hour or two ago, was no longer charming. He looked deathly serious.
Fortunately, it made him look even more handsome. Natalie was quite happy with her decision to say yes should he be proposing right now as she suspected.
Not that she had much choice in the matter but a girl could pretend, could she not?
“Miss Natalie,” Lord Ridgecleff said, “I know that this must seem extremely forward of me. We have known each other for barely an hour’s time. Yet I am about to ask you a most serious question.
“I feel it is only fair that you understand the situation at hand. Not to make too fine a point of it, but I am bound to arrive home in just a short while with a woman to whom I am either engaged or married. If I do not, my father shall cut me off from my inheritance.
“He has not gone so far as to threaten to disown me. That is a small kindness. But he will strip me of any annual income and my right to the title upon his death and bestow it all upon my younger brother.
“My brother, Edward, I know does not wish for this. He has always expressed a desire to travel as I have. I believe his heart lies in artistry and sketching, although I am not entirely certain.
“I personally do not wish to be cut off from my family home or my inheritance either. And so you find me here, being rather untoward and making bold assumptions to a lady I have just met.
“Your sister informed me that you are all also in dire need of marriage. I thought that perhaps we could come to an agreement and… not to sound dramatic, but, save one another.”
He looked remarkably earnest, his gray-green eyes boring into hers. Even had she not been in need of a husband herself, Natalie would have been tempted to say yes merely on the strength of his entreaty.
After all, when a rich, handsome man asks you to help him to save his fortune, how can a lady say no?
“You are right,” she said. “We are in dire need of marriage, all five of us. In proposing to me you would be doing me a kindness.
“If you were to propose, I would accept, and gladly. I would go to your father’s estate, as it seems you must, and would be happy to be on your arm and show your father that you have fulfilled his terms.”
Lord Ridgecleff relaxed a little. Tension went out of his shoulders and some of the lines around his eyes vanished.
“I am glad to have confirmation. I did hear from your sister—and I do trust her, I must say; she did not strike me as the kind of woman who would lie about something such as this.
“But I wanted to be certain. I did not want you to think me too forward or think that I did this often or without thought.”
“My lord, I’m sure you do many things, but none of them without thought,” Natalie replied with a smile.
“You would be surprised,” Lord Ridgecleff said. “But no longer. I must return to my father and prove to him that I am worthy of the title. Including having secured the future of the estate by marrying a woman with whom I can have heirs.”
Natalie nodded. “I understand.”
Lord Ridgecleff gave her a small, relieved smile. Natalie could feel relief bubbling up in her own chest. She wasn’t going to be the only one not engaged!
“In that case,” Lord Ridgecleff said, “Miss Natalie Hartfield, I hope that you shall do me the honor of accepting my proposal and give me your hand in marriage.”
“Yes,” Natalie said.
She could not help the giddy smile that overtook her features. She was to be married! She would be safe. Few would dare whisper about the wife of the heir to an earldom. And those who did would never do so to her face or to her husband’s face.
They were all safe from the impending storm. It felt like nothing short of a miracle.
“I’m afraid I have no token on me,” Lord Ridgecleff said. “Perhaps we can do one another the privilege of taking off our masks?”
Natalie laughed. “It seems only appropriate that a wife should know what her husband looks like at some point before the vows are said.”
She undid her mask, and Lord Ridgecleff undid his.
Oh, he was even more handsome once it was off. She could take in his fine cheekbones and the shape around his eyes. Before, with his mask on, she could only see him in parts. Now those parts all flowed together to make a cohesive whole.
He seemed to like her looks as well, from the way his jaw went a little slack and his eyes widened ever so slightly.
Then he seeme
d to remember himself. He drew himself up and cleared his throat. “I see that reports of you were not exaggerated.”
Natalie smiled, pleased as always with praise. “I’m afraid I have not heard any prior reports about yourself, but I’m sure they do not exaggerate either.”
Lord Ridgecleff smiled. There was still relief tinging that smile, but Natalie could also sense anticipation. “I shall quite look forward to getting to know you, I think. Mountbank has plenty to entertain a person.”
Natalie was already calculating the kind of balls that an earl might throw when Lord Ridgecleff went on.
“There is quite an extensive library. I myself have spent many hours there. There are more than enough books to hold the attention of anyone.
“And the grounds are quite lovely. I look forward to showing them to you—we might go walking often although I will often be busy with getting used to running the estate.”
Natalie felt like lead had seeped into her lungs, cold and hard, weighing them down. Walks? A library? Busy with running the estate?
“I suspect it will take me a bit of time to get used to being in charge,” Lord Ridgecleff continued. “You shall have to amuse yourself a bit. But with the surrounding grounds and the library I am certain you will not feel a moment’s boredom.
“My younger sister will be there as well, Emma. She will be happy to have another woman about with whom she can converse.”
Natalie’s throat felt tight. She quite suddenly wished to scream. Amuse herself? With no one but one young girl for companionship?
It seemed that she had greatly miscalculated Lord Ridgecleff. All his talk of the Continent and all that he had seen and done there and he was just the same as the others!
What on earth was she going to do? She was his salvation and he was hers. She could not simply walk away now.
Even if she had not been in dire need of a husband, to walk away from a man who so clearly needed her help would have been the lowest.
And she did need him. She needed him to save her from scandal and life as an old maid.
Natalie swallowed down the hurt and frustration. She had been nothing short of ecstatic a moment ago. Now that was all fading.
But you are engaged, she told herself. You are engaged, and safe. Nothing can take that away from you. If nothing else, she was now equal to her sisters.
“We must inform Bridget,” she said, desperate for something to say. “She will want to know.”
“Yes, that is only fair. She seemed most anxious for all of you.” Lord Ridgecleff placed his mask back on. Natalie did the same.
He offered his arm to her. That would start people talking if nothing else. Natalie did not mind for she was certain that Bridget would want the engagement known as soon as possible. She would probably take pains to make sure people knew at this very ball that night.
Engagements had to be properly announced in the papers. The ‘banns’, that is, the announcement of the wedding, had to be read in the local church for a certain number of weeks before the marriage. But it was not uncommon for another official but verbal announcement to be made at a large gathering.
A large and prestigious masquerade ball such as this would be the perfect time for an engagement to be announced. Or, rather, given the size of the crowd it could not be announced, for there were too many people. Rather it would be made known.
Nobody would know that she and Lord Ridgecleff had only just met. Both of them were well acquainted with Lord and Lady Morrison. It was quite feasible that they had been meeting in smaller settings through them before now.
As they exited the room, to Natalie’s surprise, Louisa was not there.
“That is odd,” she said aloud.
She craned her head about to try and find her.
“Where has your sister got to?” Lord Ridgecleff wondered.
“That is what I am wondering. She is not distracted easily and she knew what was at stake.” Natalie could not see Louisa anywhere.
Then she stopped and listened to what the people around her were saying.
“Yes, they met in London.”
“I should not have let a sister of mine get to know such a man.”
“You know not of what you are saying. He is rich to be sure, and have you not seen Whitefern? It is a splendid estate.”
“I must admit I would not have thought the youngest to be engaged so soon. If only because she has never said but two words together.”
“She goes and hides during balls, of course only in London would she find a husband.”
“He is just as withdrawn as she is. Quite little is known about him. He all but disappeared for a few years, you know?”
“Rebuilding his family’s fortune overseas is what I heard.”
Natalie tried to puzzle it out. Of whom were they speaking? Had someone else gotten engaged and was announcing it tonight? It made sense. This was a large gathering, perhaps overlarge according to some.
Elizabeth had been going about telling everyone and anyone who would listen about her engagement. Natalie supposed that someone else was doing the same.
“Natalie!”
She turned just in time to see none other than Elizabeth, clad in her daring red dress, hurrying towards her. Elizabeth was one of the few redheads that Natalie knew who could actually pull off a red dress.
“Have you heard? Where have you been? Everyone is aflutter!” Elizabeth all but skidded to a stop in front of her.
“Heard what?” Natalie asked.
“It seems that some exciting news has broken while we were making some news of our own,” Lord Ridgecleff observed.
“It’s Regina!” Elizabeth burst out. “Natalie, she’s engaged! She met a man in London—you won’t believe who—the Duke of Whitefern! You remember him, I thought he had feelings for Bridget, but it turns out he is quite head over heels for Regina!”
Regina? Engaged? To a duke?
Natalie’s chest felt far too tight and it had nothing to do with her corset. Her youngest sister had just outpaced them all.
Quiet, shy, stuttering Regina. Regina who either said nothing or blurted out the wrong thing.
Engaged to a duke!
“He proposed tonight,” Elizabeth went on. “But they have been courting all while she was in London. And she told Bridget very little of it!
“Bridget is interrogating him as we speak. I thought it might be out of pity or something, but he seems to truly be in love with her. You ought to see the way he looks at her, Natalie. And she simply adores him, you can tell.”
Natalie wanted to throw up. “Oh but of course, she is interrogating him. Nothing is good enough for precious Regina.”
Her bitterness must have shown in her tone, for Elizabeth drew herself back a little in surprise. “Oh. I—well, yes. She is very protective of her. But is this not astonishing? And very good news. Now we shall all be engaged.”
Elizabeth paused, realizing what she had said. “That is, I am certain that you shall soon be, as well.”
“As a matter of fact, I am,” Natalie retorted. She indicated Lord Ridgecleff. “Elizabeth, if I may introduce my fiancé, Lord Ridgecleff, heir to the earldom of Mountbank.”
It no longer mattered in that moment whether or not she would be bored to tears at Mountbank. It was no longer a concern that she would be unhappy in this marriage. All that mattered was that she would not be the only Hartfield sister without a husband.
She would not be outdone. She, the most beautiful and vivacious, the one that all the men praised! She would not be shown up by, of all people, her awkward baby sister.
“Oh.” Elizabeth quickly curtsied. “It is a pleasure to meet you, my lord.”
“I hear congratulations are in order,” Lord Ridgecleff said. He either did not notice or was choosing to ignore the almost-spat that the two sisters had gotten into. “For I believe you are engaged?”
“Yes, it shall be in the Monday papers,” Elizabeth said. She blushed—actually blushed. Natalie had neve
r seen Elizabeth do that before.
“He is not the son of an earl, nor a duke, but he is a right and honorable man. And dear to me.”
It was not a flowery speech by any means. But coming from Elizabeth, who turned to insults far more easily than she did praise, it was as good as a sonnet.
She must truly love him, Natalie thought. Well, good for Elizabeth. Marrying for love. If only Natalie should be so lucky.
But she couldn’t back out now. Not when even Regina was engaged. None of them had expected Regina to find a husband in all this debacle.
There were a few reasons for this. The first was that Regina was the youngest. For the youngest to be married before the oldest was quite concerning.
The second was that Regina was still young. Too young in the eyes of some men. She could take another season before she had to marry.
The third was that not even Bridget, Natalie thought, expected Regina to be able to win over a man enough for him to propose marriage to her.
It seemed that all of them had been mistaken on that count.
Now Natalie had to salvage her pride somehow. And the ticket to that was the man standing beside her. The heir to an earldom.
“Come,” Elizabeth said. “If you are engaged, we must tell Bridget at once. She will be quite relieved.”
“Of course.” Natalie hoped that Regina would be there as well so that she might see that her middle sister was doing quite well for herself too. “Lead on.”
She squared her shoulders. She was not to be outdone. She would hold her head high in this.
Chapter 10
Elizabeth led them through the ballroom and into the library. As they moved through the room, a few people commented to their neighbor on Natalie being on Lord Ridgecleff’s arm.
Natalie always looked at them directly and said, “Good evening! I don’t suppose you have met my fiancé yet, Lord Ridgecleff?”
That always startled them and then the whispers would turn into a flurry. Ha. By the time she finished speaking with Bridget the entire assembly would know of Natalie’s engagement.
Inside the library, Natalie found to her surprise that it was not just Bridget there. All of her sisters were assembled, and some others besides.