do.
“But Goddard has a marriage license. They’re not valid forever, you know.” Lord Teasdale paced to the hearth, muttering beneath his breath all the while. “Silly chit…doing a favor to Danby…strangle Stalbridge when I next see him…”
At that point, Mattie dared to look up at Lady Teasdale. The baroness was glowering at Mattie as she’d never done before, which was saying something. It seemed the only thing Lady Teasdale ever enjoyed doing with Mattie was glowering at her.
There was no point in continuing to look there. She glanced at Bea, who gave her a nod.
“If we choose to marry and the license is no longer valid, we can wait for the banns,” Mattie said patiently.
“ If you chose to marry? Wait for the banns ?” Lord Teasdale practically roared. “Just how long do you think I intend to allow you to remain under my roof and protection? Your brother said you would be biddable and do as you’ve been told. Beatrice, don’t you dare think you can behave as Lady Matilda is. Or Rose. Good God.”
She didn’t think he really wanted her to answer his initial question, and she had no intention of being biddable on this matter (particularly since Percy had never mentioned a word of it to her), so she remained quiet.
“What sort of man is this Goddard, if he would go against what Danby and Stalbridge agreed upon?” Lady Teasdale mused aloud.
“Another excellent point,” the baron grumbled. “Danby promised me Lady Matilda would be well and truly married, and no longer my responsibility, within a reasonable time after we arrived.”
Mattie couldn’t help but notice that there was no mention of Mr. Goddard making any promises within their complaints . Nor was there mention of Mattie doing so.
Danby had promised, and Percy had promised…but Mattie had never even been consulted about any of it. She was beginning to wonder if Mr. Goddard had been asked for his opinion on the matter either.
But then again, he had done as he was bidden to do. He had come with the marriage license yesterday afternoon, and she had no doubt he would have hauled her off to stand in front of a vicar this very morning if she would have agreed, considering the impassioned plea he’d delivered before taking his leave.
She couldn’t quite understand why he would care to marry her.
They didn’t know one another, and while her dowry was perfectly reasonable, it was far from exorbitant. She wasn’t an heiress or anything of that sort, so she wasn’t a lady whom a fortune hunter would seek. Her sisters were far prettier than she was, and for that matter, both Bea and Rose Emery were as well. Why her?
Yet, for whatever reason, he seemed fully intent upon convincing her to change her mind about Sir Lester and accept his offer.
“Papa,” Bea put in then, “surely it couldn’t hurt to allow Mattie time to choose one of these two gentlemen to marry instead of simply accepting a gentleman she doesn’t know in the slightest. She hasn’t rejected either of them, you know.”
“That’s true.” Lord Teasdale narrowed his eyes upon Mattie. “I’ll grant you one more week to choose.”
A week? But what if Sir Lester didn’t make her an offer within the week?
Thankfully, Sadler cleared his throat at the doorway at that point, saving Mattie the need to respond. “Mr. Goddard is here to call upon Lady Matilda, my lord.”
The baron never removed his eyes from Mattie as he nodded and said, “Yes, send him in. And a maid to chaperone . But not that girl Lizzie. The girl needs…well, I can’t really say what she needs, but I don’t want her interfering in this any longer.” Then he turned and walked out of the room.
Lady Teasdale and Rose both stood to follow him.
“I’ll stay, Mama,” Bea said, moving to sit beside Mattie and squeeze her hand.
Lady Teasdale turned and scowled at her daughter. “Very well. I’ll send a maid in with tea.” Then she took Rose brusquely by the elbow and hauled her bodily from
“But Goddard has a marriage license. They’re not valid forever, you know.” Lord Teasdale paced to the hearth, muttering beneath his breath all the while. “Silly chit…doing a favor to Danby…strangle Stalbridge when I next see him…”
At that point, Mattie dared to look up at Lady Teasdale. The baroness was glowering at Mattie as she’d never done before, which was saying something. It seemed the only thing Lady Teasdale ever enjoyed doing with Mattie was glowering at her.
There was no point in continuing to look there. She glanced at Bea, who gave her a nod.
“If we choose to marry and the license is no longer valid, we can wait for the banns,” Mattie said patiently.
“ If you chose to marry? Wait for the banns ?” Lord Teasdale practically roared. “Just how long do you think I intend to allow you to remain under my roof and protection? Your brother said you would be biddable and do as you’ve been told. Beatrice, don’t you dare think you can behave as Lady Matilda is. Or Rose. Good God.”
She didn’t think he really wanted her to answer his initial question, and she had no intention of being biddable on this matter (particularly since Percy had never mentioned a word of it to her), so she remained quiet.
“What sort of man is this Goddard, if he would go against what Danby and Stalbridge agreed upon?” Lady Teasdale mused aloud.
“Another excellent point,” the baron grumbled. “Danby promised me Lady Matilda would be well and truly married, and no longer my responsibility, within a reasonable time after we arrived.”
Mattie couldn’t help but notice that there was no mention of Mr. Goddard making any promises within their complaints . Nor was there mention of Mattie doing so.
Danby had promised, and Percy had promised…but Mattie had never even been consulted about any of it. She was beginning to wonder if Mr. Goddard had been asked for his opinion on the matter either.
But then again, he had done as he was bidden to do. He had come with the marriage license yesterday afternoon, and she had no doubt he would have hauled her off to stand in front of a vicar this very morning if she would have agreed, considering the impassioned plea he’d delivered before taking his leave.
She couldn’t quite understand why he would care to marry her.
They didn’t know one another, and while her dowry was perfectly reasonable, it was far from exorbitant. She wasn’t an heiress or anything of that sort, so she wasn’t a lady whom a fortune hunter would seek. Her sisters were far prettier than she was, and for that matter, both Bea and Rose Emery were as well. Why her?
Yet, for whatever reason, he seemed fully intent upon convincing her to change her mind about Sir Lester and accept his offer.
“Papa,” Bea put in then, “surely it couldn’t hurt to allow Mattie time to choose one of these two gentlemen to marry instead of simply accepting a gentleman she doesn’t know in the slightest. She hasn’t rejected either of them, you know.”
“That’s true.” Lord Teasdale narrowed his eyes upon Mattie. “I’ll grant you one more week to choose.”
A week? But what if Sir Lester didn’t make her an offer within the week?
Thankfully, Sadler cleared his throat at the doorway at that point, saving Mattie the need to respond. “Mr. Goddard is here to call upon Lady Matilda, my lord.”
The baron never removed his eyes from Mattie as he nodded and said, “Yes, send him in. And a maid to chaperone . But not that girl Lizzie. The girl needs…well, I can’t really say what she needs, but I don’t want her interfering in this any longer.” Then he turned and walked out of the room.
Lady Teasdale and Rose both stood to follow him.
“I’ll stay, Mama,” Bea said, moving to sit beside Mattie and squeeze her hand.
Lady Teasdale turned and scowled at her daughter. “Very well. I’ll send a maid in with tea.” Then she took Rose brusquely by the elbow and hauled her bodily from
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