The Scandalous Widow by Evelyn Richardson

Author:Evelyn Richardson [Richardson, Evelyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Romance, Regency, Historical Romance
ISBN: 0451210085
Google: GKoOAAAACAAJ
Amazon: B0095PNIVY
Barnesnoble: B0095PNIVY
Goodreads: 1669135
Publisher: Signet
Published: 2004-01-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Arabella remained gazing at her headmistress with a mixed expression of awe and trepidation.

“A most forceful young man,” Catherine remarked, taking her seat again. “Having grown up in such close proximity, you know one another quite well, I gather.”

“Not all—er—yes, naturally we have known one another since childhood, and, well…” Caught off guard by the unexpected calmness of Catherine’s reaction to the entire encounter, Arabella found herself totally at sea.

‘Then I expect that you know what you are about. You seem to be a young woman who knows her own mind. Still…” Catherine shrugged expressively and made as if to rise again.

“What…what do you mean?”

“I mean that a young man who is so confident of a woman even before they are married, a woman whose wealth and station are so clearly superior to his, will only become more so once her entire fortune and person are his to dispose of.”

“I do not understand you.”

“What I mean is that, from the little I have seen of you, I would say that you are a spirited young woman, spirited enough to be saucy with your uncle. Yet now you are acting as meek as a lamb, obeying every look, every gesture of a young man who possesses none of your uncle’s stature or intelligence. Nor does he have a natural right to your respect. Furthermore, you, who never appear to be at a loss for words in any other situation allow this young man to speak entirely for you, a young man who is far less articulate and, from what I can tell, far less clever than you are.” Catherine paused to judge the effect of her words, but somewhat to her surprise, Arabella did not look mulish or defensive, as was naturally to be expected, but appeared instead to be thinking it over.

“It seems to me,” Catherine continued, “as though one ought to begin as one intends to continue. And if you are the sort of person who wishes to defer to her husband on every issue, who wants a husband who clearly expects you to look to him as your lord and master, then it is all very well. But if not…” Catherine allowed her words to hang in the air. From her conversations with Lucian she had gained the impression that Arabella tended to ride roughshod over the easily influenced Marchioness of Charlmont. From observing her in conversations with the other girls she had also arrived at the conclusion that Arabella was a strong-minded young woman who would definitely not picture herself as a dutiful wife meekly adjusting her wishes to suit her husband’s.

Arabella’s eyes widened in surprise. Clearly the possibility of such an absurd state of affairs had never crossed her mind.

“Marriage is a good deal different from courtship, you know. And a man who has control over both your fortune and your person is far less likely to accede to your whims and desires than one who is still hoping to win you. In general, men who are married are far less biddable than men who are courting.

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