The House of Lyall by Doris Davidson

for …’
    â€˜Andrew,’ Marianne said softly, ‘you’ve nothing to be sorry for.’ She hesitated, then added, ‘I’d better tell you, though … he has asked me to marry him.’
    He grabbed her arms and pulled her roughly to a halt. ‘I thought you only dined with him once?’
    â€˜I thought that would be all, but it was more than that and he proposed last Thursday and gave me ten days to think about it. I’ve thought and thought … well, I’m going to accept.’
    â€˜But you can’t, Marianne! You don’t know anything about him!’
    â€˜I know enough.’
    â€˜Oh God, Marianne! You can’t do this! You know I love you, and you can’t love him!’
    Her heart was cramping at the anguish in his eyes, but she said stoutly, ‘Who said anything about love? I told you a long time ago I didn’t care about love. He wants me to … give him the son he’s got to have to continue the Bruce-Lyall line.’
    â€˜Good God! Do you realize what you are saying, Marianne? He must know dozens of suitable girls; he doesn’t need you. Not like I do.’
    â€˜Andrew, my mind’s made up. I’ve always said I wanted a rich man, but even if he’s not rich, I’ll still marry him for the title.’
    He flung her from him. ‘I’d better not argue any more. I thought I could have persuaded you to … but when I asked Stephen, he said the Bruce-Lyalls were one of the wealthiest families in Scotland.’
    â€˜There you are!’ she snapped, rubbing her arms where his nails had dug in. ‘It seems I picked well, after all.’
    Chests heaving with the anger they felt, they glared at each other for several moments before Marianne said, with a catch in her throat, ‘Andrew, I know you don’t think much of me now, but I still want you for a friend. You’re the only one I could turn to if –’
    â€˜You’re beginning to have doubts?’
    â€˜No, I don’t have any doubts, but even the best marriages go wrong sometimes, and I’d like to know I had someone …’
    â€˜Oh, Marianne!’ The words were wrung from him. ‘I let you down on that evening at Stephen’s, but I’ll never let you down again. I’ll always be there for you. I’ll run at your bidding, and I’ll do anything you want, whatever it is. I’ll never stop loving you.’
    She was surprised by the tears which sprang to her eyes. ‘I wish it could be different, Andrew dear. I wish I could love you like you deserve to be loved.’
    He put his hand up to dry her cheek. ‘Tell me something, Marianne. Do you love Bruce-Lyall?’
    â€˜No, I don’t love him, but I do like him and he can make my dreams come true. Can’t you feel happy for me about that?’
    He held her face between his hands now. ‘I do, Marianne, though I would feel happier if I had been the one to make your dreams come true.’ His lips touched hers lightly. ‘It does help a little to know that you do not love him either, but it is still going …’ A slight tremble in his voice made him clear his throat determinedly. ‘Do not forget, if you ever need me you have only to let me know.’
    â€˜Thank you, Andrew. I won’t forget, but why don’t you find another girl? You must know some.’
    â€˜None of them can compare with you,’ he sighed.
    â€˜That’s just because you don’t want to compare them. I’d better go back now, or else your aunts will be thinking I’m lost.’
    Because Marianne had taken almost half an hour to come back from seeing Andrew to the end of the street, two of his aunts had presumed they had made up their quarrel, and so were not averse to the girl meeting Hamish again.
    â€˜It will do her good to mix with people like that,’ Miss Emily said, feeling free to state her opinion because she