Rosalind: A Regency Romance (The Four Sisters Series Book 1)

by Audrey Harrison

  “Freddy?” Peter asked, watching the pair and having a suspicion of Annabelle’s feelings about a marriage from the look on her face. He had some sympathy with her, but on the other hand, she had been alone in a darkened room with a man, which was foolish in the extreme.

  “I shall pay my official visit in the morning, if I may?” Lord Stannage asked, brazening it out. He received a slight nod from Peter and bowed to the group before taking hold of Annabelle’s hand and kissing it once more. He felt the stiffness that had not been there previously, and he cursed himself; but his actions had been forced on him. Whatever his motivation, he would not be the one to ruin her.

  Baroness Leyland was all smiles as Lord Stannage left the room. “Well! This is news indeed! Who would have thought that your first ball would produce a marriage proposal?”

  Annabelle gritted her teeth; she was not usually so weak spirited. “Yes, even one with my background can secure a husband it seems; what is society coming to?” she responded tartly. Her world might be racing out of control, but she was not about to be totally passive in the process.

  Baroness Leyland’s eyes opened slightly wider; it was obvious that she realised her words had been overheard. She was not going to let some ‘cit’s’ daughter get away with being impertinent. “Well, it is a marriage of sorts I suppose: one outsider to another; Lord Stannage wouldn’t secure anyone of real breeding.”

  “That is a friend of the family you are referring too,” Peter said sharply.

  “With your history, that is hardly any recommendation,” came the disparaging reply. “I think our chat can wait; please excuse me: I need to return to the ballroom.”

  Peter inwardly groaned; there was absolutely no point in asking the Baroness for her silence: the news was too irresistible for her to keep it to herself. He stepped further into the room and closed the door behind him; he needed to reach Rosalind, but he needed to speak to Annabelle first.

  “I suggest you don’t return to the ballroom,” he said gently.

  “I cannot marry him! He does not know what he is saying!” Annabelle said. She had kissed him; she was fully aware that it was her own actions that had caused the situation, but a marriage to such a decent man would be unfair. She would be marrying him purely to escape her fate at home, and she could not do that.

  “But you were kissing him,” Peter said, his tone firm. “I would not expect you to be kissing someone who you would not be attached to, especially in these surroundings.”

  “It was not what you think,” Annabelle insisted. “I am not forcing someone to marry me!” She stormed out of the room, not really angry with Peter but angry with herself. She might be the daughter of a cit, but she was fully aware of what was and was not allowed in polite society. She had been softening towards Lord Stannage, not as a suitor but as a friend, but then the kiss. She almost stamped her feet in frustration; she should have pushed him away. It would have been bad enough to be in the room together, but to be found kissing: she knew it would be highly unlikely that there would be any return from this. She had to think of something because there was no way she was forcing anyone into a marriage with her; she was too damaged for any decent person to deal with.

  *

  Rosalind could sense there was something amiss. There was more overt whispering occurring. When she saw Peter approaching with a set expression on his face, her heart sank; it was not going to be good news.

  “What is it?” she asked immediately. There was no point in being polite; she was at a disadvantage, and she needed to know what was going on.

  “Annabelle was discovered by myself and Baroness Leyland, kissing Lord Stannage,” Peter said in her ear. “Stannage has left, and I’ve advised Annabelle not to return to the party. She’s saying she does not want to marry him, but they were kissing in the study.”

  Rosalind’s mind raced to keep up with the information; she was as much in shock about any connection between Annabelle and Lord Stannage as Peter had been. “I need to speak to her,” she said.

  “Not now; we need to continue as if nothing is amiss,” Peter said firmly.

  “While everyone whispers behind their fans,” Rosalind muttered, but she placed a smile firmly on her face and moved away from her husband. She knew how to be the Duchess now, and she was going to appear serene to her neighbours. If her insides were churning at the evening’s events no one would know.

  Chapter 17

  Rosalind entered Annabelle’s chamber. Her sister was seated, staring blankly into the fire. She did not acknowledge Rosalind’s presence.

  “Annabelle, we need to talk,” Rosalind said gently, sitting next to her sister and holding her hand. “I didn’t realise you had feelings for Lord Stannage.”

  “I don’t!” Annabelle said, snatching her hand away. “It was all a mistake Rosalind, and he’s going to pay for it for the rest of his life! I cannot marry someone who was being kind to me; I would feel that I had tricked him into marriage.”

  “He obviously likes you,” Rosalind said.

  “He is a good man; I know that,” Annabelle countered, “But it is unfair to marry him: I don’t love him; I would be using him. I don’t want to be forced into this marriage.” Annabelle did not know why the words of the women talking had upset her so much. Perhaps it was because some of them rang true; she was on the look-out for a husband with a title, and her father was willing to pay for it.

  Until she had overheard their malicious gossip, it had not seemed as if they were doing any wrong; the gentleman in question would be receiving a large dowry after all, but hearing it on their lips, it had sounded cheap and unsavoury. She had been disgusted with Mr Wadeson just picking out which sister he liked the best but, in reality, she was no better. She was on the lookout for a husband to escape what she faced at home. It was not fair to force someone into such a doomed marriage.

  Rosalind took a deep breath, “You don’t have to go through with any marriage,” she said firmly.

  Annabelle turned to her sister in surprise. “What do you mean? How can I possibly get through this? If my engagement isn’t announced, I will be ruined in everyone’s eyes. I’m not fool enough to underestimate the poison of Baroness Leyland. If I return home and marry Mr Wadeson, well….” she left the sentence hanging, not wishing to go into too much detail.

  “Tell me what happened with Lord Stannage,” Rosalind said, taking her sister’s hand once more while Annabelle told her the events of the evening. Annabelle made up a reason why she needed to escape and find a drink; she did not want to have to explain to her sister that people were laughing at them, saying that they never would be anything other than interlopers and worse. Those words were for herself to deal with.

  “So, I was foolish in the extreme,” Annabelle said, finishing her story. “Of all the people who had to walk in, it had to be Baroness Leyland, didn’t it?”

  “All may not be lost,” Rosalind said. “Let me speak to Peter.”

  “What would it achieve? He was clear in his condemnation: I shouldn’t have been in a darkened room kissing a man; we both know that,” Annabelle said. “I doubt he will change his mind to my marrying Lord Stannage.”

  “When I married Peter,” Rosalind explained quietly, “I vowed to myself that the rest of you would marry only for love. If it was my responsibility to find husbands for you, as father insisted, you would not be in the same situation as I was. You obviously don’t love Lord Stannage; therefore, I will not be forcing you to marry him.” Rosalind’s words were firm in their tone. She was determined that somehow she would release her sister from the obligation she now faced.

  “He won’t be forced to marry me?” Annabelle said, a glimmer of hope sounding in her voice.

  Rosalind stood, “I shall leave you now; the sooner we get this sorted out, the better for all of us.” She failed to notice the wording that Annabelle had used.

  *

  Rosalind found Peter in his study. He had not wanted to go upstairs; something was niggling a
t him and, when Rosalind entered the room, his apprehension increased.

  “I’ve spoken to Annabelle,” Rosalind started. “She cannot marry him; she does not love him.”

  Peter groaned inwardly; this was what he was afraid of. “They must marry to save her reputation; you must see that.” He could see without asking that Rosalind did not see things the way the rest of the locality would.

  “I see the actions of a misjudged situation; that is all. We can work to play down the incident; within a week everyone will have forgotten about it,” Rosalind said firmly. The fear of Annabelle looking on herself as she had looked on her father was causing Rosalind to react with anger. She had to protect her sister; she had vowed it to herself. She could not fail her sisters in this way.

  “No they won’t,” Peter said abruptly. “You know what society is like; they will have an excuse to condemn Annabelle, and they will. This family has had the dubious pleasure of keeping the gossips going for years already; I do not want that to become unbearable. This family has suffered enough gossip.”

  Rosalind riled at his words, “If you were worried about gossip, perhaps you should have waited to find yourself a titled heiress, rather than one who could be gossiped about!”

  “I didn’t mean that! You know I didn’t mean it! You are twisting my words,” Peter said, trying to keep calm, but sounding annoyed. “The whole history of this house and its occupants is such that our family can be ridiculed; surely you don’t want to make it worse?”

  “I want what is best for my sister!” Rosalind snapped. “I do not want her to face the same future that I’ve been forced to face!”

  Peter stared at his wife; her words stung more than he cared to admit, but his eyes flashed in anger. “Yes, we wouldn’t want her to have a happy marriage would we?” he said sarcastically. “I’m sorry: I’ve been mistaken; I thought we were well matched and content. I see my feelings have been one-sided.”

  Rosalind flinched at Peter’s words; she had not meant to sound so uncaring. “I didn’t mean that! You know I didn’t; now who is twisting words? I just meant that my life could have been so much bleaker; it could have been so different if I had married someone like Robert.”

  “But you didn’t; you married me,” Peter snapped, “And the thought of your sister marrying a decent person fills you with so much dread that you are refusing to do what needs to be done and agree to the marriage. I stand by what I originally said: my feelings have obviously been one-sided. Stannage is a good man; she could do a lot worse.”

  “She doesn’t love him! A marriage started without love will always be a marriage in name only!” Rosalind snapped.

  Peter felt the kick to the stomach as if she had physically made the movement. He looked at his wife; had the last few months all been an act for her? He could not believe that they had shared the passion—all those nights making love and yet she still did not love him. He felt hurt beyond everything else that he had ever felt before, and he turned on Rosalind.

  “While under my roof, she will live by my rules! She will marry Lord Stannage. The last time I looked I was still the head of this household, and she will do as I instruct,” he snarled.

  Rosalind took a step back at the venom in Peter’s words. For a moment, she considered trying to resolve the issue, but she still stung at the implications of Peter’s earlier words. She realised that she might live to regret her next words, but her anger and sense of protectiveness towards Annabelle, drove her on.

  “If that is your view, you leave me with only one course of action open to me. Thank you for clarifying the position, and now if you would please excuse me.” She went to the door, but before she opened it, she turned once more to her husband. “I shall be locking my bedchamber door tonight; I don’t think it is wise for us to see each other again this evening. I bid you goodnight.”

  Peter stared at the wood of the door for a long time before moving. He was trying to contain the emotions that were currently coursing through his body. Anger was foremost: anger at her rejection, anger at the feeling of desolation her words had caused. He walked slowly over to his decanter and filled his glass. He would never be able to sleep without her by his side; he might as well stay downstairs and get drunk.

  *

  Rosalind woke very early from a disturbed sleep. She had not really locked the doors into her room; she had actually hoped that Peter would have tried the doors and they could have sorted things out, but it was obvious that he had not. She was ashamed of some of the things she had said during the argument, but misplaced pride would prevent her from admitting that she was wrong.

  She rose and looked at the chaos in her room; she had been busy before sleeping. Her maid would not enter for a while, which was for the better; she needed to speak to her sister.

  Annabelle stared at Rosalind, bleary eyed. “What time is it?” she asked groggily, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

  “Early,” Rosalind replied, moving to the chest of drawers and beginning to put items of clothing in a trunk. “I need you to get ready quickly Annabelle; I have ordered the carriage to be ready in half an hour.”

  “What’s happening?” Annabelle asked, immediately more alert. “Are you sending me home?”

  Rosalind paused, “No! If that happened; you would be forced into a different marriage that you don’t want. I’m sorting this out to both our advantage.”

  The two worked together and helped each other dress. The footmen moved the trunks onto the carriage, and Rosalind climbed aboard with her sister after giving instructions to the driver.

  “Are you sure this is wise?” Annabelle asked when the carriage started to move.

  “As wise as anything I’ve done so far,” Rosalind said with a small smile.

  “Where are we going?” Annabelle asked. She had never seen Rosalind like this, determined to go against everything that was expected. She had always been the one to conform; even when being asked to do something unreasonable, she would always do what was expected. Annabelle could only imagine the repercussions once the locality found out that the Duchess had deserted her husband. She was presuming her assumption was correct as everything had been done in a hurry, and there had been no sign of Peter.

  “We are going to St Annes-on-Sea for a few days. I feel some sea air will do us both the power of good; we can decide where to go afterwards,” Rosalind replied with false lightness. She had felt a tightening in her chest since she had made the decision, and she did have some regret about inflicting pain on Peter. Her sense of obligation to her sisters had made her panic when Peter had not supported her. She had missed him last night in her bed, but she would have to get used to being without him, no man would take her back after what she had done.

  *

  Peter had woken late, mainly to do with the amount of brandy he had consumed after Rosalind left the room. He did not notice anything amiss, not sleeping in his wife’s bedchamber, as had become their custom. When he walked down the stairs, he could sense something was not right, but was not sure what. There was an air about the house; he also had the feeling that the staff were watching him very closely.

  He sat down at his desk in his study and noticed the jewellery box immediately. His heart sank. Slowly picking up the box, he opened it and sighed; there was the necklace, bracelet and ear rings he had given to Rosalind the evening before. How could a night that had been full of promise end in such a poor way?

  He put the box down and rang the bell. When the butler entered, Peter could tell his staff member was not looking forward to the encounter; this did not bode well.

  “Is the Duchess at home?” Peter asked.

  “No, Your Grace,” the butler replied. He decided it would make his life easier if he replied to the questions before they had been asked. “I believe the Duchess and Miss Johnson have gone to stay in St Annes-on-Sea for a few days, Your Grace.” The efficient butler had overheard where his mistress had instructed the coachman to take her.

  “I see,” Peter s
aid through gritted teeth. “That will be all; thank you.”

  The butler left the room and carefully closed the door behind him. He assumed correctly that his master probably needed some time without interruptions.

  Peter was angry; he had never thought Rosalind to be foolish, but if she wanted to cause the ruination of herself and her sister, she was going the right way about it. He cursed her whilst trying to think of the best way to resolve the situation. An hour passed, and Peter leaned back in his chair, running his hands through his hair and groaning aloud. He could not find a solution that would solve the problem of Annabelle being caught kissing and Rosalind refusing to stand by him and force her sister into a marriage she did not want.

  His musings were interrupted by the butler, explaining that Mrs Adams had called to see the Duchess. Peter sighed, but it was better that a trusted friend knew about the disaster they were all facing.

  Mrs Adams walked in and took one look at Peter before sitting down at the opposite side of his desk. “From the looks of you the rumours are correct: Miss Johnson is to marry Lord Stannage?” she asked, coming straight to the point.

  Peter laughed a bitter laugh, “That is not going to happen by the looks of things. At the moment, you find me with my household crumbling around me, Mrs Adams.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “My wife has left me and has taken her sister away with her,” Peter said. He gained no satisfaction from seeing the shock register on her face.

  “She’s left? What did you do?” Mrs Adams snapped.

  “What did I do?” Peter asked incredulously. “I wasn’t the one found in this room, kissing Stannage. Baroness Leyland was with me at the time; needless to say that is how you found out.”

  “Correct,” Mrs Adams confirmed.

  “I also wasn’t the one who declared I wasn’t going to marry, even though she had been compromised; nor was I the one who refused to force her sister into a marriage that she did not wish. So you find me all alone, my sister and my wife having left me and yet you are quick to condemn me!” Peter said bitterly.