The Notorious Proposal

by Terry Long

  That struck a chord. Michael winced. “For the love of God, I said I was sorry.”

  “And what are you sorry about? Hurting her? Treating her like a…like a low…and for—”

  “For taking her from you,” he finished for his distraught brother. Michael didn’t need to be reminded of the callous things he’d said and done to Ally. He lifted his gaze to the windows. The sky didn’t match his mood. It should have been dark and gloomy.

  Michael felt as little as an ass when his brother of only two and twenty confronted him with what he should have seen, what he should have known. His mind all muddled, he didn’t know what to do to put Victor at ease, let alone how to accomplish it. He swallowed a lump in his throat. He’d never hurt Ally physically, but Michael knew he had hurt her in all the other ways. “For that, I’m sorry,” he murmured, mostly to himself, before turning back to his brother.

  Victor gaped at him, his rage obvious. “For that? You’re not even sorry for hurting her, are you? Damn you, Michael! Damn it all! She doesn’t deserve to be treated this way! She doesn’t deserve this!”

  “What do you want from me?” Michael bellowed back, matching volume for volume.

  “Her!” Then more softly, Victor added, “I want her.”

  “Even if I’ve already been with her, you still want her?” Michael asked, incredulously. His brother was either an idiot or as dumb as a mule. Perhaps both.

  “I do. I’ll have her, even if you’ve already forced yourself on her. I love her,” Victor finished in a whisper. “Michael, I really do.”

  It felt like a feral blaze had just charred him in the gut. Michael watched his brother closely, while his heartbeat began to pound faster with each eerily-quiet second that passed. Victor really did love her.

  His chest constricted with an excruciating ache, but he didn’t know if it was for his brother, for causing him so much pain, or for himself. Victor loved her? That didn’t bode well. Silently, Michael cursed his own emotions for the unwelcomed tiny spark of jealously that flared up inside.

  “Let me have her,” Victor said.

  For the first time in his life, Michael wanted to refuse his brother for self gain. He wanted Ally for himself. Besides, Victor wouldn’t know what to do with a hotheaded woman like Ally.

  “I love her. You don’t love her. You never will. And you know she doesn’t want you,” Victor said, each word stinging Michael like acid. “Ally deserves to be happy.”

  Michael turned from his brother’s pleading face, training his eyes onto a Chinese artifact that stood beside the settee. Each breath he took became more difficult than the last.

  “I know I can make her happy. And I’ll be happy, as well. Isn’t that what you want for me, Michael?”

  Shutting his eyes to Victor’s voice, Michael nodded. “Yes.” A sharp pain seared his throat, causing him to swallow it down, hoping for some amount of reprieve. There was none.

  No sound came from Victor, either, making him believe his brother didn’t hear him, so Michael said, “You can have her.” The words were spoken low and clear, but it sounded deafening to his ears. A coil jolted somewhere in the middle of his chest, hauling forth a sense of loss and spitting it out into the open. It shouldn’t be this difficult to let her go. She was never yours to begin with.

  He expected Victor to express his gratitude with shrieks of joy. He heard nothing.

  Turning, he didn’t expect to see his wife’s blue eyes flashing at him dangerously. Ally’s cheeks were stained pink, her whole body shook with barely-checked rage. Michael braced himself for the blow he knew was in her, as she made her way to stand right in front of him.

  “Ally”

  “Well, I never!” she gritted with narrowed eyes. He’d never seen her this livid. The hairs on the back of his neck stood, and a chill went down his spine.

  “Ally,” Victor called from behind her.

  She couldn’t be stopped now, Michael thought as she opened her mouth. For a long moment, she stood gaping up at him, but nothing came out. Michael knew the moment she began to unleash her fury like the worst storm London had seen in decades. She clenched the sides of her dress with her fists and heaved in a breath.

  “To believe that you might ever be capable of showing any resemblance to that of a gentleman one day sustained me. But now, I am truly certain that you aren’t even capable of acting like a man at all.”

  Michael winced, but held his gaze.

  Ally continued, hissing through her teeth, “You think you can just hand me off to whomever you wish because I’m only a poor man’s daughter? Well, you’re wrong!”

  By God, she looked furious, her blue eyes almost black with their dilated pupils. She clenched her jaws so tightly, it was a wonder she could have said all of that.

  “Ally,” Victor tried to interrupt.

  “Do be quiet, Victor,” she snapped, without even turning around. “Let me finish speaking to this arrogant, indecent goat who calls himself a man.”

  Michael stifled a smile when he saw his brother’s eyes grow to the size of hen eggs. Victor’s angel wasn’t as angelic as he’d always thought. He’ll learn that quickly enough.

  “Just so you know,” she continued, completely oblivious to what she’d just done to the man who declared himself in love with her, “I’d rather live in a nunnery than have you toss me over as if I’m a worn article of clothing.”

  A smile tugged at the corners of Michael’s mouth. While berating him, she failed to see that she had made it clear she didn’t want his brother, either. He couldn’t pretend he wasn’t relieved. He honestly couldn’t begin to think what he’d do if she said she’d have his brother. In case his wife hadn’t known, a man had his pride, too.

  “Do you find my declaration amusing?”

  He wanted to say yes, but strongly decided against it.

  Behind her, Victor took a step forward and placed both hands on her shoulders. “Ally,” he coaxed, turning her to face him. Michael gnashed his teeth with irritation. “My brother will let you leave. He’s done unpleasant things to you, and he’s sorry. You shan’t ever have to see him again if you don’t wish it. We’ll leave England and live anywhere you’d like,” he told her in a rushed breath, as if he’d practiced these words in his head many times before. “How about your home in America? I promise you, I’ll take good care of you.”

  “The hell you will!” Michael snapped.

  Both Ally and his brother turned to him as if they’d only just remembered he stood there all this time.

  Ally wore a look of both bewilderment and despair. When her eyes focused on his, Michael swore her spine turned to an iron rod.

  “I cannot look at you right now, much less be in the same room with you,” she directed at him with scorn. Then turned on her heels and marched out, stomping her feet in her wake.

  ***

  “Milady,” Matthews called, following her to the staircase.

  “Not now, Matthews.” A torrent of dismay ran through her. Certain that he’d witnessed the whole ordeal at the door of the drawing room, Ally kept her head lowered. “I can’t,” she began, and then came to a halt, a burst of nervousness washing over her. Quietly, Ally asked, “May I ask for a favor?”

  “Yes, milady. Anything.” Matthews’ hands were clasped before him like an eager child awaiting a tale.

  “I would like to take the carriage. I won’t be long.”

  “But—”

  “I want to go where it’s quiet. And Mr. Langdon had not said I couldn’t leave with the coach, has he? He only said I could not leave with his horse,” she said deviously, and the more she spoke, the more she was sure of gaining his cooperation. “I would be safe with the driver. Please Matthews. I will be back before he knows I’m gone.”

  Matthews pondered this while rubbing the back of his neck. After a short moment of deliberating, he said, “You would be safe enough.” Shifting his gaze towards the drawing room, he added, “It looks to me like he would be quite busy.”


  “Thank you, Matthews.” She took his hands. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

  He beamed. “It will just be a minute, milady.”

  “I shall be outside in a trice,” she promised, trying not to take the stairs two at a time, for propriety’s sake.

  Each step closer to her chamber, Ally’s heart raced, her mind like a whirlwind. Anticipation and excitement grew to the verge of exploding from her chest.

  Hurrying to the armoire to retrieve a light coat, her eyes caught the dark blue velvet purse lying on her bed, bursting fat with gold coins. The contrast against the white cotton sheets was nearly blinding. Ally regarded it with pure distaste. It was because of them that her life went down in chaos.

  Removing a pelisse from its hanger and shrugging it on, her gaze flew back to the purse. Slowly, she collected it, taking note of the weight in her hand, and shoved it into her pocket.

  She made haste to the waiting coach.

  Chapter Seventeen

  You can have her.

  Did it mean Michael would annul their marriage, and force her to marry Victor, just to appease his younger brother’s wishes? He made it sound so effortless when he pronounced it in his study, loud and clear.

  You can have her.

  Ally wanted to expire.

  Her chest tightened. Weeping didn’t help, either. After the creeping sense of sadness flowed through her, anger followed and burned her.

  Her body, sore in places she’d never been before, made her journey tedious. Every muscle in her body ached, as did her head. But the worst pain was in her chest. Ally curled up in the corner of her seat, angry tears streaking down her face. Michael had no heart. She hoped one day he would hurt just as much as she did today.

  The short afternoon spent in the gallery with him had exposed a layer she never believed existed. He was agreeable, pleasant, and almost…likeable. She had liked him while they were amidst the hordes of colorful paintings and watercolors. He had acted like an entirely different man.

  How stupid she was to believe something could be buried under that distasteful demeanor. There was nothing, but a cold, black heart. That is, if he even had one. She didn’t know why it wounded her a great deal being rejected by a man like Michael. It shouldn’t matter.

  Taking a deep breath, she shut her eyes and welcomed the sounds of her sobs as they accompanied that of the horses’ shoes.

  ***

  The coach pulled to a stop. Ally opened her eyes. She hadn’t realized she’d fallen asleep. Pulling back the curtains, her heart doubled over in excitement and anticipation. She had arrived at the hospital. Nana!

  She leapt out as soon as the footman opened the door. “Thank you, John.”

  “Milady.” He bowed. “Why do you wish to stop here?” he asked, glancing at the hospital building with its peeling paint and crumbling exterior with distaste.

  “I’m here to see my grandmother,” she answered, not caring that it was inappropriate for a footman to question her comings and goings. She felt too exhilarated to mind. “I’ll have to speak to Dr. Reeves first, however.” She squeezed the coin purse in her pocket. “There’s a tavern just down the road if you and Gregory would like to have a drink. I’ll be a while.” She handed him a couple shillings, then rushed into the facility.

  “Dr. Reeves,” she greeted after a nurse retrieved him. “How is my grandmother? May I see her?”

  “Ah, Miss Overton.” He gave her a slight nod and a smile. “I’ve relocated Mrs. Hoovergrove to a more secluded area.”

  Although glad that her grandmother was given a more private room to rest, she couldn’t help the painful tugging in her heart. “Was there a reason for relocating her?”

  Face dejected, he answered, “I am regretful to say that Mrs. Hoovergrove’s coughs have come to be very…disturbing to other patients.” He continued to check a few things off on the document he held, before adding, “By the way, Miss Overton, the device we’ve ordered has not arrived, I’m afraid.” He sighed and regarded her with disappointment in his kind brown eyes. “As with the other devices the hospital has ordered.” Shaking his gray head slowly, he gave the documents to a passing nurse.

  Ally’s eyes filled with tears. “May I see her?”

  “Yes, Miss Overton, if you’ll follow me?”

  “Oh, Dr. Reeves, I would like to make a contribution,” she said once she remembered the purse that was dragging her pocket down with its weight.

  As she presented him the large velvet purse, the doctor raised his brows. “This looks like a lot of money, Miss Overton.”

  “It is one hundred-fifty pounds, less a few shillings,” she told him without a smidge of feeling. Dr. Reeves didn’t take the purse from her, so she thrust it into his hand. “I believe this could help the hospital make a few purchases in acquiring supplies and such.”

  His jaw dropped. “Are…are you certain you wish to contribute all of one hundred and fifty pounds?”

  “Yes, I’m certain. The hospital needs it more than I do. May I see my grandmother now?”

  “Yes, yes.” He stared down at the purse in the palm of his hand as if not knowing what to do with it or where to put it. “You’re certain?”

  Ally nodded. If someone had made contributions like this more often, she and Nana would not have to wait for any sort of device at all. Patients’ health would all be improved in a timely fashion, and no one would grow more ill than they already were.

  She followed the doctor through a dimly-lit corridor, passing a number of even dimmer rooms until they finally stopped at one- the storage room. Upon seeing Nana lying in the narrow cot, Ally’s tears fell in rapid streams down her face. She didn’t know she’d been holding her breath until her lungs screamed for air. Torn between dashing to her, and maintaining her tranquility for her grandmother, Ally simply stood there, her chest tightening.

  “This is the only available chamber we have to house her privately. Might I add, your grandmother had insisted upon it?” He pushed his glasses higher onto the bridge of his nose. “I had given her laudanum so she’d sleep more comfortably.”

  A tight ball constricted in Ally’s chest. She nodded, unable to thank him properly for seeing to her grandmother all this time. “Do you give her laudanum often?” she whispered while she tried with all her might to remain standing beside the doctor, and not crumpled at his feet.

  “Every night. She rests more soundly and won’t be restless when morning arrives.”

  Ally nodded again.

  He sighed at the sight of her face. Assuming she must look a fright, Ally wiped at some of her tears, striving for a bit of control. She’d never cried in front of a man before, it proved a trifle mortifying.

  “Miss Overton, there isn’t much I can do for your grandmother at this time. If it makes you feel any better, and I do hope I’m not going to affront anyone, she is old, frail. It is in her best interest when she finally passes.”

  Ally gasped in outrage. “How could you say such a thing? You are a doctor!” Her hands trembled and she hid them in the folds of her skirt.

  “My dear, please be rational, and if you would please keep your voice down. If your grandmother wakes, her coughing spasms will come back, and she will be in immense pain.” He turned his attention to a wide-eyed nurse, who appeared a few feet away. At her I-need-you-now look, he hurried toward her. “Miss Overton, I shall be just a moment,” he said over his shoulder, as he followed the nurse into another room nearby.

  Unable to maintain her unruffled composure any longer, Ally bolted toward her grandmother, burying her face in a thin, fragile arm. “Oh, Nana, how I’ve missed you so! I miss you so very much! Oh, Nana…”

  “Stop making all of that uproar, child. You’re making me ill,” her grandmother said over her head, her voice unsteady. A fit of coughs followed.

  “Oh, please don’t try to speak.”

  “Where in the hell have you been? Didn’t you know I’ve been ailing?” her grandmother reprimanded, though a glint
of relief shone in her eyes. Another set of coughs took over, and Ally patted her arm.

  “I couldn’t come, because…” she began, but her words caught in her throat. As her grandmother waited for a response, Ally knew with all her being that she couldn’t tell her the truth. “I am married, Nana. It all happened so quickly. I’m so sorry. I never meant to leave you for so long. My husband…Michael, his work is very demanding of his time.” It was all true. Her grandmother studied her with intense interest now, her eyes fixed steadily on her face. Ally knew Nana needed more elaboration, so she added, “He doesn’t want me to leave anywhere without him.” Still, true.

  Her grandmother scoffed. A cough accompanied, and a weak hand slowly lifted to rest on her bosom.

  “Nana, tell me where it hurts.” She smoothed her grandmother’s arm with an unsteady hand. Another tight ball, bigger than the first, formed in her chest, and Ally did all she could to keep her breathing even. “Nana?”

  A dismissive wrinkled hand waved in the air. “Tell me more.”

  “I will tell you everything you want to know, later. First, tell me, are they treating you well here? Are you comfortable? You’ve lost weight, too. Have you been eating?”

  “Who is he? He’s not a fop, is he?” Her grandmother asked some of her own questions with drawn, gray brows. “I hate those.”

  Ally leaned over to kiss her cheek. Smiling, she said, “He’s not a fop, I assure you.” Ally couldn't help smiling at the thought of Michael, all stern and masculine. He hardly put forth time in selecting the perfect cut or color for his suits. Black, fawn, forest green and dark blue was what she’d seen him in. And heavens, did he always look fetching in them.

  “Now, now, Ally,” Nana said hoarsely, “There’s no time for me to wait until you’ve finished blushing. Get on with it.” Her eyelids drooped as if fighting to stay awake.

  “I am not blushing, Nana,” she said, even though she felt her face growing warm. “Now, what do you wish to know about him?”