* * *
“Did I hear you correctly?” Anne said. “Your father is going mad?”
She could not believe it. The Duke of Pembroke was one of the greatest aristocrats in England. The family had a celebrated history, like no other. The Duchess of Pembroke enjoyed an intimate friendship with the queen.
“That is correct,” the marquess replied. “He believes all four of his sons must marry before Christmas in order to thwart a family curse.”
“What sort of curse?”
Appearing uncertain how best to explain, Hawthorne paused.
“In the spring,” he said, “our father believed we would all be washed away in a flood. Now we are in danger of freezing to death, and he expects the palace to shatter like glass if this weather continues. Under any other circumstances it would not matter, except that he has changed his will to disinherit us if we do not respect his wishes. Thankfully, Blake, Vincent, and I found matrimonial bliss earlier this year, but there is one more.”
“Another brother? What is his name?”
“Garrett. He is the youngest, and has been living abroad for a number of years. Until very recently, he refused to yield to our father’s demands, for he is not exactly...compliant. But we received a letter from him eight days ago. He has finally agreed to come home and fulfill his duty. He is ready to take a wife and secure all of our inheritances. There is also a substantial sum of money he will receive on his wedding day if he marries in time, so he is motivated.”
Anne could not help herself. She laughed out loud. “Why in God’s name have you chosen me? Surely the son of a duke could have any woman he wanted.”
“As I said before,” the marquess replied, “he has no interest in a love match. He wants a woman who will not need to be romanced—a practical woman who will agree to perform a charade, so to speak, and who will leave Pembroke Palace when he returns to Greece, shortly after the wedding takes place.”
“We will live separate lives?” she said, to confirm her understanding.
“That is correct, but you, too, will have freedom. With the allowance Garrett receives as a wedding gift, and the inheritance due upon our father’s death, he will provide you with a lifetime annuity. You will be free to live wherever you please. You could purchase a house in London, for example. Or perhaps you would prefer the country. Either way, there will be funds for a very comfortable living with a house full of servants—for the rest of your life.”
Anne took a moment to consider all of this. It was not an unattractive offer. Quite the contrary, she felt as if she had just discovered a buried treasure in the garden. It did not seem real.
“What about children?” she asked. “Would I be expected to bear him sons?”
“No. He is the youngest of four. I am the eldest and my wife and I are already expecting a child.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” He paused.
“Will the marriage have to be consummated?”
“Yes,” he replied. “It must be legally binding to fulfil the terms of our father’s will.”
Anne swallowed uneasily. “What if I become pregnant?”
Lord Blake cleared his throat uneasily. “All of that is outlined in the contract. If a child is conceived, you may choose to raise him yourself, or relinquish him to the care of our family, whereby he would be raised at Pembroke.”
Anne gazed toward the door and wondered if her uncle was outside, listening to these details.
“Do you require time to consider it, Lady Anne?” Lord Hawthorne asked. “Because if you wish to accept our proposition, we have the contracts already drawn up. If you are not inclined, however, we would prefer to know immediately so that we can move on to the next candidate as quickly as possible.”
She glanced at Lord Blake, who tapped his finger on the leather portfolio that rested on the table beside him. “The contracts are right here, my lady, awaiting your perusal.”
“You don’t waste time, do you?”
“No,” he said. “Christmas is not long off. We have only three weeks to satisfy the terms of the will.”
She rolled the idea over in her mind. “Mmm...I do see the basis for your impatience. If there is no wedding, you will all be cursed. Financially, at least.”
“Indeed.”
She folded her hands together on her lap. “What if your brother does not approve of me? Does he know about my sordid past? My shocking reputation?”
She had no illusions about her reputation and her marriage prospects, for she had done the unthinkable four years ago when she ran off to elope with her handsome young tutor. Since then, she had given up all romantic fantasies about her future. Until this moment, she had been fully prepared to live out the rest of her days as a spinster.