him understand."
"Look at this." He slid a scandal rag in front of her, his finger pressed to a spot on the page.
She read, growing by turns hot and cold. She looked up at him, wordless.
Arthur's eyes held a deep sadness. "I'm afraid the scandal sheet makes a mock of our plans. There is no choice for us now. We must do what is right. We must marry. It will not be so bad, I promise you."
What is right. Not what he wished to do. What he must do. She hated to be thought of as an obligation to be met satisfactorily.
The duke nodded, as if the matter was settled. "You must both do the right thing." He hesitated briefly, and then asked Arthur quietly, "Your arrangement with Miss Delagrace . . . was that ever . . .confirmed?"
"No — it was an understanding between my grandmother and hers." Arthur shook his head. She wished she could tell from his voice or his expression if he was heartbroken. " I have made no formal request for Miss Delagrace's hand, so there is no impediment to an immediate marriage between Miss Fenster and myself."
Simon nodded and took Miranda's hand. They both looked to Hero as he said, "Good, I will secure the license immediately, and we will hold the ceremony in a week's time."
Arthur's lackluster agreement rang in her ears. He married her for duty. He wanted Gwen. "I will not agree."
"I think you will see reason by the time the ceremony arrives," the duke said blandly.
"I think it will cause exactly the scandal you wish to avoid when I do not appear at my own wedding," she retorted.
Arthur took out his pocket watch and stood. "I think we should be late for the meeting of The Round Table Society if we do not leave at once."
Hero looked at him, for the first time wondering if he truly was mad. She tapped the scandal sheet. "After this? We will be humiliated."
He met her eyes and she could not tell what he was thinking. "It will be worse if we do not go. Think of what they will say then."
To squelch any untoward gossip, Juliet was pressed into service as a chaperone, rather than a maidservant. Hero did not know how a notorious flirt would help her reputation, but she did not argue.
As she settled across from Arthur in the carriage, she noted that he was drawn tight with tension. She remembered, belatedly, that he had hoped to have the Malory manuscript to present tonight. In sympathy, she said, "No one knows about the manuscript."
"That is some consolation," he agreed. And then he added, "Of course, I will be able to announce that we are to be married."
She felt a quick rush of dismay. "Must you?"
"I cannot see the reason to put it off."
"Why do you not believe I will refuse to speak vows with you?"
Juliet interjected, "Because, Hero, you have always done what others expected of you. Why should we think this temper will last, never mind that it will cause you to embarrass your entire family by standing up your groom."
She looked at Arthur. "Can you tell me this is what you want? Not out of duty, but because it is best for both of us?"
His answer was less than satisfactory. "It is the right thing, Hero. I know it. We will come to accept it. I promise to make you proud to call me husband, even if I cannot do it tonight."
Why was she arguing the matter here, when he had other issues on his mind? Her own troubles paled in comparison to his. Not only was he in the same predicament as she, he also had to face the society without the manuscript he had hoped to have in his possession.
"I'm sorry. I know this isn't the right time for this discussion." However, as they climbed out of the carriage, she stopped him with a hand upon his arm. "Please, do not make any announcement about us. I still hope to make the duke see reason."
He said softly, "Everyone already sees reason, but you."
She could say nothing more, because Digby greeted them. "Watterly, Miss Fenster. So good to see you."
"And you, Digby," Arthur said in an utterly unconvincing manner as he led Hero into the meeting room for the
"Look at this." He slid a scandal rag in front of her, his finger pressed to a spot on the page.
She read, growing by turns hot and cold. She looked up at him, wordless.
Arthur's eyes held a deep sadness. "I'm afraid the scandal sheet makes a mock of our plans. There is no choice for us now. We must do what is right. We must marry. It will not be so bad, I promise you."
What is right. Not what he wished to do. What he must do. She hated to be thought of as an obligation to be met satisfactorily.
The duke nodded, as if the matter was settled. "You must both do the right thing." He hesitated briefly, and then asked Arthur quietly, "Your arrangement with Miss Delagrace . . . was that ever . . .confirmed?"
"No — it was an understanding between my grandmother and hers." Arthur shook his head. She wished she could tell from his voice or his expression if he was heartbroken. " I have made no formal request for Miss Delagrace's hand, so there is no impediment to an immediate marriage between Miss Fenster and myself."
Simon nodded and took Miranda's hand. They both looked to Hero as he said, "Good, I will secure the license immediately, and we will hold the ceremony in a week's time."
Arthur's lackluster agreement rang in her ears. He married her for duty. He wanted Gwen. "I will not agree."
"I think you will see reason by the time the ceremony arrives," the duke said blandly.
"I think it will cause exactly the scandal you wish to avoid when I do not appear at my own wedding," she retorted.
Arthur took out his pocket watch and stood. "I think we should be late for the meeting of The Round Table Society if we do not leave at once."
Hero looked at him, for the first time wondering if he truly was mad. She tapped the scandal sheet. "After this? We will be humiliated."
He met her eyes and she could not tell what he was thinking. "It will be worse if we do not go. Think of what they will say then."
To squelch any untoward gossip, Juliet was pressed into service as a chaperone, rather than a maidservant. Hero did not know how a notorious flirt would help her reputation, but she did not argue.
As she settled across from Arthur in the carriage, she noted that he was drawn tight with tension. She remembered, belatedly, that he had hoped to have the Malory manuscript to present tonight. In sympathy, she said, "No one knows about the manuscript."
"That is some consolation," he agreed. And then he added, "Of course, I will be able to announce that we are to be married."
She felt a quick rush of dismay. "Must you?"
"I cannot see the reason to put it off."
"Why do you not believe I will refuse to speak vows with you?"
Juliet interjected, "Because, Hero, you have always done what others expected of you. Why should we think this temper will last, never mind that it will cause you to embarrass your entire family by standing up your groom."
She looked at Arthur. "Can you tell me this is what you want? Not out of duty, but because it is best for both of us?"
His answer was less than satisfactory. "It is the right thing, Hero. I know it. We will come to accept it. I promise to make you proud to call me husband, even if I cannot do it tonight."
Why was she arguing the matter here, when he had other issues on his mind? Her own troubles paled in comparison to his. Not only was he in the same predicament as she, he also had to face the society without the manuscript he had hoped to have in his possession.
"I'm sorry. I know this isn't the right time for this discussion." However, as they climbed out of the carriage, she stopped him with a hand upon his arm. "Please, do not make any announcement about us. I still hope to make the duke see reason."
He said softly, "Everyone already sees reason, but you."
She could say nothing more, because Digby greeted them. "Watterly, Miss Fenster. So good to see you."
"And you, Digby," Arthur said in an utterly unconvincing manner as he led Hero into the meeting room for the
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