Authors: Elena Greene
The Wedding Wager (11 page)
Catherine paused before answering. Of her two friends, Pen was the one who might detect the desperation beneath her bravado.
“In love?” she said, keeping her voice light. “No, but I find him quite pleasant and amusing. We shall do splendidly without love. He needs an heir, and cannot bear the thought of marrying some silly miss who would think to reform him. As for me, I shall gain my freedom. Once we are married, no one will be able to tell me I cannot read Byron, or play Beethoven. Or who I may or may not have as friends!”
Juliana looked envious, Penelope concerned.
“But what about love?” Penelope persisted. “You always said you would marry only for love.”
“That was before my first Season,” said Catherine, hoping Pen would not inquire further. “I know better now.”
“We missed you so much last year,” said Penelope shyly. “Miss Stratton’s Seminary just wasn’t the same without you. We always enjoyed your letters, and . . . well, we thought you were in love with Lord Staverton.”
Penelope’s soft words pried open the wound Catherine had been trying to ignore ever since last Season. She didn’t wish to talk about it, particularly not tonight, when she needed all her courage.
“Love is not all it’s cracked up to be,” she replied after a pause. Then she saw the stricken look on Penelope’s face, and regretted her cynical words.
“At least for me, it is not,” she amended. “Things will be different for both of you, I’m sure.”
“I can see you do not wish to tell us what happened last Season with Staverton,” said Penelope in her gentle way. “But don’t you think it is too soon to be running off with another gentleman?”
Catherine shook her head. She could not think about the possibility that she was making a mistake. She had made a plan, and there was no turning back. After yesterday’s falling-out with her stepmother, the thought of another night under her father’s roof was unbearable.
“I take it your father has refused his permission for you to marry Verwood,” said Juliana.
“Of course. He is much too high a stickler to allow me to marry someone of such a reputation. Verwood tried to ask for my hand, but
his grace
refused to even see him. My dear father has a far different sort of man picked out for me already. He wishes me to marry the Marquess of Hornsby.”
“Lord Hornsby?” asked Penelope. “Who is he?”
“I am not surprised that you don’t know. He almost never comes to London, for all he cares for is field sports. If I married him, I would be buried in the country all year round, with no one but him and his horses and dogs for company.”
“That doesn’t sound so terrible,” said Pen. “I thought you liked horses and dogs.”
“I also like music, and poetry, and good conversation, but you will find none of those at Hornsby Hall. Besides, Hornsby is a fifty year old widower with no children. He regards me as he would a broodmare. On the one occasion that we met he told me he liked my bloodlines, and that I looked healthy enough to produce him any number of sons. He also said he had heard I was a headstrong filly, but he was sure he could break me to bridle soon enough!”
“How horrid!” said Penelope. “Of course you can’t marry him, then.”
“Are you leaving tonight?” asked Juliana.
Catherine nodded. “I am going to meet him in the conservatory at midnight,” she said, glancing at the clock again. “If all goes well, we will be on our way to Scotland within the half hour. I will write to you, the very first chance I get, for I am sure my family will do their best to hush things up.”
“Well, I wish you luck,” said Juliana. “Is there anything we can do to help?”
“Please just peek out into the hall before I go, and make sure my stepmother and stepsister are not about.”
Her friends nodded. The Three Disgraces had run any number of rigs together during their time at school. Catherine could trust them to do much more difficult tasks than this.
She saw that Penelope was still looking troubled. Hiding her own rising agitation, she went over and hugged her tightly, kissing her on the cheek.
“Please do not look so worried, dear. I know what I am doing. Just wish me luck.”
“Oh, I do. Believe me, I do.”
The clock began to chime. Catherine released Penelope, then hugged Juliana in turn. Her friends quickly left the room, then motioned for her to come out. She did so, and took one last glance at the pair before making her way to the conservatory.
She tried to subdue the doubt that Penelope’s words aroused in her. It was a desperate plan, but she was
not
afraid. She was taking charge of her own destiny. She hoped Juliana and Penelope would find the courage and means to do the same.
She paused on the threshold of the conservatory, and licked her lips, which had gone suddenly dry. She told herself again that she was not afraid. It was right that she and Verwood marry. He was a kindred spirit, another harsh, discordant note within the rigidly correct score of polite society. He would understand her as only a rake could.
Lifting her chin, and breathing a little fast in anticipation, Catherine entered the conservatory.
The Incorrigible Lady Catherine
(“The Three Disgraces” Book 1)
The Redwyck Charm
(“The Three Disgraces” Book 2)
Saving Lord Verwood
(“The Three Disgraces” Book 3)
Lady Em’s Indiscretion
(an erotic Regency novella)
Elena Greene grew up reading her mother’s Georgette Heyer novels, but it wasn’t until she went on an international assignment to the United Kingdom that she was inspired to start writing her own. Her first Regency romance was published in 2000 and was followed by five more Regencies and a novella. Her books have won the Desert Rose Golden Quill and Colorado Romance Writers’ Award of Excellence. Her Super Regency,
Lady Dearing’s Masquerade
, won
RT Book Club’s
award for Best Regency Romance of 2005. Elena lives in upstate New York with her stroke survivor husband and two daughters.
Find Elena online at: