The Thoroughly Compromised Bride (17 page)

And, indeed, she soon got over her pique when Charles appeared, saying, “Come along, my dear. You must leave the good doctor to work his miracles as he sees fit. I am going to introduce you to my ancestors.”

Without allowing her the opportunity to object, he drew her hand through the crook of his arm and led her to the main wing of the house where the portrait gallery was to be found. Stopping before the first of these, a man who had every appearance of being a rogue, Charles said, “Here you see the gentleman whose namesake I am, Sir Charles Carlyle, the founder of my family. What do you think of him?”

With the devilish gleam in the eyes of Sir Charles’s likeness fixed upon her, she replied faintly, “Why, he looks quite... quite...”

“Exactly! He looks like the knavish renegade that he was. A regular thatch-gallows, I believe.”

“Oh! How can you speak so of an ancestor who was very likely quite blameless?”

“Easily.” Charles grinned. “It is no more than the truth, and why not? Not all of those fellows who came over with the Conqueror could have been Norman nobles. In fact, I believe Sir Charles received his baronetcy for his part in subduing the natives. And as you may have surmised, his reprehensible ways were passed on to some of his descendants. One of them even managed to lose the title. So you see, I come by my own less than admirable traits quite naturally.”

Elizabeth blushed. “You are not so bad as that. You are not a...”

“A thatch-gallows?” He laughed. “Then your opinion of me is not so low, after all. I begin to have hope.”

She glanced at him askance, but he merely took her arm, saying, “Shall we move on?”

As they made their way down the line of portraits, Elizabeth lost all sense of time, and it was not long before she knew that Charles was hoaxing her. He told such outrageous tales about every one of them that she began, laughingly, attempting to guess what crime he would attribute to each of his progenitors. She was so diverted, and it was so like past times with him, that it was not until they had almost reached the last of the line that she recalled Aunt Emily.

With a sudden rush of remorse, she cried, “Oh! What am I about? The doctor must long since have gone, and I must return to Aunt Emily.”

Charles frowned, but did not attempt to dissuade her and politely escorted her to her aunt’s bedchamber.

Elizabeth was amazed to discover the doctor still there, alone with his patient, for it had been well over an hour since he had come. Upon her entrance, however, the physician immediately took his leave, and Elizabeth, fearing that his lengthy stay meant that Aunt Emily’s condition had worsened, followed him from the room.

But when she questioned him, the doctor replied soothingly, “No, no! As I told you, there is no cause for worry so long as she is not permitted to become overly distressed over anything.”

After assuring him once more that she would not permit such an event, Elizabeth returned to her aunt’s bedside to spend the remainder of the morning with her.

She had been sitting for nearly an hour, watching her aunt sleep and attempting, rather unsuccessfully, to divert her thoughts from Charles, when Aunt Emily’s eyes fluttered open.

“You are here, my love?” she breathed. “So good of you. But you must not waste all your time in trying to amaze a sick old lady.”

“Do not be absurd. Aunt Emily. You are nowhere near to being an old lady. And where else should I prefer to be, if not with you?”

“I had hoped...”

“Yes, well!” Elizabeth rushed into the breach. “How are you feeling, dearest?”

“Much better, my love. I am so sorry to have frightened you so.”

“Nonsense! Only tell me what I can do to hasten your recovery.”

Aunt Emily clutched her niece’s hand. “Oh, Elizabeth, do you mean it? For there is something you can do which will make all the difference!”

With a feeling of dismay, but hoping that her suspicion was wrong, Elizabeth said, “Of course I mean it. Aunt Emily. I would do anything to help you. What is it you wish? Something special to tempt your appetite? Should you like me to read to you? What can I do to make you more comfortable?”

“Oh, my dear, if you truly wish to make me the happiest of creatures and quickly recoverated, you will marry Charles!”

The colour drained from Elizabeth’s face, and she could think of nothing to say for a moment, but then, cognizant of her aunt’s delicate condition, and not wishing to worsen that condition, she said gently, “Aunt Emily, I promise you that I would do so if it were possible, but, indeed, it is not. You must know that it is not. Charles—”

She stopped speaking abruptly as Aunt Emily released her hand and raised her own to clutch at her chest, gasping for breath.

Elizabeth leapt from her chair and, leaning over her aunt, cried, “Oh, Aunt Emily! I will do anything! I will marry Charles! Only please, please do not die!”

Aunt Emily heaved a great sigh, and smiled radiantly at her niece. “There!” she exclaimed. “The pain is leaving me now.’’

Elizabeth sagged with relief and dropped back into her chair as the door burst open and Lady Langley rushed in, demanding, “What has happened? I thought I heard Elizabeth cry out!”

“Oh, Margaret—” Aunt Emily beamed “—I have the most wonderful news! Elizabeth has agreed to marry Charles!”

“Excellent! I shall inform him immediately,” said her ladyship, turning to leave the room.

“No!” cried Elizabeth, reaching out as though to stop her.

“No?” asked Lady Langley, turning back again.

“No... that is, perhaps we should not be too precipitate. I mean...”

“Of course, my dear. I understand perfectly. You will wish to tell him yourself.”

“Yes, I suppose so,” agreed Elizabeth without conviction.

“You may find him in the library, my dear, and I shall remain here with Emily while you are gone, so you may take all the time you like.”

“Oh, but there is no hurry!”

“Elizabeth?” came Aunt Emily’s voice weakly. “You do not plan to change your mind again?”

“No, of course not, dearest,” she answered, and seeing the distressed look on her aunt’s face, she submitted to her fate and added, “Very well. I shall go and tell him now.”

But how on earth was she going to do it? Elizabeth asked herself as she made her way slowly to the library. How humiliating to be obliged to beg Charles to marry her! For all her agonizing, however, by the time she reached her destination, she still had no clear notion of what to say to him.

As she entered the room, Charles took one look at her troubled countenance and came to her, taking her hands in his. “What is it?” he asked with concern. “It cannot be your aunt!”

“No... Well, yes, in a way it
is
Aunt Emily.”

He looked annoyed. “What has she done now?”

“Charles!” Elizabeth exclaimed, shocked at his show of insensibility.

“No, no!” he declared, attempting to look contrite. “I meant to ask, what has happened to her?”

“Well, fortunately nothing irreparable. However, I fear that I caused her to become agitated and she very nearly had a set-back. You know that the doctor warned me of it.”

“Yes, but she is better now?”

“Yes,” Elizabeth said hesitantly.

“Then why are you still looking so harrowed?” he demanded.

Realizing suddenly that Charles had been holding her hands for the past several moments, Elizabeth tried to free them, but he only held them more tightly, and blushing, she lowered her eyes. “Well, you see, I only averted a more serious outcome by...by promising something to her.”

“And?”

“Oh, dear. This is so difficult!”

He was silent for a moment, then asked, “Am I correct in assuming that this promise of yours involves me in some way?”

Her eyes flashed to his, “Oh, Charles, I tried to tell her that it was impossible, and I know how you will dislike it, but, truly, I could not deny her when she very nearly went into another dreadful spasm, and... and...”

His lips twitched almost imperceptibly as he said, “Come now, can you not tell me what this promise of yours is?”

“Will you marry me, Charles?” she blurted out. His eyes seemed to blaze for just an instant with an odd light, but unable to decipher its meaning, she rushed on. “It need not be for very long. As soon as Aunt Emily is well, we can obtain an annulment.”

He released her hands, crossed his arms over his chest and eyed her with what looked suspiciously like amusement. “An annulment? We shall see. I have not yet accepted your offer, but it seems to me that if I am to help you keep this promise, I should be allowed the privilege of making the decisions regarding this proposed marriage.”

“Certainly, whatever you wish,” agreed Elizabeth with no clear notion of what it was that he wished. “I know I’ve no right to ask such a favour of you, but I should be so grateful!”

‘ ‘And you will not cry off this time?”

“Oh, no!” she assured him.

“Very well, then,” he said, bowing and kissing her hand. “Miss Ashton, I am cognizant of the great honour you do me, and I accept your marriage proposal.”

He seemed to be taking the whole matter in a very light vein, but before she could decide how to answer him, he was leading her to the door, where he said, “I suggest that you return to your aunt and give her the good news while I take care of some pressing business. I have a great deal to do in a very short time.”

“Oh, but shouldn’t we discuss...”

He placed a finger over her lips, shaking his head slightly. “You must not argue with your husband-to-be, my dear.”

“Well, I am not at all certain that I care for this tyrannical attitude of yours,” she told him, frowning.

“Nevertheless, you will bear with it until after our marriage takes place. At that time, I give you permission to rip up at me all you wish.”

And with that he gave her a small push in the direction of the stairs, but when she looked back at him, he was already striding out of the house.

In complete bewilderment, she climbed the stairs, but she had scarcely reached the top when Melanie met her, saying that Aunt Emily wished to be read to, and so Elizabeth returned to the library to select an appropriate book. When she finally entered her aunt’s chamber once more, it was to find another surprise in store for her. The drapes had been drawn open, and in the light flooding through the windows, Aunt Emily sat propped up in bed. She looked the picture of health, her natural colour wholly restored.

“Aunt Emily!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “I can hardly credit how well you look!”

“Oh, yes, it is truly amazing how very well I feel, and it is all owing to you, my love. But I see you have brought a book with you. I shall just rest here while you read to me.”

As Lady Langley excused herself, Elizabeth sat and proceeded to read to her aunt, and continued until a lunch tray was sent up for both of them. But afterwards, when the tray had been removed, she suggested that her aunt might like to sleep for a time. Aunt Emily denied this.

“Oh, no, my dear, for I am not at all tired!” she declared.

Looking at her aunt, whose colour seemed unnaturally heightened and whose eyes appeared unusually bright, Elizabeth said, “But, Aunt Emily, I do not wish you to become overly excited, and this is the longest you have remained awake since your illness began.”

“Perhaps I should become sleepy if you were to read to me some more.”

Hoping that it would indeed be so, Elizabeth reluctantly reached for the book, but before she could pick it up, the door opened, and Charles was there, ushering Lady Langley, Melanie, the doctor and a tall, thin stranger into the room.

“Charles!” Elizabeth exclaimed, not much caring at that moment whether she seemed rude. “I cannot think so much company is good for Aunt Emily just yet!”

“Oh, I rather think it will be the best curative in the world for her,” he answered and, gesturing toward the tall, thin gentleman, he said, “I do not believe you have met the Reverend Mr. Simpson, my love. He is here to perform our wedding ceremony.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Elizabeth looked at the beaming faces surrounding her with shock and consternation, as well as a feeling of being trapped, and lastly, staring at Charles, she said in a shaking voice, “Oh, no! We cannot! It is too soon!”

The smile faded from the lanky clergyman’s rather unremarkable countenance and changed with ludicrous swiftness to disapproval laced with uncertainty and confusion. Turning to Charles he said, a trifle censoriously, “Indeed, sir, you did not tell me that the bride was reluctant. I really must decline to perform the ceremony if such is the case.”

“Nonsense!” declared Lady Langley. “She is nothing of the sort!”

Aunt Emily queried tremulously, “Elizabeth?”

The good doctor stepped to Aunt Emily’s bedside, took her hand in his and murmured soothingly, while Melanie merely stood by, observing the proceedings with great interest.

Charles moved to Elizabeth’s side and led her over to a window embrasure, away from the others. “But how is this?” he asked in a low voice, one expressive eyebrow cocked mockingly. “Are you crying off after promising that you would not?”

“Of course not!” she hissed. “But you did not warn me of your intentions. I had not expected it to be so soon. There has been no time to prepare.”

“What is it you need to prepare? I have the special license; the vicar is present, as are our family members. What more is necessary?”

“How can you ask such a foolish question? You are deliberately misunderstanding me! I...you have only to look at me! My gown and... and my hair. Oh, how could you?”

Charles leaned back and scanned her coolly from head to toe, then murmured, “Are you fishing for compliments, sweetheart? There is not a damned thing wrong with your appearance and if you think to back down at this stage of the game—don’t! No, don’t poker up on me! I have no intention of allowing you to renege on your promise.”

“You are arrogant and insufferable!”

“Admittedly! I shall also be your husband quite soon.”

They had been speaking in near whispers, and now the vicar’s voice could be clearly heard. “I fear this is most irregular! I really believe that I must decline to perform my office unless both participants are quite willing.”