diminishing a bit as he studied the obviously uneasy young man before him. “I pride myself on being able to sketch a man’s character, and from our first meeting, I believed you to be a gentleman. If there is any explanation for your behaviour, I am ready to listen to it now.”
William sat down wearily, dropped his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes. He was not used to sharing his personal affairs with anyone, certainly not a perfect stranger. Nevertheless, he admired Mr. Bennet’s determination to protect his daughter, just as he had always tried to protect Georgiana. They were kindred spirits in that regard and it pained him that Mr. Bennet might think him less than honourable in his intentions towards Elizabeth. Having resolved the issue in his heart, he lifted his head. “I will tell you the situation regarding my marriage, if you will swear never to reveal a word of it to anyone. You have to understand that this is very difficult for me, as I love my parents, flawed though they were.”
“You have my word as a gentleman.”
Swallowing the lump in his throat, William began. “A little over two years ago, before my father died, I was in London with him. One afternoon while I was at my club, I received a summons to an unfamiliar address, ostensibly to assist my father. When I arrived at this townhouse, I found him being treated by a physician for a sudden heart ailment. The house belonged to a widow, Lady Gisela Grantham, with whom I was familiar. I met her about six months before at a dinner party, where she was brazen enough to follow me onto a balcony and suggest we have an affair. I refused but she would not take no for an answer. She began to appear wherever I happened to be—dinner parties, the opera, even Hyde Park—and repeated her offer. That was when I realised that I had to be blunt. I told her plainly that I could never be interested in someone like her, and she was the last woman in the world I would bed. Apparently, she had decided to retaliate against me by seducing my father. I had him transported to our townhouse as soon as it was feasible, and when he was able to travel, I took him home to our estate, Pemberley, in Derbyshire.
“A little over a month later, this woman had the audacity to come to Pemberley. Luckily, I was able to intercept her and direct her into the study where she informed me that she was carrying my father’s child. She demanded that I marry her or she would see to it that my mother learned of the paternity of the child. At that time, my mother was in very ill health and would likely not have survived this revelation. I also had the welfare of a twelve-year-old sister to consider. After discussing the matter with my father, I was told that the child could indeed be his. Thus, I felt I was left with no choice but to purchase her silence with marriage, howbeit a marriage in name only.
“Three months after the marriage, my father’s weakened heart failed and he died, and my mother expired shortly thereafter. By then it was obvious that Gisela was not with child, so I instructed my solicitor to begin drawing up the documents to annul the marriage. That was when she produced a letter written by my mother that would seal my fate.”
William stood quickly, moving to the windows to stare out into the gardens as he continued. “I was shown only an excerpt, but I recognised her handwriting. How Gisela could have come into possession of it is a mystery.” He hesitated, his voice barely discernable. “Nothing that I will relate to you now can change the fact that my mother was the most gentle, kind and godly person I have ever known. She put her family’s needs above her own, and I will always revere her memory.” Looking over his shoulder, he saw Mr. Bennet nod so he continued.
“Before my father’s death, he spoke to me of his relationship with my mother, including the miscarriages she had suffered. He credited his fear that she would perish if she had another
William sat down wearily, dropped his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes. He was not used to sharing his personal affairs with anyone, certainly not a perfect stranger. Nevertheless, he admired Mr. Bennet’s determination to protect his daughter, just as he had always tried to protect Georgiana. They were kindred spirits in that regard and it pained him that Mr. Bennet might think him less than honourable in his intentions towards Elizabeth. Having resolved the issue in his heart, he lifted his head. “I will tell you the situation regarding my marriage, if you will swear never to reveal a word of it to anyone. You have to understand that this is very difficult for me, as I love my parents, flawed though they were.”
“You have my word as a gentleman.”
Swallowing the lump in his throat, William began. “A little over two years ago, before my father died, I was in London with him. One afternoon while I was at my club, I received a summons to an unfamiliar address, ostensibly to assist my father. When I arrived at this townhouse, I found him being treated by a physician for a sudden heart ailment. The house belonged to a widow, Lady Gisela Grantham, with whom I was familiar. I met her about six months before at a dinner party, where she was brazen enough to follow me onto a balcony and suggest we have an affair. I refused but she would not take no for an answer. She began to appear wherever I happened to be—dinner parties, the opera, even Hyde Park—and repeated her offer. That was when I realised that I had to be blunt. I told her plainly that I could never be interested in someone like her, and she was the last woman in the world I would bed. Apparently, she had decided to retaliate against me by seducing my father. I had him transported to our townhouse as soon as it was feasible, and when he was able to travel, I took him home to our estate, Pemberley, in Derbyshire.
“A little over a month later, this woman had the audacity to come to Pemberley. Luckily, I was able to intercept her and direct her into the study where she informed me that she was carrying my father’s child. She demanded that I marry her or she would see to it that my mother learned of the paternity of the child. At that time, my mother was in very ill health and would likely not have survived this revelation. I also had the welfare of a twelve-year-old sister to consider. After discussing the matter with my father, I was told that the child could indeed be his. Thus, I felt I was left with no choice but to purchase her silence with marriage, howbeit a marriage in name only.
“Three months after the marriage, my father’s weakened heart failed and he died, and my mother expired shortly thereafter. By then it was obvious that Gisela was not with child, so I instructed my solicitor to begin drawing up the documents to annul the marriage. That was when she produced a letter written by my mother that would seal my fate.”
William stood quickly, moving to the windows to stare out into the gardens as he continued. “I was shown only an excerpt, but I recognised her handwriting. How Gisela could have come into possession of it is a mystery.” He hesitated, his voice barely discernable. “Nothing that I will relate to you now can change the fact that my mother was the most gentle, kind and godly person I have ever known. She put her family’s needs above her own, and I will always revere her memory.” Looking over his shoulder, he saw Mr. Bennet nod so he continued.
“Before my father’s death, he spoke to me of his relationship with my mother, including the miscarriages she had suffered. He credited his fear that she would perish if she had another
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