Ghost of Christmas Past by Rebecca King Page A

Don’t put them into a position where they
will ridicule Thea any more than they already are.”
    Sensing
movement in the hallway beside her, Thea had hurried into the
Library and struggled to contain the fierce trembling that had
shaken her so badly that she had been forced to sit down for
several long moments to gather herself. She had known all along
that Rupert’s affections were already engaged elsewhere, but to
hear it from his own lips struck deep into her heart and she knew
with absolute certainty that her future was doomed.
     
    ********
    “ I will admit that when my father first approached me about
getting married I was completely opposed to the idea, but that was
before I had even met you. My father objected to my being in London
and had tried several times to get me to return to Bainbridge and
take over the running of the estate. Until then I had refused to
bow to his dictates. However, I knew that I also had a duty to the
family name and so agreed to at least take a look at you at the
Abernathy’s ball.”
    He
smiled wryly as he remembered the first time he had seen her across
the crowded ballroom. His heart had pounded and he, like many
eligible bachelors there, had been unable to take his eyes off her
as she had stood beside the far wall of the ballroom in a beautiful
white ball gown that had emphasised her narrow waist and gently
rounded bust. Only the bravest few had dared ventured anywhere near
such a fragile and captivating beautiful but, although it was still
relatively early in the evening, her dance card had been full and
he had been left to watch her from a distance.
    Still,
he had seen enough to know that she was definitely someone he
wanted to get to know considerably better and he had taken the
first step toward securing their union right there and then by
parting company with his mistress, Barbara.
    He grew
aware that Thea was studying him with a strange look on her face
and turned to meet her gaze.
    “ I agreed to meet you at Weatherby a couple of weeks later. As
time progressed and I got to know you I realised that I wanted to
marry you, irrespective of whether contracts were drawn up or not
and agreed to the marriage before we left the Abernathy’s.
Unfortunately, by the time I got back to Bainbridge, my father and
yours had already signed the contracts and put a price on our
nuptials. It was horrific really and, now that I look back at it, I
should have put a stop to their machinations. At the time though, I
saw it as a means to an end.” He smiled sadly at her. “I knew that
you didn’t want the marriage, Thea. I am no fool and could sense
your reluctance, even though our parents put it down to pre-wedding
nerves and youthful innocence. I just thought that by allowing the
contracts to be drawn up, you would have little choice but to go
through with the wedding in spite of your reservations. It was
ridiculous really, but there was little else I could do except
ensure that the wedding took place. We were never alone long enough
before the wedding for you to take me into your confidence, or for
me to be able to assure you that it was what I wanted.”
    Thea’s
snort left her before she could stop it. Although she didn’t say
anything, he knew that she wasn’t convinced.
    “ You don’t believe me.”
    “ It isn’t that I don’t believe your version of things Rupert,
it is just that I saw things very differently. We both know that
our marriage was an arranged one based on what our parents wanted,
not what we wanted. You and I were merely pawns in their game. Our
parents would have benefitted from the union more than us.” She
hated to allow the memories to surface and felt a familiar dark
shadow settle over her as she remembered the past she would much
rather forget, but she had to get things out into the
open.
    “ While I was struggling to come to terms with the severity of
my injuries at the doctor’s office, my mother turned up. I was
already in a lot of pain but she stormed in