Always the Rival (Never the Bride #7) - Emily E K Murdoch Page 0,45

a woman one did not love?

“And why exactly would not marrying Miss Lloyd be difficult for the family name?”

If he could believe his own eyes, he would have said that his mother refused to meet his gaze.

In any case, she stared at her teacup as she spoke. “A broken engagement always looks bad on a family name.”

Charles laughed dryly. “Mama, it happens all the time! The society pages would be empty if there were not broken engagements and changes of heart to document!”

“Not in this family,” she retorted. “Not a single Orrinshire.”

“So, because, by sheer chance, it has not occurred in our family before, you will force me to marry a woman I do not love?” Charles could feel the desperation in his voice and knew his mother heard it, too.

She smiled sadly as she beheld him. “Love? Love. You think love is vital for a marriage, you think it cannot continue without it? Goodness, my boy, trust me – if that were true, most of the royal and noble houses would have died out years ago. My word, love!”

Until that moment, Charles had been relatively sure he would have been able to get his words out coherently, but this…

“Well, I thank you for your counsel, Mama,” he said calmly. “But I am of age. I do not require your permission, but I did seek your approval. I will speak with Miss Lloyd and her father this afternoon.”

But Lady Audley was shaking her head. “You may be of age, son, but you know precious little about the world. Almost all the dowry has been paid, and we need that money. The invitations have been sent. Guests even now are confirming their choice of salmon or game. You think you can just stop a ship when it is about to make port?”

“Those are details,” Charles said, waving a hand airily. “Details can be changed.”

“Oh, you think so?” Lady Audley smiled, and there was real affection in there – but also a little pity. “Charles, you do not even know what preparations have been made. How would you cancel them without help?”

He swallowed. It was impossible not to feel a little foolish at his mother’s words. If he had been involved in the first place, then he would have an idea of what had been paid and how to cancel the damn things.

She was watching him, and there was sadness playing around the expression on her face. “You are not the only one to enter an arranged marriage without…without your heart fully in it, but I must press upon you how difficult it would be to untangle all of this. Two weeks’ time is very little. And…and the estate needs that dowry.”

Charles shrugged. “Money can be found – I never keep much of an eye on the finances, I leave that to –”

“Me,” said Lady Audley sharply. “Perhaps you should write to the bank and ask for a few more details. I think it would change your mind, my boy, and show you a little more reality than you are ready for. Charles, wherever this fancy has come from, I beg you to leave it alone. Are you willing to go against all our plans, the agreement of your marriage, losing the dowry, all for nothing?”

“It is not for nothing – it is for Priscilla,” were the words he wanted to say, but he was wise enough to halt them before they reached his tongue. He knew how his mother felt about her.

Priscilla. Even the mere thought of her was enough to put a smile on his face. She brought him such joy, and at this moment, she brought him courage.

“I will write to the bank,” he said aloud. “And then we will end the engagement with Miss Lloyd.”

Chapter Twelve

Priscilla sipped the coffee, attempting not to burn her tongue. She failed, the scalding liquid pinching the tip of her tongue, and she quickly returned the cup to the ornate table.

She had never grown to love the taste of coffee. Tea, any leaf and at any time, was her preference. Coffee was starting to lose favor in London, but one could still hardly move for coffee houses, usually packed to the rafters with the fashionable and the elite, everyone raving about the intensity of the flavor.

Priscilla peered into her cup. She did not see the attraction.

She looked around the coffee house and smiled.

Her gaze meandered over the other visitors. In one corner, three giggling girls, almost certainly not yet out, sharing tidbits of