Treacherous Temptations(43)

“But there is no delaying this! Don’t you see?”

“On the contrary, he cannot wed off a shadow.”

“What do you mean?”

“That you only need to stay out of his reach until your majority.”

“But how is that possible? I have no means of support. Sir Richard is in control of the estates and all monies. You see? I have no choice!”

“But you do, my dear. You may simply choose to wed whom you will.”

“But we only come full circle,” she sobbed. “For only he can grant consent.”

“Not necessarily true, my dear,” Hadley stroked her back. “There are hundreds of marriages that take place every day in London without a license, banns, or parental blessing. Indeed, there are any number of places where a couple can be wed in such a manner. The prison districts abound with them. These marriages only require mutual consent and two witnesses.”

Mary regarded him wide-eyed. “This practice is legal?”

“Such marriages are considered irregular, but due to a loophole in the law, they are indeed upheld.” Lord Hadley continued, “Sir Richard would be quite impotent against a fait accompli. If you and I were to wed, I could protect you and keep you out of his reach.”

“But you have already admitted that you only wished to wed me for my money, and without my guardian’s consent, there would be no money. He would only take issue with the marriage in the courts of law and tie up my inheritance.” She turned her back to him and buried her face in her hands.

“That is true…but only for a short time,” he said after a moment of reflection. “Fourteen months to be precise. Upon your majority, you would only need to seek recognition of the union through the church, whereby there would be no longer any means of contesting it. Thus, you would come into your full inheritance.”

Her gaze narrowed again. “You are seriously proposing that we marry?”

“Yes, Mary. If you wish it.”

She averted her gaze. “But I’ve already told you, I won’t have you.”

“And I’m suggesting that you might reconsider your alternatives now that your eyes are open. You can see for yourself that Sir Richard never had your best interests at heart.”

“And you do?” she gave a bitter laugh.

“The difference is that I propose a mutually beneficial bargain.”

“How can you call it a mutual bargain when you stand to gain far more than I? For once I am legally joined with you, I become little more than your possession.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “According to law that is true, but I promise to give you whatever freedom you desire Mary, to live where you will, and do as you please. I will not interfere.”

“You propose independent lives?”

He inclined his head. “It is not my preference…but if that is what you wish.”

She was silent for a long moment. “Are you certain of all this?” she asked.

“Yes, Mary. I am quite certain.”

“How do you know of such things?”

“I read civil law at Oxford,” he replied. “The knowledge I gained of jurisprudence has proven useful upon several occasions.” Except in the face of his father’s impeachment. He had been impotent against the host of hostile lawyers and government officials.

“You studied the law?” she asked with surprise.

“Why is that so difficult to believe?” he asked in mild affront. “Have I not the look of a scholar to you?”

She frowned at him. “Honestly, no. I find it impossible to envisage you in the long white wigs and black robes.”

He gave a wry smile. “It was never my intent to join the judiciary. I believed at the time that my studies would be advantageous in my future parliamentary career…but then certain events altered my circumstances.”

“And forced you abroad?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“Tell me,” Mary said. “Please tell me what happened. You are asking me to trust you implicitly, to give you control of my life, but you still have given me no basis for that trust. I still know nothing about you…nothing substantial.”

She had a point of course, but how much to tell her? How close to the appalling truth could he reveal before she would lose her faith in him altogether? “What do you wish to know?” he asked guardedly.

“Why did you leave England?”

“I had no choice,” he said.

“What do you mean by that? You have been gone over seven years. Did you commit some crime?”

He gave a snort of contempt. “I was not transported if that’s what you are thinking. In truth my exile was largely self-imposed.”

“Lady Blanchard said you were ruined.”

His gaze narrowed. “And did the Countess elaborate on the circumstances?”

“Only that it was related to the South Sea Company. I was quite young but I still remember it.”

“The Earl of Blanchard was a director of the company and one of the earliest and most enthusiastic investors, but like a compulsive gamester he hadn’t the will to leave the tables when he was ahead. He invested tens of thousands in a company whose merchant vessels promised the old Spanish dream of El Dorado, but it all came crashing down. The ships sunk, drowning all who hadn’t had the foresight to abandon ship before the storm…”