Page 19 of His Bluestocking Bride

Marcus spoke into the silence, his voice softer. “I have no intention of entering into a romantic relationship again. I have risked my heart and lost it. I will not promise you more than a fair partnership, working together to build a life which serves a purpose. Building an estate we can leave our children. Assisting our tenants to do the same for their children.” He turned to face her, expression earnest.

“You will never want for safety, protection, or companionship. I will be an honorable husband and one day a good father to any children we have. I ask that you honor our vows in the same manner. We’ve grown up together. We can be friends. But that is all I can give you.”

Ellen’s heart cracked with each word. To be loved, the thing she most desired, would remain outside of her reach.

She took in a breath and closed her eyes. “I understand.”

Ellen rose and ran her hand down her skirts to straighten them and smooth out the ripples from sitting. It took her a moment to build the courage to look up again, meeting Marcus’s light brown eyes.

“I have pondered your proposal and I appreciate your forthrightness on the subject. If you are certain you could be content with me as your wife, I’d like to accept your offer and give you my hand in marriage.”

The serious look he wore changed to an expression of shock, then melted into relief.

Marcus crossed the room to take up her hands. “Thank you, Ellen. You are a wonderful woman. I will do all in my power to make you happy.” He lifted one hand and kissed it, his lips brushing the bare skin of her knuckles.

Ellen’s heart shuddered but she ignored it, pushed her feelings aside, and gently retrieved her hand from him. “Though I am past the age of majority, I would ask that you speak to my father for his blessing.”

“I will go and obtain it at once.” He walked to the door, giving his words surprising immediacy.

Ellen’s heart stuttered. Anxiety struck her. “At once?”

Marcus paused at the doorway and turned back to her, his customary smile in place. “Why delay? If I speak to him now, we can read the banns this Sunday and be married after Christmas.”

She balked at his words, her heart racing. “After Christmas? But that’s four weeks away!” She shut her mouth abruptly when his eyebrows drew together. The smile remained but he looked confused with her hesitation. “It is not a great deal of time, is all,” she stammered. “What of your mother? Your brother? I should like our families to attend.”

He came back into the room a few steps. “I think it should do, barring a bad turn in the weather. Ellen, what need have we to wait? If we marry before January we can go to London for the season as husband and wife. It will mean less gossip on the part of society. And you will have a London season at last.”

Ellen forced a smile. His reasoning made sense for an arrangement such as theirs. “I suppose the very idea of marriage has taken me by surprise. Are you really leaving now?”

“As quickly as my valet can pack a bag for me. I’ll send to the stables to have them ready my horse. I will be there and back again in next to no time.” He half-bowed and whirled on his heel to make for the door but stopped at the threshold. “I suppose I should also dash off a note to Mother. She will want to speak to you and make arrangements.”

Ellen nodded and raised both hands, making a shooing motion. “Go on, then. You might make it halfway to Oak Lodge before nightfall.” Although she wished to say something cleverer, something to make Marcus smile, she bit her lip and watched him leave, this time making it out the door and away from her sight. She waited a few moments longer, to be sure he would not return, before collapsing onto the sofa, all energy drained from her.

While she ought to have been happier than she had ever been, though she should have been rejoicing in obtaining what had been a dream, Ellen experienced a heavy sensation upon her fragile heart, a weight of disappointment instead of the elation she always thought marriage would bring.

It should have been flattering how quickly he wished to gain her father’s blessing and have the banns read. But Marcus wanted his inheritance secured. He wanted the wedding behind them when they went to London, to avoid gossip and save them both the bother of a society-sanctioned wedding.

It would not be the marriage she dreamed of for herself in the years before accepting spinsterhood. There would be no spring flowers to decorate a church vestibule. No specially made gown.

Instead, she would pick her favorite dress, add lace where she could, perhaps borrow her mother’s pearls, and invite those who would be near enough to attend. Dorothea would not come with a young babe at home. But the others would be there.

Ellen didn’t know how long she sat in the library, thinking through her wedding plans and mentally composing a letter to her family. It could not have been long, because Marcus came back into the room with as much haste as he’d left, dressed in travelling clothes with a large coat draped over one arm.

Though her posture had slumped in the time she sat there, she didn’t straighten upon his reappearance and stared at him, allowing herself to take in his handsome face and the dimple in his left cheek when he grinned at her.

“Haven’t moved, have you?” he asked cheerfully. “I have informed Collin of my departure and its reasons. I think Marianne will likely swoop down upon you if you remain out in the open. Have you any message to send your family? Anything I can tell them?” His eyebrows raised and he leaned forward slightly, anticipating her words.

Ellen knew she ought to send word of her happiness or give them her love, but she shook her head. “I will not burden you with extra words. Your presence will be confusing enough. You are welcome to tell them I accepted your proposal with no reservations. That ought to help, I think.”

His eyebrows drew together, his lips pursed slightly. “Confusing?”

“I think my family planned to keep me to themselves for the foreseeable future.” She straightened at last and came to her feet. She saw his cravat looked rumpled. Almost she stepped forward to fix it, but instead she dropped her hands. Fixing a damaged cravat did not sound like something a wife of convenience ought to do. He would muss it while riding, at any rate.

“I will bid you a safe journey, Mr. Calvert.” She kept her words light, but she could not entirely bring herself to call him by his Christian name.

“Thank you.” His confusion cleared, he bowed once more. “I take my leave of you, Miss Bringhurst.” He grinned as he said her name, as though it was a joke between them. Marcus disappeared from the room in another instant and she heard the echo of his boots in the entryway before the large front door of the estate slammed shut.

The house remained silent for several moments and Ellen wondered what she would tell Marianne or anyone else of how her engagement had transpired.