To Love, Honor, and Obey... (Fated for Love) (11 page)

“You do?” Obedience eyed her mother with suspicion.

“Yes,” her mother snapped and dropped her air of content. “A note arrived just moments ago. It seems your schemes to ruin us came to naught, and the duke wishes to come to dinner this evening.”

“Tonight?” Obedience's fork slipped from her hand and clattered noisily on her plate. Now her mother turned her head to the side and looked at her through
slit eyes.

“A tad inconvenient
, yes, but nevertheless we will accommodate him. I've already told Myra to begin tending your sister for the rest of the day. She will need all her rest to look her best.”

Obedience blinked owlishly. She no longer heard her
mother’s words as her thoughts began to frantically pick apart reasons for the duke to come to dinner. There could only be one reason—he was going to announce the engagement. Did that mean the messenger had arrived? She felt a jolt of excitement. Looking up at her mother, she found the woman gazing at her like a curious object.

“It occurs to me that you may intend to sabotage this evening. Perhaps it would be best if you did not attend?”

Obedience didn't know how to respond. What would Chance say if she were absent from dinner? “Mother, I think you should know that the duke finds you rather...”

“I beg your pardon?” Her mother scowled at her.

“Disagreeable,” Obedience finished. There was no use pretending otherwise. No matter what she did, her mother was displeased with her.

“He finds me disagreeable?”
her mother said in disbelief.

“Yes, and he favors my companionship. I don't think it would be wise to keep me from dinner.”

Her mother looked her over with a stern eye. Obedience could see the cogs working in her mind, only she never knew which outcome they would reach.

“I'm curious
. What exactly is your relationship with the duke? You've spent a fair bit of time in his company unchaperoned.”

Obedience nearly spit out the sip of tea from her mouth. “What are you implying
, Mother. The duke has been a source of comfort to me, and I to him.”

Her mother pinned her with an icy stare. “That's precisely what I mean, you dull girl. What sort of
comfort
have you been providing the duke?”

“You cannot be serious.” Obedience fumbled for words.

“Has that been your plan all along? Lord Willowton would never have you, so you thought to ensnare an aging, feeble old man? Why, Obedience, I'm almost proud. It would have been a splendid solution if he were not dying.”

Obedience suddenly stood, her chair falling back with a thud. “I cannot believe you would say such things. That is deplorable
, Mother. How could you say that to me?”

Her mother cackled gleefully
. “It appears you are much too innocent for such wicked designs. Did I shock you?” Her mother continued to laugh.

Obedience turned away in disgust. She stalked out of the breakfast parlor feeling her gorge rise to her throat. She could still hear her
mother’s laughter echoing throughout the room as she covered her ears. She hurried up the stairs to her room, determined to leave the house for the rest of the day. If she had her way, she wouldn't be coming back, but that was probably wishful thinking. She shuddered with disgust as she reached her room. She closed the door and leaned back against it. Looking up at the ceiling, she prayed for divine intervention. “Please get me out of this house. By any means possible.”

She could always ask Chance, but as practical as he was, he wouldn't want the unnecessary scandal. The duke would allow it, but then again, she didn't want to do him harm by bringing added stress into his home in the form of her mother. She just had to be patient, stay out of sight until dinner, and face
whatever happened next. She pushed away from the door and went to sit on the ledge of her window. There was a soft tap on her door. Obedience ignored it, hoping whoever it was would simply go away. It opened, and her sister entered, looking wan but chipper.

“To what do I owe this visit?” Obedience said sourly.

Patience closed the door softly and smiled benignly as she sat before the vanity near the window where Obedience perched.

“Did you do something to encourage Lord Willowton?”

Obedience panicked. “No! I only found out—”

“But surely you must have done something to change his mind?” Patience interrupted.

“I know not what I did. I don't presume to know Lord Willowton's mind.”

“
Then he must have decided on his own, despite your efforts the night before, that I would be a suitable wife.” She smiled triumphantly.

“I made no efforts to sabotage you that night, Patience.” Though she did feel guilty about some of the things she had said.

“You could have fooled me. You were positively horrid.”

“I could say the same of you, dear sister. Do you honestly believe they are coming to dinner tonight to advance an association with you?”

Patience frowned. “Why else would they be coming?”

“Why indeed? Unbelievable.” Obedience ground her teeth as she moved from the window to her bed. She could feel a
headache coming on, and her stomach reminded her of its still unsatisfied status. “You look pale, by the way.” She tossed over her shoulder to her little sister.

“The baby makes me sick. I couldn't eat a thing this morning, and you know how much I love my kippers for breakfast.” Patience gagged.

Obedience sat up and looked at her sister. She was the picture of English beauty and youth. What did it feel like to be so adored, and on the verge of ruin? Obedience wanted to hate her, especially for the way their mother doted on her and reviled Obedience, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. “Are you scared?”

Patience looked at her strangely, her head sliding back in confusion as if Obedience had croaked instead of asked a question. “Scared of what?”

“Of having a baby,” Obedience clarified.

“No... I'm scared of not finding a husband. I'm scared of being a social pariah and never being able to show my face in town again. I had dreams
, you know. I'm supposed to be the mistress of a great house, the wife of a peer.”

“Oh
,” Obedience said quietly. She had never felt more different from her sister. Really, they were complete opposites. Obedience had never cared about any of those things, and yet she would be the one to carry that mantel. It was terrifying to think about. But she could easily picture herself as a mother, chasing a toddler across the lawn, and holding a babe against her breast at night. Even caring for a large country house didn't intimidate her, but a London drawing room? She'd rather face a charging goose.

“I hope I don't get fat. I want to be a fashionable mother who slims quickly after birth. I'd like to return to London immediately after we marry and establish myself as the new duchess
before my predicament becomes obvious. Mother says it will be a seven month miracle.”

Obedience shook herself out of her musings. “What on earth do you mean?”

“The babe, Obedience, it will appear to be born early but healthy. Lord Willowton will know the truth by then, but he dare not say a word. After all, it would be a devil to prove. Society will assume we anticipated our vows.”

“You're not going to tell him—I mean, you wouldn't tell a man you were pregnant with another
man’s child before marrying him?”

Patience scoffed. “Of course not
. Then he wouldn't marry me. Have you no sense?”

Obedience couldn't stand to hear any more. Although she knew that Chance was not marrying Patience, she had to pretend otherwise until the true purpose of tonight’s dinner was revealed. But, dear lord
, it was going to be difficult. She needed to get away from them or she was liable to loose her temper and blurt out the truth. She needed to see Chance and ask him what was going on. He never said anything last night on the carriage ride back to her home, but then again, they hadn't spoken much. She smiled, she wiped at her mouth to hide it before her sister saw it.

“You should go. Mother wouldn't be pleased to find you here. If anything should happen to you today—
even a blemish, she would blame me.”

Patience giggled. “You're so silly
, Obedience, but I should go. Mother insists I rest all day to prepare for tonight. Myra is to tend only to me, but please try not to look unseemly tonight at dinner.”

“I'll do my best, dear sister.”

Patience stood and practically danced from the room. Obedience buried her face in her coverlet and sighed. Could this day get any worse? She got up and changed into her riding habit. If she stayed in this house a moment longer, she was going to shoot herself. 

*~~*

Chance overlooked the crumbling bank that the tenant was worried about. He complained that if it collapsed, it would bring down the large oak on its edge, blocking the supply of water to his cows. Chance frowned at the tree, it was large and majestic, a sentinel against the years of change around it. It was a shame really. Chance could remember climbing the tree as a boy. “I agree, Mr. Angus. It will have to come down unless we can somehow reinforce the bank.” Chance sifted through ideas in his head, imagining the amount of wood it would take to shore up the bank, protecting the vital root system of the tree. “I'll have to think about it. I'll talk with my secretary about what lumber we can find as soon as possible. Cutting the tree down is my last resort.”

The farmer nodded. They both looked up as a rider approached
. Chance raising a brow in surprise as Obedience drew near and pulled Tulip to a halt. She was breathing hard, her hair flying out of its pins.

“Miss Wickenham, what a delight.” Chance nodded in greeting.

“Good afternoon, Lord Willowton, Mr. Angus. I hope I'm not interrupting something important?”

“We just finished inspecting the crumbling bank
,” Chance offered. The poor farmer had removed his hat and stared at Obedience in obvious admiration. “Isn't that so, Mr. Angus?”

“Yes, my lord
,” he swallowed. “I'm worried my cows won’t get fresh water if the tree falls.”

“That would be unfortunate indeed, Mr. Angus.” Obedience smiled at him politely. “Lord Willowton, I have something I need to discus with you
, as well. I can meet you later if you are busy.”

“No, no
.” Mr. Angus put his hands up in supplication. “I must be on my way now. Tis a pleasure to see you, Miss Wickenham, and thank you, my lord, for meeting me here to see the problem yourself.”

Obedience nodded and smiled her farewell as Mr. Angus mounted his horse and left. She turned to Chance as he chuckled and frowned at him.

“How lucky that I have already claimed your hand. It seems I would have had some competition.”

“Don't be absurd
,” Obedience scoffed. “He's just a pleasant man.”

Chance continued to smile, his amusement evident in his eyes. “Could you imagine yourself as a
farmer’s wife?”

“About as easily as I can imagine myself as a duchess
,” Obedience returned testily.

“
You’re angry about something. What is it?” Chance approached and set his hand on hers where they rested in her lap.

“You forgot to mention last night that you intended to come to dinner tonight. Can you imagine what I've endured this morning? First
, I was a master saboteur, and now I have rescued my family from ruin.”

“Ruin?” Chance scoffed. “Is there something I should know?”

Obedience bit her lip. He had a right to know, didn't he? But for some reason she felt like she would be betraying her sister. She would wait until she absolutely had to, if at all. She shrugged. “Not my words, but my mothers.”

Chance tossed his head back and laughed. “Believe it or not, your mother would fit in well in a London ballroom amongst the other dragons.”

“Be sure you tell her that. She would love it. And about dinner tonight?” Obedience reminded him in annoyance.

“Ah,
that. Well, it was my father’s decision. I was only informed at breakfast after he sent a note to Lady Wickenham. To which do you take exception—the dinner itself, or the fact that I didn't tell you? Assuming I had known, that is.”

“Both
. I was caught unaware this morning, and I am terrified of tonight.”

“Terrified?” Chance placed his hands on her waist and lifted her down. But instead of promptly setting her on her feet, he let her body slowly slide down his until her eyes had dilated, and her body relaxed against his. Her feet touched the ground and she did not pull away
. Her hands rested softly on his chest, and she leaned into him. He looked down at her, his lips slowly curling into a pleased smile. “Why should you be terrified? Don’t you want to marry me?”

Obedience struggled to keep her mental faculties. Her mind wanted to slip away to a warm dreamy place that insisted she curl her body into his and lift her lips to invite a kiss, but she had
to remain strong. “Yes, it’s the conflict that will arise from the discussion tonight that I'm afraid of.”