An Affair So Destined by Bowlin Chasity

Author:Bowlin, Chasity
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2020-02-25T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

Mathilda accepted his proffered arm and allowed him to escort her down the beach away from the others. They walked along until they were out of earshot, but still in sight of the others. A large piece of driftwood was situated there, forming a bench of sorts.

“Let’s sit here for a bit. I’ll gather some sticks to aid in our digging,” he offered.

“Digging?”

He smiled. “The best shells and fossils are not just lying about. One must work for them. Much like anything else in this world worth having.”

“Oh, I see,” Mathilda said, feeling silly for not realizing.

He returned a moment later with smaller pieces of wood, perfect for poking and digging into the sand. Then he sat down beside her, offering one to her.

“Why did you invite me to walk with you, Lord Ravenner?” she asked. There was no point in beating around the bush.

“Why did you seek me out ad speak to me at Almack’s, Miss Featherington?”

“Because I was foolish and impetuous and gave no thought to the consequences,” she answered honestly. It was entirely true. That one impulsive act had set them n a course that seemed fraught with all manner of difficulty.

A grin stole across his handsome face. “Well, you cannot be faulted for your honesty, Miss Featherington. But I am not foolish, nor particularly impetuous and I have given a great deal of thought to the consequences of furthering our acquaintance. You must know that I am only here because I am intent on pursuing you for the purpose of marriage.”

He was much more direct than she’d imagined he would be. It left her feeling unsettled and, if she were entirely honest, a little breathless with excitement. What would it be like to be married to such a man? “I’m aware. But I can’t imagine why… there are certainly better prospects for you, my lord. Miss Abbingford is certainly one of them.”

“No, she is not. To be perfectly frank, Miss Featherington, Miss Abbingford reminds me far too much of my first wife for me to ever consider marrying her.” He paused then, inhaling and staring out at the white capped waves. After a beat, he continued, “I make many mistakes, but I rarely repeat them.”

Mathilda wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that. She murmured a quiet ‘oh’. And then sat there silently for a moment. Finally, mustering the nerve, she stated, “You must have loved her very much.”

“No. Not really,” he said. “I cared for her well being. I certainly never wished ill upon her. We got on well enough, though we were very different people. Penelope did not love me and I did not love her. We shared a home, but our lives could not have been more disparate.”

“Then why on earth did you marry?” Mathilda asked.

He shrugged offhandedly. “For the reasons most people in society get married… the wrong ones. She married me because her family wanted a connection to a title. I married her because my father had handled the family finances terribly and I needed a heavy influx of cash to salvage the family estates.

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