Grandmama

It was over a week before I heard from Max again, I was not allowed to leave the house or send any letters to anyone. He wrote to tell me that he still wanted to marry me but his mother would take convincing since his father was still alive and he had no power over his mother.

Ben had set up a meeting with Max's mother and she was still not persuaded of my innocence. She wanted to meet me alone to determine whether or not I was worthy of her son. I was not happy with the request but it was better than the alternative.

Word got to my Grandmama Brooks, the Dowager Baroness of Carlyle, who was on her way from the city with a young man in tow who would marry me despite the scandal, I was not ready to give up on marrying Max.

My grandmama would come with me to meet with Max's mother, the Countess of Westmorland Euphemia St. Clair, for tea at her estate. Max would not be there and I couldn't think of anything more terrifying than facing my potential mother-by-law practically by myself. My grandmama was not happy with me for smearing her good name, she would offer little to no help navigating these uncharted waters.

Willa and I sat on my bed trying to come up with ways to seem pious and sweet to the Countess when Winona knocked on the door to announce the arrival of my grandmama and my suitor, and that they were waiting in the parlor for me. My sister squeezed my hand and gave me a sympathetic look before I left the room with Winona trailing behind me.

I took a deep breath and steeled myself for the meeting that was to come. I did not like the thought of not being able to choose who I marry. Ben had always made it plain that as long as the man I chose would love me and make me happy he did not care who I married.

He was always so lenient with Willa and me after our parents died, our grandmama did not appreciate it one bit.

I made my way to the parlor where Ben was talking to our grandmama and another young man when I walked into the room. The men stood up upon my arrival and my grandmama gave me a curt nod in greeting.

"Well Aurelia, you have made quite the mess," grandmama exclaimed as she pulled out her fan. "This young man here the Right Honorable Lord Edward Radcliffe IV of Chetshire, he is willing to marry you in spite of your recent actions, if the Countess of Westmorland does not approve of your union to her son, you will marry Lord Radcliffe."

Lord Radcliffe bowed to me and I curtsied in return, he had dark brown hair that was tied in a small ponytail on the nape of his neck, his black eyes smoldering when my eyes met his. My gut started to turn when he wouldn't stop staring at me.

I was a hunk of meat that was being sold to the highest bidder, something inanimate without feelings or thoughts to be considered. Max never looked at me like that, he was all tenderness, this man would not make a loving husband, my gut told me.

I looked at the ground to escape his unflinching gaze upon me, I wasn't listening to what my grandmama and brother were speaking about. I was too enraptured in thought about my prospects for the future when my grandmama snapped me out of my head. "Dear, are you ready to go walk in the gardens with Lord Radcliffe?"