by Rose Pearson
Miss Weston swallowed and closed her eyes for a moment, a single tear running down her cheek. The noise of the guests, the music from the orchestra, the hubbub of conversation, it all began to fade from Philip’s ears. To him, there was nothing more than himself and Marianne.
“I do love you, Galsworthy.”
Her quiet words spoken to him alone, sounding to Philip as though they had been shouted aloud from one side of the room to the other, his breath catching in his chest.
“You know that I –”
“May I make an announcement, ladies and gentlemen?”
Suddenly, the noise of the ballroom returned to Philip’s ears with a crash, making him jerk violently. Marianne jumped also as they were both pulled from their joyous moment by the sound of Lord Henry’s voice. His heart began to beat frantically in his chest as the orchestra quietened, the voices around him dropped to a whisper, and Lord Henry climbed the stairs so that he might see as many guests as possible.
“My dear guests, how glad I am to have you all here with me this evening, on what is the most delightful of occasions,” Lord Henry began with a broad smile on his face. “This is a most special night, for this is the night that I have become the happiest gentleman in all of England.”
Philip dragged air into his lungs, all too aware of what the gentleman was about to do. He turned to look at Marianne and saw her staring at Lord Henry with wide eyes, the color draining from her face.
She understood what Lord Henry’s plan was but, as yet, there was nothing either of them could do to prevent it.
“Miss Marianne Weston,” Lord Henry continued, his voice echoing across the room. “That wonderful, beautiful creature, has agreed this very evening to be my bride.”
The crowd gasped and then began to applaud as Lord Henry inclined his head as though to thank them all.
“Where are you, my dear lady?” he called, his eyes searching for her amongst the crowd. “Do come and stand next to me, my love. Let everyone see just how happy you are.”
Blood roared in Philip’s ears as he looked at Marianne who was now surrounded by a group of ladies, all congratulating her and grasping her hands in delight. Her eyes were not on Lord Henry but on him, glistening with tears.
“Did you know this was to occur?”
Philip turned his head to see Lord Bridgestone bearing down on him, his eyes dark with anger.
“Did you know Lord Henry had asked her, Lord Galsworthy? And did you know that she had accepted him, intending to come here this evening and disrupt her happiness in one last, desperate attempt?”
Philip shook his head, gesturing towards Marianne, who was, somehow, being taken towards Lord Henry by the well-wishers who had surrounded her. Evidently, Lord Bridgestone had not heard Marianne profess her love for Philip and given all that had occurred of late, Philip could not blame the gentleman for being entirely confused. “Look at your daughter, Lord Bridgestone. Tell me if that is delight you see on her face. Everything I have told you is true. I may not have behaved in the way you expected and certainly I did not behave in the way Marianne deserved, but I came here to prove my love for her and my determination to make her my wife.” In truth, Philip was now not at all sure what he ought to do, given that his plan to reveal Lord Henry’s deceit and cowardice to the ton had now just been torn in two by what Lord Henry himself had done.
Lord Bridgestone frowned, but nodded. “You are quite right there, Lord Galsworthy. No, she does not look at all happy.” He turned his eyes back towards Philip and fixed his gaze onto him, forcing Philip to return the look despite his desire to keep his eyes on Marianne.
“You must stop this then, Lord Galsworthy. If she is to be yours and if you love her as you state, then ensure Lord Henry has no hold on her any longer. Let the ton see that it is you who is to marry her, not Lord Henry. I do not like scandal and this, I know, will bring a good deal of gossip with it, but it is better than a broken engagement.”
Awash with relief, Philip grasped Lord Bridgestone’s hand for a moment. “Thank you, Lord Bridgestone,” he said firmly before making to step away. “Have no doubt. I will set this all to rights.”
“And set Lord Henry in his place, I have no doubt,” Lord Bridgestone muttered just as Philip turned away to follow after Marianne.
Chapter Nineteen
“My dear lady.”
Marianne swallowed hard, coming to a dead stop just at the bottom of the staircase. Lord Henry was standing only a few steps above, holding out his hand to her, but she did not want to go to him. She had not intended to come anywhere near the man, in fact, but the ladies who had come to wish her well had, in their kindness, managed to force her feet in his direction.
“Come and join me, Miss Weston,” Lord Henry continued in a voice loud enough for almost all his guests to hear. The room had come to a complete standstill with every single face turned in Lord Henry’s direction. Marianne fought the sudden panic that rushed through her, turning desperately to see if Lord Galsworthy had any intention of coming to her aid. After what she had just heard from him, after what she had just come to understand, the last thing she wanted was to go anywhere near Lord Henry.
“Stop, Redmond!”
Relief washed through her on hearing Lord Galsworthy’s voice, seeing him striding towards her through the crowd. The guests opened up for him, their eyes alighting with wonder as they realized that something utterly sensational was about to occur right before their very eyes. Marianne was quite sure that this happiness was simply because there would be fresh gossip with which they might talk for several days, but she found she did not care one jot. All she wanted was to be freed from Lord Henry’s tightening grip.
“Miss Weston.”
Lord Henry’s voice was hard and, to her horror, she felt a hand grip her shoulder painfully, making her twist around to face him.
“Come, my dear, away from Lord Galsworthy,” Lord Henry hissed, moving his hand now to grasp her arm and half dragging her up the stairs. “We are to make our announcement and you, my dear girl, are to be filled with happiness at this wonderful news.”
“No!”
She tugged her hand away from him, eliciting a gasp from the crowd only to stumble down the steps from where Lord Henry had dragged her. Lord Galsworthy was there in a moment, his hands catching her carefully and tugging her away from Lord Henry. Blinking in confusion, Marianne saw her father dart up the staircase with a good deal more vigour than she had ever expected of him, forcing himself in front of Lord Henry and preventing the gentleman from following both herself and Lord Galsworthy.
“Marianne,” Lord Galsworthy said at once, turning her away from Lord Henry. “Is this what you want?” His eyes searched her desperately. “Do you wish to be freed from me? I know that there are so many things that have occurred of late, so many things that will bring you nothing but confusion and upset, but it has been Lord Henry’s doing and nothing more. I have longed to be by your side, afraid that your pain and confusion would turn you from me altogether, but I pray now that you will see the truth for what it is. I love you desperately, Marianne. I should have proposed to you long ago and I do so now.”
Again, a few gasps from the guests nearby met her ears but she did not react to them at all. Her eyes were filled with nothing but Lord Galsworthy her heart finally filling with the joy and happiness she had longed for.
“I understand everything,” she said, her hands finding his and holding them tightly. “I heard what you said to my father, Lord Galsworthy. I can see now that Lord Henry was determined to pull us from one another and I will not let him succeed. My heart is yours. You cannot know how much joy you bring me, Lord Galsworthy.”
His smile made her heart sing.
“Then you will be my bride?” he asked hoarsely just as Lord Henry managed to release himself from Lord Bridgestone’s attempts to block his way.
“Yes,” she replied, wishing she might press her lips to his regardless of the crowd. “Yes, Lord Galsworthy, I will
marry you.”
“No!”
Marianne gasped in horror as Lord Henry’s hand grasped Lord Galsworthy’s shoulder, forcing him to let out a cry of agony and twist away from her.
“No,” Lord Henry breathed as the guests watched on in growing horror. “No, Miss Weston. You have already agreed to be my bride. You will not wed Lord Galsworthy.”
Marianne stepped back out of his reach. “No, Lord Henry, I will not,” she said in as clear a voice as she could. “You have done your utmost to break apart the betrothal between myself and Lord Galsworthy, but I declare to you here and now, that you have failed.”
Lord Henry’s face darkened, his lips twisting into a cruel smile. “Lord Galsworthy rejected you already, Miss Weston. He is an ill man. You deserve better.”
“I am not ill,” Lord Galsworthy tried to shout, now hanging onto the staircase rail with one hand pressed hard against his shoulder. His face was haggard with pain, his colour gone. Marianne made to move towards him only for Lord Henry to step into her way. Her chin lifted. She was not about to allow this gentleman, this foul-hearted, despicable creature, to get the better of her now. Looking over his shoulder at her father, she saw him nod gently, clearly giving her his blessing in her choice to wed Lord Galsworthy. Relief filled her. Looking into Lord Henry’s eyes, she saw the darkness there, the malice and the deep, unrelenting arrogance that made him believe he ought to have whomever and whatever he wished. What he had done to Lord Galsworthy only proved his selfishness and cruelty, and she was not about to allow his deeds to remain unknown.
The thought hit her quickly and, moving as fast as she could, she hurried past Lord Henry and came to stand beside her father. Lord Henry turned back towards her, but her father, as she had expected, moved to her other side, protecting her from the man. Marianne looked out at the assembled crowd, aware that they were all quite captivated by what was playing out directly in front of their eyes. Despite the fact that she found their interest so intense, she forced herself to remain steady, knowing that this was the only opportunity she would have to set things to rights in as clear and in as concise a manner as possible.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” she began in as loud a voice as she dared. “Lord Galsworthy and I have been betrothed for some time, although it has not been known to anyone but our own families. Therefore, I am delighted to announce that, within the month, Lord Galsworthy and I will wed.”
A smattering of applause broke from the crowd.
“However,” she continued as Lord Henry attempted to move past Lord Bridgestone. “Lord Henry Redmond has attempted to ingratiate himself into our family and, deciding that he wished for my hand in marriage, attempted to gravely injure Lord Galsworthy so that he might be free to pursue my hand without any hindrance.”
A gasp of astonishment came from the guests with many immediately turning to those around them and beginning to discuss this new, astonishing news.
“He has spoken lies to my father and to myself,” Marianne finished, seeing Lord Henry’s furious expression. “I must warn you all to take care of your daughters, your sisters, your nieces, when it comes to this gentleman. Be on your guard and do not accept his acquaintance. His cruelty is quite beyond measure and yet see how stealthily he hides it.”
“You are speaking untruths!” Lord Henry shouted, his hands curling into fists by his sides. “I have done no such thing, Miss Weston! How can you speak such lies?”
Marianne made to speak, only for her father to hold up a hand, silencing both her and the crowd. Every eye was on him, seeing the grave expression on the gentleman’s face as he turned to Lord Henry. Even Lord Henry himself seemed to feel the gravity of the moment, for he swallowed hard and stepped back, his eyes darting from one side of the room to the other. Surely, Marianne thought to herself, surely, he must know that he is quite undone. Surely he must understand that there can be no coming back from this.
“I have heard you speak many words, Lord Henry,” Lord Bridgestone began, his voice quiet and yet seeming to echo across the room. “I believed you to be a gentleman of quality and yet I discover that you have not only supposedly proposed to my daughter, but that she has accepted you – and you have not once come to my door in order to seek my permission to do so.” Lord Henry immediately began to protest, but Lord Bridgestone held up his hand, silencing him. “Even if you state, Lord Henry, that my daughter accepted your proposal, I would never believe you over her words,” he continued, glancing back at her. “Which makes me question just what I can believe.”
Marianne put one hand on her father’s arm, squeezing it gently. To hear her father speak up in her defense brought such joy to her heart that she thought she might burst into tears right there in front of them all.
“You told me that Lord Galsworthy was unwell,” Lord Bridgestone continued, patting Marianne’s hand for a moment. “You told me that he was gone to his estate, leaving my daughter behind. Now, it appears, you have lied to me about Lord Galsworthy simply to try to secure my daughter’s hand.”
Lord Henry was, by this point, now looking rather desperate. His eyes were darting from one place to the next, his cheeks burning with a redness that spoke of shame. “No, indeed, I still believe that Lord Galsworthy is terribly unwell. I truly did believe that he had gone to his estate and I am, as you are, most surprised to see him present with us.” He shrugged, a harsh, guttural laugh escaping his mouth. “It was a simple mistake, Lord Bridgestone, that is all.”
Silence fell across the entire room. Marianne’s heart began to beat so loudly that she was quite sure the other guests could hear it, her stomach tightening painfully. Her father could easily accept Lord Henry’s words, believing that it was a simple mistake, or he could look past the excuse and see the truth of Lord Henry’s character.
“Tell me, Redmond,” her father said in a stern voice. “If you did not shoot Lord Galsworthy, if you had nothing whatsoever to do with the injury to his shoulder, then tell me this: how did you know exactly where to press so that Lord Galsworthy might be weakened with the pain of it? How did you know that putting your hand on his shoulder and pressing on it, as you did, would bring so much agony to him, turning him away from my daughter?”
Lord Henry’s eyes widened, his mouth falling open for a moment. He tried to say something, tried to find some excuse, but nothing came. The crowd began to mutter darkly, their consideration of his character becoming more and more apparent with every second that passed. Her father had made it quite plain to them all that Lord Henry was every bit the villain that Marianne and Lord Galsworthy had made him out to be. There was no excuse now. There was nothing for him to say in his own defense. The matter was closed. He would no longer present any sort of challenge to them.
To Marianne’s surprise, Lord Henry suddenly turned on his heel and ran down the steps, back into the ballroom. Shouting angrily at people to remove themselves from his path, elbowing some as he did so, he half ran towards the open French doors and scurried out into the darkness. Marianne stared after him for a moment, not quite sure what had occurred.
“A coward,” her father spat with a good degree of anger. “Nothing more than a coward. Good riddance to him.” Turning, he took her hands in his, his lips in a tight line and his eyes blazing with a deep fury that Marianne knew would take some time to dissipate. “I am sorry, my dear,” he finished. “I ought to have given you more consideration than I did. I thought Lord Henry to be a wonderful gentleman and now it appears…”
Trailing off, he shook his head, his frustration evident. “I should have done better for you, Marianne.”
“No.” She smiled and pressed one hand to his cheek for a moment, seeing the way his anger began to fade from his eyes. “No, Father, you need not berate yourself. You have done very well for me. Lord Galsworthy has proved himself to me in a way I could never have imagined. I love him most dearly, Father. More than I can express. I know I will be happy, settled and content, and what more can one wish for than that?”
&n
bsp; Her father drew in a long breath and patted her hand gently. “Go to him then, my dear. Go to your betrothed. I am happier for you than I can say.”
Ignoring the hubbub that the dramatic events had caused, Marianne pressed her father’s hand gently and then turned towards Lord Galsworthy. He had managed to rise, one hand still pressed to his shoulder. His hand was tight on the rail, the only evidence of his pain and weakness, but the love in his eyes was shining out towards her, filling her with a deep sense of happiness.
He held a hand out to her and she took it at once, a sigh of contentment leaving her lips. This was the end of what had been a terrible struggle. Their life together could soon begin, and Marianne knew that they would live a life filled with love, with affection, and with happiness. Her joy was complete.
Epilogue
“My dear lady.”
Marianne jumped and let out a squeak of surprise, turning her head to see Lord Galsworthy standing in the doorway of the drawing room, holding a bunch of beautiful red roses in his hand.
“Oh, Galsworthy,” she exclaimed, getting to her feet as he swept towards her. “Thank you. They are beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you,” he replied gallantly, handing them to her. She smiled up at him before pressing her nose into the blooms, their fragrance filling the room. A small sigh of happiness escaped her as she set them down on a nearby table, reminding herself to have the maids take proper care of them later.
“I have some news for you,” Lord Galsworthy said reaching for her hand. “News that I hope will bring you joy.”
She looked up at him, her stomach swirling with excitement. “Oh?”
“The banns have been called,” he stated, reaching for her hand. “I was not present, of course, but I have been duly informed that the parish is terribly excited about it all.”
Marianne smiled, her fingers twining into his. “Thank you, Galsworthy,” she murmured, thinking just how wonderful a gentleman he was. They had thought, initially, to marry in London, given that both of their families were here in town already. Harriet and Lord Bridgestone would be returning to London thereafter for the little Season. Knowing just how much it would mean to her to be married from her own home, Lord Galsworthy had insisted that they all make their way to Lord Bridgestone’s estate. The banns had been called there, as expected, which meant that in two short weeks, Lord Galsworthy and she would become husband and wife.