When outrage failed, Lord McElreath attempted to earn her sympathy. “Daughter, please…”
But Liana wouldn’t relent. “No more evasions, Papa. No more prevarications. I want the truth. How much?”
“Twenty thousand, nine hundred pounds.”
Hot burning tears she thought she was beyond feeling welled up in Liana’s eyes. She blinked them back, ruthlessly willing them away as she did the calculations in her head. Twenty thousand, nine hundred pounds was an enormous sum of money. More money than most people earned in a lifetime. Two lifetimes. More money than she could ever imagine winning or losing, but it really only amounted to eleven hundred pounds a year for nineteen years. “Three pounds a day for every day of my life.” Liana hadn’t realized she had spoken the words aloud until her father replied.
“Daughter, as a McElreath and member of our family, you have an obligation. Our name and title are ancient, but we’ve no fortune to support us. It’s your duty to marry well and help the family…”
She looked up and met her father’s blue-eyed gaze. Help support the family. Like Colin always had. So Papa could continue to lose at the gaming tables without worry. Liana sighed. “I know my duty, Papa.”
“Then you should be happy to do it. Don’t you want a husband, a house, a title, and children of your own?”
“Of course I do, Papa.”
“Then you should be happy your dreams are about to be realized,” he told her, sounding as if she was an ungrateful child. “You’re about to become a marchioness.”
She wanted to be happy. And she wanted to be happy about becoming a marchioness. For years, she’d dreamed of marrying and living happily ever after as all the storybooks promised. But all she could think about was the fact that her Papa had leg-shackled her to the wrong marquess. She didn’t want Lord Rothermere’s name, his title, or his fortune. She wanted no part of him. She had heard the whispers about him and the thought of Papa tying her to such a man was almost beyond her comprehension.
The prospect of becoming the new Marchioness of Rothermere terrified her. Marriage was forever and Liana didn’t want to spend the rest of her life married to Lord Rothermere. If only Papa had lost a fortune to another marquess…
A different marquess.
If only he had gambled her away to the marquess she wanted… The one who had danced with her at a ball once. She would have been deliriously happy.
“You’ll have a title and a fortune,” Papa was saying. “You can have whatever your heart desires…”
“And if my heart’s desires don’t include marriage to Lord Rothermere?” she asked. “What then, Papa?”
Lord McElreath gave her a mighty frown. “Marriage to Lord Rothermere is the price you pay for whatever your heart desires.”
“I’m afraid the price is too high, Papa.”
“Daughter, what are you saying?” His voice held a note of panic.
“You did what you had to do to save yourself, Papa,” Liana told him. “Am I not entitled to do the same?”
Chapter Five
“England expects that every man will do his duty.”
—Horatio Nelson, 1758-1805
St. Bartholomew’s Chapel
Ellsworth Court, London
27 February, 1815
“I object.”
The heavy wooden doors of the chapel banged against the stone, punctuating Alex’s words as he breached the threshold and hurried down the aisle toward the cluster of men and women gathered before the altar.
The minister halted mid-sentence, stunned by the intrusion.
The members of the wedding party turned to face him. Groom. Groomsman. A bridesmaid he didn’t recognize. Even the wedding guests turned in their seats to watch him as he stalked down the aisle.
“Thank goodness you arrived!” The bride turned to greet him. “I’ve no wish to be forced to participate in this farce any longer.”
Alex stopped in his tracks as her irate groom and her chagrinned father turned with her and demanded to know the meaning of the interruption.
“What do you mean farce?” The bridegroom grabbed hold of his bride’s arm to halt her as she attempted to step past him.
“You are not the man I mean to marry,” Liana announced.
Lord McElreath gasped.
“Your wishes are of no consequence,” the bridegroom told her, hissing the words through tightly clenched teeth. “Your father and I agreed I should have you to wed in exchange for the vowels I hold against his debt.”
Liana looked at her father. “Papa, you cannot force me to do this.”
“He can and he will,” Lord Rothermere affirmed, tightening his grip on Liana’s arm. “Or he’ll find himself on the way to Old Bailey posthaste. You have no say in this. Your father assured me you were a biddable sort of girl. Prove it by doing your father’s and my bidding. Cease this nonsense. Stop making a spectacle of yourself. Turn around and let’s get on with it.”
“No.”
Rothermere raised his hand as if to strike her and Alex entered the fray once again. “I object,” Alex repeated, cursing his impulsiveness and the streak of chivalry that had refused to disappoint Lady McElreath by turning a blind eye to her daughter’s plight.
If any of his Free Fellow brethren had told him a week ago that he’d be barging into a wedding to rescue a bride from a fate worse than death, Alex would have laughed and told them there was no such thing as a fate worse than death.
Death was final.
Men and women had a chance to prevail over everything else.
Yet here he was standing in the aisle of a chapel in the presence of God and his peers creating a storm of controversy by demanding that the ceremony cease because a forced marriage to a man like Felix Rothermere might very well be a fate worse than death for a girl like Liana.
Fortunately, every storm cloud had a silver lining. And today’s silver lining was that, as weddings went, this one was a rather small, intimate—even furtive—affair. There couldn’t be more than fifteen or twenty members of society in attendance—most of whom had probably spent the night in the castle after the gathering last night. And for that, Alex was truly thankful.
The wedding was small and intimate, the scandal would be anything but.
The shocked silence that had greeted him when he stormed into the chapel had given way to the low hum of voices—proving once again that there was nothing the ton loved better than gossip and scandal. And there would be a scandal. A nice, big fat juicy one from which no one involved could hope to walk away unscathed. The whispers had already begun. The die was cast. The course of their lives had changed.
He had done more dangerous things in his lifetime. He’d done more dangerous things last night. But Alex had rarely done anything as foolhardy. And he’d never done anything as noble.
The clergyman found his tongue. “Who are you, sir?”
“I am the Marquess of Courtland,” Alex announced in a strong voice that resounded through the chapel. “And I object to this wedding. Let her go, Rothermere.”
“On what grounds?” the minister demanded.
On what grounds? Alex had ample grounds, but he hadn’t thought about having to publicly announce them. He hadn’t thought much about this part of the rescue plan because he’d been hoping his plan to use the Rothermere footman’s livery to commandeer the bride’s coach would work.
Unfortunately, Rothermere hadn’t sent a coach, Earl McElreath had hired one and the livery had proved useless. Now, he needed a moment to come up with an answer that would halt the ceremony and prevent further gossip and damage to Lady Liana’s good name.
Preserving Liana’s reputation was secondary to saving her from marriage to Rothermere, but Alex was honor-bound to do what he could to minimize the damage. “Because I said so.”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to do better than that, Lord Courtland.”
“I object to this wedding on the grounds that the bride is clearly unwilling.”
“My
bride is not of legal age. She can protest, but she cannot go against her father’s wishes. She is anxious, as all brides are, and has merely succumbed to an attack of nerves,” Rothermere explained. “It’s perfectly normal.” He turned to the minister. “Continue.”
“My lord, I cannot,” the minister murmured. “There has been an objection. It must be addressed.”
“An objection that comes from an uninvited and unwelcome guest can be overlooked,” Rothermere said. “Continue.”
“Why the rush?” Alex demanded. “The bride’s mother and sister have yet to arrive. Surely, her young sister should be one of the bride’s attendants.” He had been somewhat surprised to discover that the coach that had collected Lord McElreath and Liana at their front door had not waited for Lady McElreath and Liana’s younger sister. Nor had another coach come for them before he left to pursue Lord McElreath. “Their absence must certainly be grounds for further objection.”
The minister shook his head and clucked his tongue at Alex. “I’m afraid attendance of the bride’s mother and sister is not required at the marriage ceremony. Her father is here. He is her legal guardian and that is all the law requires.”
“It may not be a requirement, but I should think the bride would appreciate having her mother and sister in attendance,” Alex said. “It is, after all, her wedding day. Not her father’s.”
“I would appreciate it.” Liana spoke up once again, confirming Alex’s objection in a steady, resolute tone. “In fact, I demand it. I’ve no wish to wed this man under any circumstances and certainly not without my mother and sister here to bear witness to what is being forced upon me.”
“Nevertheless,” the clergyman interrupted, “it is not a requirement and the ceremony has already begun.”
“Besides,” Lord Rothermere said silkily, “I was given to understand that Lady McElreath and Lady Caroline were taken abed by sudden illness this morning and unable to attend.”
“And I was given to understand Lady McElreath and her younger daughter were left without transportation when the coach Lord McElreath hired drove off without them,” Alex replied just as silkily. “Luckily, I happened by and was able to procure a suitable vehicle for them.” He paused long enough to smile at Rothermere. “They should be arriving momentarily.”
Thanks to a near catastrophe.
Alex had been able to secure transportation for Lady McElreath and Caroline only because he’d been sitting in his coach outside the McElreath residence when McElreath and Liana emerged from the house and climbed into the hired coach. Intent on pursuing the wedding coach, Alex’s coachman had nearly run over the upstairs maid who had hurried out of the house and onto the street after Lord McElreath’s coach and directly into the path of his.
When Alex demanded to know why his coachman had stopped, the badly shaken upstairs maid had breathlessly explained that Her Ladyship and Lady Caroline were locked in their bedchambers and no one could find the keys to free them.
After following the maid into the house through the servants’ entrance, and speaking with Lady McElreath through the door of her locked bedchamber, Alex had sent for a locksmith and another Courtland carriage.
Although Alex was glad he could be of service to Lady McElreath, welcoming her into the conspiracy to save her daughter hadn’t been part of his plan. But Lady McElreath insisted on being included. Furious at her husband’s betrayal, the good woman was determined he should know that not only had she sought Alex’s help, but she had assisted in the planning to save Liana and thwart Lord Rothermere’s blackmail scheme.
Lady McElreath had dismissed Alex’s concerns for her safety. Her husband might be desperate, but he would never threaten her with bodily harm. The worst Lord McElreath would do was confine her in her bedchamber to prevent her interference and he’d already done that. Unfortunately, the delay had cost Alex precious time. Unable to catch the bride’s coach or waylay the father of the bride before they entered the chapel, he’d had no choice but to resort to publicly interrupting the ceremony.
Alex had no idea Liana would be brave enough and foolhardy enough to incur Felix Rothermere’s wrath by announcing her unwillingness to marry him. Heaven help her if he was unable to stop the ceremony. Rothermere would neither forgive nor forget her actions.
Now there was nothing for Alex to do but carry on despite the risk to Liana’s good name. Better to risk her good name than her freedom and her well-being…
Catching the look that passed between Lord Rothermere and Lord McElreath, Alex wasn’t surprised when Felix spoke.
“I would prefer to continue with the ceremony,” Lord Rothermere reiterated. “The ladies McElreath can join us at the wedding breakfast.”
“Surely, you can wait long enough for the ladies to arrive,” Alex suggested, glancing over Rothermere’s shoulder at Liana.
She wasn’t wearing a veil, only the slightly wilted wreath of orange blossoms, but the sight of her in her green silk gown was enough to take a man’s breath away. The fabric of the dress clung to her body as if molded to it. Her green eyes looked enormous against the flawless complexion of her heart-shaped face—like two sparkling emeralds lying on the finest ivory silk. Her generous mouth was red, the tender flesh of her bottom lip slightly swollen and abraded where she’d bitten it—as she was doing now.
The scent of orange blossoms surrounded him, tickling his nostrils. Alex’s pulse kicked up a notch. There was a roaring sound in his ears—as if he were standing on a beach at high tide listening to the waves as they crashed against the shore—and his heart seemed to beat so loudly in his chest he was convinced the guests in the chapel could hear it. How could he have forgotten how pretty Colin’s sister was? How could he have forgotten that pretty didn’t begin to describe the beauty that was Lady Liana McElreath? His groin tightened in response. The girl—no, the young lady—was jaw-droppingly gorgeous. When had that happened? And how was it that every eligible bachelor in London, himself included, had failed to notice that little Liana had grown up?
Great Zeus’s garters! No wonder Rather Mean was rushing to the altar.
Again.
The sight of her was enough to make Alex think of lazy mornings cuddled beneath the bedcovers with a passel of dogs and children running about clamoring for attention. And he was a confirmed bachelor and lifelong Free Fellow!
Rothermere gave his bride a warning look before turning his glare first on Alex, then on the minister and Lord McElreath.
The earl cleared his throat and waded into the fray. “I’m afraid that’s out of the question, Courtland.” Turning to the minister, he said, “Please continue, sir.”
“No. Don’t.”
Alex wanted to cheer Liana’s boldness and apparently so did one of the guests, for a distinctly familiar female voice murmured, “Brava, my dear,” loud enough for the bride and the other members of the wedding party to hear.
Rothermere frowned at the encouragement for his bride’s acts of public disobedience.
Catching a glimpse of Rothermere’s displeasure, Lord McElreath attempted to intervene. “Daughter,” he began.
Liana ignored the warning note in her father’s voice. “If I’m to be forced to marry in this havey-cavey fashion, the least you can do is allow Maman and Caroline to witness it.”
“Your mother and your sister are such frail creatures the idea of losing you has upset them…”
“Losing her is right,” Alex murmured, sotto voice, reminding McElreath of Rothermere’s dubious reputation as a widower.
McElreath reddened before attempting to clarify his statement. “Your mother and sister are distraught at the prospect of your leaving our household, Daughter. Why would you wish to add to their distress?”
Liana narrowed her gaze at her father. And his bald-faced lie. There wasn’t a frail bone in her mother’s body. Or in Caroline’s. Except for her mother’s arguable weakness for her father. And everyone acquainted with them knew it. “Because you know Maman should be here. You promised sh
e would be waiting at the chapel and that she would see me in my wedding finery,” Liana reminded him.
“And so she will, Daughter,” Lord McElreath tried again. “At your wedding breakfast. After the wedding. After you become a marchioness.”
“There’s little hope of that unless we continue the ceremony,” Rothermere interrupted, clearly tired of the McElreath family discussion. Focusing his gaze and his attention on Alex, he said, “Your interruption is not appreciated, Courtland. You were not invited and as your name was not on the guest list, I’ll thank you to leave.” Dismissing Alex, he gestured toward Lord McElreath.
McElreath turned to the minister. The earl’s head was pounding, his hands were beginning to shake, and his hopes for a future far away from debtor’s prison were dissipating before his bloodshot eyes. If ever he’d needed a drink, it was now. He needed to bring this ceremony to a rapid conclusion and locate a bottle of brandy as soon as possible. “We’re paying you to perform a marriage, sir. Proceed at once.”
The minister looked down at his prayer book, frowned, and muttered aloud, “Where was I?”
It was the opening Alex needed. Ignoring Rothermere’s and Lord McElreath’s attempt to dismiss him, Alex pounced on the minister’s mental lapse. “You were asking if anyone knew why the marriage should not take place.”
Immediately realizing his mistake, the minister glared at Alex for capitalizing upon it. “I believe we’ve resolved that issue, Lord Courtland.”