The Lord and the Marriageable Lady: Sweet Regency Romance (Matchmaking on the Marriage Mart Book 5) by Katherine Ann Madison

Author:Katherine Ann Madison [Madison, Katherine Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Swift Romance Publishing
Published: 2022-12-14T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

Anna lay in bed silently praying that her mother would assume she was too tired to talk and just leave her room.

Her prayers remained unanswered.

“Now.” Her mother raised a hand, pacing in front of Anna’s bed. “At tomorrow night’s dinner you must sit next to the marquess. It’s completely proper as the daughter of an earl. Also…” Her mother stopped, turning toward Anna.

“Yes, Mother?”

“Be certain not to give so much attention to Lord Smith.”

Her stomach dropped. “Attention?”

Her mother waved her hand. “I know very well that you allowed Lord Smith to escort you about all day while the marquess was here. Why would you do such a thing?”

“Well, the cat needed to find its home and—”

“The cat? Really, Anna, what has gotten into you? This is your future we’re discussing.”

“My future?” she asked, sitting up in the bed, her back straight as the headboard. Never had it felt more like her mother had not considered Anna’s wishes at all when planning her own future. “This is about my life?”

Her mother scrunched her brows. “Of course it is. A second son, who has absolutely no wealth, is not a man to waste your time on, Anna.”

“But.” She curled her fists in her lap. “He is kind and generous, attentive, and—”

Her mother cut her off again. “And in desperate need of a good dowry. Have you considered that may be his motivation?”

Anna’s heart ceased beating as she held her breath. Could that be true? Was he so kind because she had a dowry? But then the air rushed out of her lungs. The words didn’t sit right. “But he’d completely focused on starting a business with Breakwater and making his own fortune. I’m sure of it.”

Her mother sniffed. “Anna, dear, don’t be so naïve.”

“Why wouldn’t I be naïve?” She lifted her chin as she glared back at her mother. “I hardly get to work a thing out for myself.”

Her mother paused, looking down at her before she answered. She seemed to take in the angle of her daughter’s chin, Anna’s crossed arms, her erectness of her back. “Darling. Have I ever steered you wrong before?”

Anna pursed her lips. How could she know if her mother had or hadn’t? They’d always agreed more or less. And while her mother might have a point with Lord Smith, Anna couldn’t say for certain, but she had the growing sense that her goals were misaligned.

That she wanted more than a title. She wanted…love.

Not just of the man she married, although that was very important, she’d come to realize, but also…she wanted to truly care for other creatures. Her family, her husband, her children. Perhaps an animal or two or three…that sounded so fulfilling. She had the feeling in her life now she was just some doll that was dressed and arranged to make a successful match.

And suddenly, some of her father’s words began to make sense.

The ones about being unique. Standing out. Had he meant that she should not just settle for being pretty but

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