Page 61 of Marry in Scandal
“So what would you have me do? Walk away and let her face the slings and arrows of the ton alone? Damned if I will.” Ned’s hands were turning into fists. He shoved them into his pockets.
The ton was abuzz with rumors, and the wagers in thebetting book at White’s only underlined them. Marriage was the obvious, the only way out. What the hell was Cal thinking to treat his offer so lightly? All very well for him to talk of protecting Lily; by the looks of things he was preparing to throw her to the lions.
Cal ran a hand over his jaw and said ruefully, “I don’t know what to do, and that’s the hell of it. If it were up to me... You’re a good fellow, and you mean well, I know, but the women of my family are unanimous in opposing Lily’s marriage to you. The exception being Aunt Agatha, who simply wants the gossip silenced and would happily marry Lily to a troll, as long as he was well born and rich.”
Unanimous in opposing the marriage?Did that include Lily?
“You’ve discussed it already, when I haven’t even proposed?”
Cal gave a sardonic half smile. “Where Aunt Agatha is concerned I’m not sure your views even come into it. She informed Lily yesterday that she had no alternative but to marry you.”
Ned tensed. “And what did Lily say?”
“Not much. But the others made their views very clear. They are determined to prevent Lily from being forced into marriage with a man she hardly knows. And does not love.”
It was exactly what he’d been thinking himself, so why should Cal’s words annoy him so much? But they did. “Women are ruled by emotion. It’s your decision as head of the family, is it not?”
Cal snorted. “There speaks the carefree—and ignorant—bachelor. On such things my wife and the girls have very strong opinions—and I can see their point. My own marriage was quite unpromising at the start, but... Well, suffice it to say that having found unexpected felicity in marriage, I want the same for my sister.” He rose. “I’ll let you make her your offer, and then, depending on her answer, the family will decide how to handle this mess.” He moved toward the door but before he reached it, it opened and Lady Ashendon entered.
“Oh, I’m sorry, my dear, I didn’t realize you were engaged,” she said coolly. Ned took leave to doubt that. He was quite certain she knew exactly what had been going on.
“Mr. Galbraith, how do you do? So good of you to call on us. I was expecting you last week.” There was a hint of reproof in her voice; this was not the warm and grateful woman he’d encountered when he’d brought Lily home.
Cal gave her a significant look. “Mr. Galbraith has come to pay a call on Lily.”
“Of course. Please be seated.” She arranged herself on the sofa and patted the seat beside her. Cal took it. She angled a cool glance at Ned and, recollecting she’d been a schoolmistress, he sat on a chair opposite.
“You have come to make Lily an offer.” It wasn’t a question.
“I have.”
She nodded. “We have been considering the possibility—and our choices.”
He raised a brow. “Indeed.” As far as he was concerned there wasn’t a choice.
“I’ve already—” Cal began. She slid her hand into her husband’s and he didn’t finish his sentence.
“There is no need for you and Lily to be forced into a marriage, Mr. Galbraith. The scandal was none of your making, and you are both innocent of any wrongdoing.”
Ned watched as Cal stroked his thumb back and forth over his wife’s hand. A small, barely noticeable movement—neither of them even seemed aware of the quiet caress; it was something they both took for granted—and yet watching it, watching them, caused a strange hollowness in Ned’s chest.
She continued, “Indeed, you behaved quite heroically in saving her from an appalling fate, and we very much appreciate your honorable motives in being prepared to offer marriage to her.” Her smile warmed. “But there is no need for such a sacrifice.”
“Sacrifice?”
“On both your parts. If no scandal had arisen, would you be here now, preparing to make my sister-in-law an offer?”
“No, but—”
“Exactly. A scandal is temporary, but marriage is for a lifetime. We are Lily’s family and we will ride this scandal out together. To be sure there will be some initial unpleasantness, but that will eventually fade. Lily is an earl’s daughter with a handsome fortune. There will be gentlemen a-plenty willing to overlook a whiff of scandal for the sake of marriage with a titled heiress. So there’s no need for you to concern yourself any further.”
It was a clear dismissal, and he should have been relieved. Instead he was angry. This was the second time members of the Rutherford family had told him that Lily was none of his business, that he should take himself off and forget about it, about her.
Buttheywere the ones who had let her be abducted in the first place. He was the one who’d saved her and brought her home. And he was not to be dismissed with a pat on the head, like a schoolboy returning a stray puppy.
“How?” he asked. Lady Ashendon paused in the middle of rising, and Ned repeated his question, “How do you intend to ride out the scandal? What exactly are your plans?”
She settled back on the sofa. “Since the rumors are contradictory, and there were no actual witnesses, we shall simply ignore it and go on as usual. Eventually some other scandal will occur and the ton’s attention will move on.”