Margaret stared at him for a long moment, and then understanding came to her. “He said something, didn’t he?” she asked in astonishment. “He told you that the only way he would have me was if I got rid of the child. Doesn’t this tell you everything you need to know about his character? A man who would insist upon me going back on my morals for the sake of a marriage is not the sort of man I should be with.”
“I see this differently.” He shook his head. “I see a man who knows what is proper and good and will not compromise on his own ideals.”
“His ideals are wrong.” Margaret shook her head vehemently. “I will not do it, Father. I do not care what you threaten me with. I will not turn Penelope to the street for the sake of this man’s wishes.”
Her father clenched his jaw, frustration showing on his face. “You are being difficult without reason.”
“And you are speaking as though this is the only path open to me,” Margaret cried. “I know that is not so. Lord Waddington is not my only suitor.” The words were out of her mouth before she had taken the time to think them through. They hung there in the space between them both, and Margaret watched her father’s face turn stern.
“Are you speaking of the other young man who came to visit you the day of Lord Waddington’s suit? Because I cannot imagine that you would seriously consider entertaining any attentions from a lowborn such as Nigel Bateson.”
“Captain Bateson,” she corrected him vehemently, and yet even as she spoke Margaret knew it was no use. She was arguing about the attentions of a man her father didn’t respect, and beyond that, she had no suit from Nigel – it almost seemed laughable that she should throw his name into the ring when he had not done so himself, but she had to stop this runaway conversation. She felt as though she was falling over the cliffs of Cornwall, reaching out to grab tufts of grass to slow her descent. “Is this why you have made such a quick decision to marry me off to a stranger? Are you afraid that my affections will be otherwise engaged?”
“Perhaps,” Lord Somerville answered coldly. “But I must point out that Lord Waddington is not a stranger. His estate is near ours, in the same county, and we will be joined by the union. I’m doing this for your own good and to secure your future. I wish you would not fight me so strongly. You entertain romantic ideas about marriage and love, but a day is coming when you will see how thin the promise of romance is, and how much a man like Waddington can offer you.”
Margaret took a deep breath. She saw that she was losing the war, but felt she had to at least win the battle closest to her heart.
“Father,” she said, softening her voice and trying to be respectful. “I know that we disagree on this matter, but I am willing to be shown that I am wrong. Please give me time to think about all that has occurred. Please give me time to determine what is best for me and for Penelope.” She saw a smile cross his face, ever so fleeting, and knew that she was being pushed into a bad decision. “Just a little bit of time,” she added in a soft voice.
Her father let out a harsh breath of air and sank back down to his chair with a sigh. “You put me through so much for a simple request like that? Of course you can think about it, Margaret. Take all the time you need, and I’m certain you will come to the same conclusions that I have reached given some time and distance from this affair.”
Margaret took a step back, forcing herself not to engage in any further fight on the matter. She knew that her father was only humouring her, and hanging between them as she left the conversation was the unspoken truth that the matter was not really up for discussion. The decision had already been made.
Chapter 12
The next day Margaret had already made plans to meet Amanda at her fine London estate, but as she prepared to leave she kept looking at Poppy playing quietly with her doll in the corner of the room, and she felt a stab of unease about leaving the child