Fortune's Gamble (Fortunes of Fate, #3)

by Bold, Diana

  Sighing, she turned away from her bedroom window and trudged downstairs to greet him, wishing she could work up a bit more pleasure in seeing him. She didn’t hate her father; in fact, she loved him. She just had never been sure he felt the same way, and his gruff manner could be very taxing, to say the least.

  He bounded out of his coach with an energy that would have been astounding in a man half his age, meeting her on the front steps with a very satisfied look upon his face. “When can you arrange for me to meet with Trowbridge?” he asked, wasting no time on the niceties. “We must get you married immediately!”

  Rebecca tried to smile but knew it probably looked more like a grimace. She was eager for the marriage as well, but she’d like to think she had at least a semblance of a say in the matter. Her father didn’t care about her feelings; he’d made that perfectly clear when he’d arranged a marriage with Andrew entirely behind her back.

  “I’ll send word,” she said, instead of all the other things she wished to say. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to come for dinner.”

  “Excellent. See it done,” her father demanded, striding past her and into the house as though it hadn’t been several months since they’d last seen each other.

  With a sigh, she followed him inside, just in time to hear the door to his study slam closed behind him.

  Sabrina hurried down the stairs, coming to stand beside her. “Your father’s arrived?”

  “Yes,” Rebecca answered, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. “He’s demanded that I invite Andrew to dinner tonight. No doubt he wants me married immediately.”

  Sabrina nodded, her eyes dancing with merriment. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a special license in his pocket.”

  Rebecca’s eyes widened, and her nervousness intensified. “I wouldn’t be surprised either.”

  “Why do you look so upset?” Sabrina asked, peering at her with dawning understanding. “I thought you and Andrew had been getting along famously.”

  “We are,” she murmured, wondering why she hadn’t told her cousin any of her doubts. Perhaps because she feared she’d sound crazy. She wasn’t even sure what it was exactly that she suspected, just that Andrew was different in ways she couldn’t explain. “It’s just a bit overwhelming, to have waited for so long, only to have everything suddenly start happening so quickly.”

  Sabrina squeezed her shoulder. “It will be all right. Soon, we’ll be traveling to London. We’ll be going to balls and the theater. You won’t have to ever come to the country again, if you don’t want to.”

  “I like the country. I just didn’t like the fact that my father wouldn’t allow me to go to London,” Rebecca reminded her cousin, then frowned. “I suppose I never gave much thought to the fact that you must feel stuck here as well, deprived of London’s entertainments.”

  “I’ve only been here a few months, and I did it because I wanted to spend time with you,” Sabrina hastened to reassure her. “Though I will be glad to get back.”

  The thought of losing her cousin to London made her a little sad, but she realized she no longer had any intention of leaving Andrew to join the social whirl. He seemed to also be completely content here in Wiltshire, learning everything he needed to know to make the Trowbridge estate run smoothly. What a revelation to realize that it had never been the social whirl in London that had called to her, just an urge to quench the terrible loneliness inside her. Having Sabrina around this past summer had certainly helped, but what she felt when she was with Andrew was entirely different. He made her feel whole in completely unexpected ways.

  Which was yet another reason he did not seem like Andrew at all.

  “Well, I’m sure you’ll be able to go back there very soon,” Rebecca managed, hoping she didn’t seem as waspish as she felt. Her doubts and uncertainties were making her unlike herself. Perhaps the same could be said for Andrew. This couldn’t be easy for him, either. Marriage was a big step.

  Feeling a little better about that realization, Rebecca pulled Sabrina in for a spontaneous hug. “Sorry if I’ve been prickly. This has all just been so confusing.”

  Sabrina hugged her back tightly. “It will be all right. That man adores you, and you adore him. You’ll find a way to make things work.”

  “Thank you,” Rebecca whispered. “I needed to hear that.” She pulled back and forced a smile. “I must go and summon Andrew to dinner. Hopefully, my father will go easy on him.”

  WHEN CHRISTIAN ARRIVED at Riverbend Hall later that night, he couldn’t control the nervousness churning in his gut as he waited to be shown into the Earl of Marlborough’s office. The man had requested a private meeting with him before dinner, and Christian knew this was another important test. It seemed as though the earl had known Andrew better that Rebecca had.

  Would he spot Christian as an imposter immediately? Would he ask questions of him he couldn’t answer? He’d poured over the marriage contract with Theo for hours before he’d left Trowbridge Manor, trying to familiarize himself with every detail.

  At last, he was shown into his future father-in-law’s sanctuary, finding a man who was smaller and older than he’d been building him up to be in his own mind. He searched the man’s face, looking for both a resemblance to Rebecca and any hint of suspicion.

  He found neither. The earl’s lined features in no way resembled Rebecca’s, and he seemed merely annoyed, not suspicious.

  Before Christian had taken two steps, hand outstretched, the earl took a seat behind his desk, effectively showing that there would be no small talk and that he would not deign to shake his hand.

  “When I gave you my daughter, I did not intend for you to run away to war for three years!” the earl snapped. “I expect to see a grandson before I die, by God! What have you to say for yourself?”

  Christian thought to say that he’d been serving his country but bit his lip just in time. That was not what Andrew would have said, and with this man, perhaps more than with anyone, he had to try and stay as true to Andrew as possible. “I do not have to answer to you,” he said instead, trying to inject the words with an hauteur that he couldn’t actually imagine feeling.

  The earl sat back with a huff but didn’t seem surprised by Christian’s reply. “Well, you’re back now. I suppose that’s all that matters. But we must get this done as soon as possible. I will tolerate no more delays.”

  Christian said nothing, sensing that it had not been a question.

  “I’ve arranged for a special license,” the earl continued after a beat. “I would like the wedding to take place on Saturday. I’ll make all the arrangements. You only need to show up.”

  Today was Wednesday. Christian’s heart thundered in his chest. This was too soon. He and Rebecca hardly knew each other, and he still hadn’t decided whether he wanted to go through with this. Once he and Rebecca were wed, he was stuck in this charade forever. Plus, he had just started to consider how terrible it would be for her if the truth came out after they were wed. It would ruin her, and she didn’t deserve that. He didn’t want any of his mistakes to ever come back to haunt her.

  “I just returned,” Christian protested. “Rebecca and I need a little more time to get to know each other.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” the earl snapped. “The two of you have known each other all your lives.”

  Christian could not argue that, and he could sense the walls of the cage he’d built with his own actions snapping closed around him. “You’re right, of course,” he murmured. “It just seems so sudden.”

  “Sudden?” The earl shook his head. “My patience is wearing thin, young man. I’ll hear no more excuses.”

  “If Rebecca agrees to this, then so do I,” Christian said with a sigh.

  “Rebecca has no say in the matter and neither do you,” the earl said, his expression even surlier than when he’d sat down. “You already agreed to this, and so did she.”

  Christian scrubbed a hand over his face. There seemed no way out of this, not without giving
up the ruse completely. He decided to let the matter stand for now, but he knew he had to talk to Rebecca alone before Saturday. He had to know that this was what she wanted.

  “All right,” he said, knowing the earl would not give up until he got the answer he wanted. “We will be married on Saturday.”

  The earl finally smiled, his face gentling remarkably. “Excellent.” He stood up and walked to the sideboard, where he poured them both a glass of port. “I look forward to combining our land and families. And I assume you’ll get Rebecca with child as soon as possible.”

  Christian took the glass, shocked by the man’s frank talk of something so intimate regarding his daughter. But as he drank deeply, he couldn’t help but think what it would be like to be Rebecca’s husband, to finally explore this passion between them.

  Forcing his mind away from those thoughts, he decided he needed to get back into the role of Andrew, and he knew Andrew’s only questions would be about the huge amount of money the earl was settling on him. So, for the next ten minutes, he grilled the earl on the details of the marriage contract, finding that the earl seemed happy to debate the settlement, though no new concessions were made.

  As they left the earl’s study to go in to dinner, Christian felt that the earl had no suspicions about his true identity. He also knew that unless he gave up on his ruse completely and Trowbridge Manor forever, he’d find himself a married man in three days.

  REBECCA AND SABRINA were already in the dining room when Andrew and her father joined them. She met Andrew’s gaze, trying to tell if he was upset by anything her father had said, but he seemed remarkably calm. He gave her a small smile, as though he knew what she was thinking and hoped to calm her as well.

  She smiled back, appreciating the attempt, though she wasn’t sure if he’d succeeded. She knew her father too well to believe he hadn’t been absolutely awful to Andrew.

  They all took their seats, and then the servants began to serve the first course, soup a la Flamond. It wasn’t until the servants left the room that her father cleared his throat and met Rebecca’s gaze. “I’ve just told Trowbridge that I’ve procured a special license. You’ll be married on Saturday. So, you’ll need to make a list of whatever fripperies you’ll require, and I’ll send someone to acquire them. I’ve made arrangements for a dressmaker to arrive tomorrow. She’ll work ‘round the clock to get your dress ready in time.” He smiled at her. “Is there anything I’ve forgotten?”

  Rebecca still hadn’t recovered from the shock of finding out she’d be married in three days’ time and could only shake her head numbly. Her father seemed so satisfied, so happy with her for once, that she couldn’t bring herself to protest.

  And what would she protest even if she could find the words? This marriage had been set in stone years ago. She couldn’t imagine telling her father that there was something odd about Andrew now, that she had doubts about him. What proof did she have? That he was too nice, too handsome, too good to her? Her father would never put up with such nonsense. Perhaps Andrew was changed, but he had changed for the better, and in truth, she couldn’t wait to become his wife.

  The only thing she feared was that the change was temporary. That one day she’d wake up and he’d be the man he’d once been.

  Sabrina let out a small gasp of delight. “Oh, Rebecca! That’s wonderful! Aren’t you excited?”

  Rebecca cleared her throat, daring to finally meet Andrew’s gaze. “Yes,” she whispered. “I can’t wait to become Andrew’s wife.”

  He smiled again, looking at her exactly as she’d always hoped that he would. “We’ll talk after dinner, all right? We’ll discuss all of this.”

  She nodded, glad that he seemed to understand how badly she needed to be alone with him.

  Dinner seemed to last forever. Her father and Sabrina blithely planned the wedding details, and Rebecca dutifully responded when she was asked a direct question, but anxiety twisted inside her, and she still couldn’t put her finger on the reason why. She’d wanted this for years, so why was she so hesitant now? Why did she feel like she needed more time?

  Andrew was also very quiet, and she wondered why her father didn’t question that. The old Andrew would have taken over, made sure everything was about him. Now he simply smiled and nodded, though she could see very well that he was hesitant and conflicted as well. If he hadn’t smiled at her earlier, she’d have feared he didn’t want this marriage at all.

  At last, the servants cleared away the dinner dishes, and Andrew stood. “Rebecca, can we speak privately?”

  Her father frowned. “Fifteen minutes, no longer. And make sure the door remains open.”

  This reminder of society’s expectations, that even though they were to be married in three days they were not to be given very much private time together, made her eternally grateful for Sabrina’s lax chaperonage. Thank goodness she’d had a significant amount of time with Andrew over the past few weeks before they were thrown into a marriage bed together.

  She shivered a bit at the very thought, then nodded at her father and led Andrew to the comfortable parlor at the back of the house where she spent most of her time. The soothing shades of blue always made her feel peaceful, and she could use a little of that right now.

  To her relief, Andrew sat beside her on the sofa before the fire and immediately took her hands in his. “Are you all right?” he murmured. “I know this is all moving too fast.”

  She nodded and attempted a smile. “I’m sorry about all this. I know my father can be a bit overwhelming. I hope he wasn’t too hard on you.”

  Andrew gave a rough laugh and ran his hand through his dark hair, something she’d begun to notice he did when he was nervous or agitated. “It’s fine. He’s only requiring that I do what I should have done years ago. It really was unacceptable to go off to war and leave you behind to wait for me.”

  She’d never expected such an admission from him, and it soothed some angry, hurt spot inside of her. “So, you don’t mind that it’s so soon?”

  He shook his head, then met her gaze, his green eyes intense. “Are you sure this is what you want, Rebecca? Am I the man that you want? I care too much for you to trap you.”

  He seemed to be asking so much more than his actual questions. He was asking her to take a leap of faith, to believe in him. She gazed back at him, hoping her eyes held as much emotion as his. “You are the man I want,” she whispered, because that seemed to be the real heart of the matter. Whoever he was, whatever had happened to change him, he was the one she’d fallen in love with.

  The realization stunned her, because, in that moment, she realized that she had indeed come to love him. Over the course of the last few weeks, he’d turned her entire world upside down. Her ideas of what her marriage would entail had been shattered, replaced with such hope and tenderness it terrified her.

  A tentative smile curved his lips. “You’re the woman I want as well, Rebecca. I hope that in the years to come, you never regret your decision, that you always look at me the way you’re looking at me now.”

  “I hope so, too,” she said, putting her heart in her eyes. This fragile love she felt terrified her, but she’d rather put her entire heart into this and be hurt than to never try at all.

  He glanced over at the door, as though to make sure her father wasn’t standing there watching them, then leaned forward and gave her a quick but passionate kiss. “Three days,” he whispered. “I don’t know how I’ll get through them.”

  His meaning was clear, and it sent a strange melting sensation through her very core. Impossible to believe that seventy-two hours from now, she’d be in this man’s bed, letting him touch her in the most intimate of ways.

  Certain her face was flaming, she finally dropped her gaze to her lap. “I don’t know how I’ll get through them either,” she admitted.

  He caught his breath, squeezing her hands so tightly it almost hurt. Then he stood and pulled her up with him. He embraced her tightly, lowering his lips to her e
ar. “I’m going to try so hard to be the man you need me to be, Becca. I promise you that I’ll never intentionally hurt you.”

  Before she could reply, her father cleared his throat, and she looked up to see him standing in the doorway. They hastily broke apart, but her father didn’t look angry. In fact, he looked very satisfied. Perhaps he was happy to see them getting along so well. She wanted to believe that he wanted her to be happy, that he wanted her to have a husband who’d treat her well.

  Andrew gave an embarrassed laugh. “Well, I suppose I should be heading home. There’s much I need to do to prepare. Saturday will be here before we know it.”

  “Indeed,” her father replied, and the two men walked away, heading down the hall toward the front of the house. When she was sure they were gone, Rebecca sank back down on the sofa, her heart still racing in her chest.

  She loved him. Despite their rocky start, Andrew had somehow found his way into her heart, and within days, they’d finally be wed. So why did she still have this niggling feeling that something was going to go terribly wrong?

  Chapter Eight

  The next few days passed in a blur of activity. Rebecca found herself constantly poked and prodded by the annoying little dressmaker, who seemed to care little for her suggestions or wishes. However, as the beautiful dress of ivory satin started to take shape, she realized she never could have dreamed of something so beautiful.

  She saw Andrew every day, but they never had any time alone. It seemed each second was spoken for, and she couldn’t wait until it was all over. Soon, she and Andrew could be alone whenever they wanted, and that was definitely something she looked forward to.

  The evening before the wedding, she, Sabrina, and her father had been invited to dinner at Andrew’s, but at the last minute, her father decided not to go, claiming he had too many last-minute details to see to.