Chapter 37
When their eyes met, the Duchess of Winchester smiled brightly at the Marchioness.
“The Marchioness’s daughter has grown up so well—it’s all thanks to you, I’m sure.”
At her words, everyone’s gaze turned toward the Marchioness. Startled, she darted her eyes about and quickly replied.
“Oh, no, I… not at all…”
“I know it’s awkward to bring up, but I recently heard that there had once been talk of marriage between the Grand Duke of Grant and the Marchioness’s daughter. When I found out, I was so worried that my foolish daughter’s behavior might have caused the young lady some trouble.”
The Duchess spoke as though she were truly remorseful.
“But now I feel so relieved. I heard what happened today, you see. Congratulations, truly, Lady Redwood.”
“What happened today? Duchess, what do you mean by that?”
Everyone looked curiously between the two women.
“Well, I’m not sure if I should be the one to say this. It’s hardly a secret, though, and I expect it’ll be all over society soon enough.”
The Duchess cast a sidelong glance at Diane before continuing.
“Apparently, many young noblemen visited the Marchioness’s home today to propose marriage to Lady Diane. I heard there were more than ten of them.”
“Ah… that matter.”
The Marchioness trailed off awkwardly. She had been planning to spread that news herself later—but she hadn’t expected the Duchess to bring it up first.
“You’re wondering how I found out? Count Bonaparte’s second son is quite close with my daughter.”
“Oh my, you don’t mean Leo Bonaparte, do you?”
“Indeed. He was the very first to visit the Marchioness’s house today, or so I heard.”
The guests began to murmur loudly, forgetting all decorum. The Bonaparte family was an ancient and politically powerful house.
“Heavens! That’s wonderful news, Marchioness!”
“Congratulations. To be connected to the Bonapartes—why, that’s a great honor for your family. And their second son is the deputy commander of the Royal Guard, isn’t he? They say he’s the top candidate for the next commander!”
Admiration filled the ladies’ eyes. The Duchess took Diane’s hand warmly and began to list other prominent families, drawing gasps and sighs at every name.
“After my daughter’s engagement was broken off, I couldn’t stop worrying. I even heard a strange rumor that Lady Diane might be sent to a convent! The Duke and I lost sleep for several nights, I tell you.”
She sighed dramatically, then her eyes sparkled again.
“But after hearing today’s news, I realized it was all nonsense. Of course, such a thing would never happen—don’t you agree, Marchioness?”
The word convent made the Marchioness’s mind go blank. She stared, speechless, unable to respond.
Fortunately, Countess Deaver quickly jumped in.
“Oh, but of course! After receiving so many proposals, how could anyone even mention a convent? That would be an insult to all those fine families!”
Her sharp voice set off a wave of agreement.
“To reject such proposals would be tantamount to declaring enmity with them all. And why would anyone send their daughter to a convent when so many distinguished men are eager to marry her—unless they wanted to ruin her life on purpose?”
Another lady turned to the Marchioness with a smile.
“It’s all thanks to you, Marchioness, for raising such a wonderful daughter.”
“Yes, indeed. Oh, I wish my own girl would grow up like Lady Diane. To receive proposals from so many noble houses—what a glorious thing.”
The drawing room filled with chatter and envy.
In such a situation, how could the Marchioness possibly say she had intended to send Diane to a convent?
She smiled sweetly instead and gently clasped Diane’s hand. Her touch was warm, though Diane flinched in surprise.
“It wasn’t easy raising a daughter so late in life after only having sons. But I’m so thankful she’s grown up so well.”
Turning to the other ladies, she added,
“A convent, really—where do such strange rumors even come from? Of course, I’ll find the most suitable family for my daughter. Her happiness is all I wish for.”
Her face radiated the image of a devoted mother.
✦ ✦ ✦
“What nonsense are you talking about now?”
The Marquis stared at his wife as though she’d gone mad.
“What was I supposed to say in front of them?” she snapped. “That we were sending her to a convent because we didn’t want to pay a dowry?”
“Even so! You expect me to marry her off to those greedy bastards just so they can bleed us dry?”
“And what would you have done, then? Could you have said that in front of the whole peerage council?”
The Marquis closed his mouth. In her position, he wouldn’t have been able to say it either. Seeing that, the Marchioness sighed dramatically.
“They’re right, you know. It’s not like she was rejected by every suitor. We had so many who came to propose—if we send Diane to a convent now, we’ll make enemies of all those families.”
“Still, what about the dowry?”
“There’s no helping that. Do you know how many people envied me today, saying I’d raised my daughter so well?”
For a brief moment, she had basked in the thrill of being the most envied woman in society—even more so than the Duchess of Winchester herself.
Yes, the dowry would cost dearly, but if she sent Diane to a convent now, those same admiring looks would turn instantly to scorn. Better to waste money than suffer such humiliation.
“We’ll pick whichever family demanded the least money. That’s simple enough.”
“The least? Even that was five times more than what we promised the Grand Duke! Do you have any idea how much that is?”
The Marquis shouted in frustration. The amount he’d promised Grant had been modest for a marchioness’s daughter—but five times that sum was outrageous.
“Then what do you expect me to do? I don’t care anymore.”
She stood abruptly, irritation blazing in her eyes.
“Handle it yourself. If you want to disgrace me in front of society and make a laughingstock of your children, go right ahead.”
She stormed out of the study, slamming the door behind her.
The Marquis rubbed his neck in frustration.
Five times the dowry—it was a burden, yes, but not impossible to prepare. Still, the miserly man resented spending that much on Diane. And gathering the funds would take time. If they delayed the marriage after receiving so many proposals, they’d be ridiculed again.
Caught in a hopeless bind, the Marquis kicked the table in anger.
✦ ✦ ✦
A knock came at Elaina’s door. It was Leo who entered. Stretching lazily, he flopped onto her sofa.
“I did what you asked.”
“Thanks, Leo.”
He yawned, waving dismissively as if it were no big deal.
“Don’t mention it. Everyone had fun with it anyway. You should’ve seen the look on Marquis Redwood’s face—priceless.”
A few days earlier, he had quietly passed along a message to his trusted acquaintances—an invitation to propose to Lady Diane Redwood.
Many had joined in, thinking it an amusing prank. But the whole “marriage proposal frenzy” had started from Elaina’s request.
“Still, I don’t get it. What were you thinking, asking me to do that?”
It wasn’t as if she wanted to help Diane find a good husband—especially given what she’d told him to insist upon.
“The Marquis is a greedy man. If the dowries are too high, he’ll refuse them all.”
She had explained that Diane would be sent to a convent if she didn’t marry. Feeling sorry for her, Leo had agreed to help—but recalling the furious Marquis screaming for everyone to get out, he doubted this plan would change much.
“So what was the point?”
“Because he’s greedy,” Elaina replied calmly. “If the price is too high, he won’t marry her off to just anyone.”
Her expression was confident, her plan already unfolding as intended. She’d even enlisted her mother’s help—the Duchess of Winchester’s presence at Countess Deaver’s tea party had been no coincidence.
“Don’t tell me I’m the ‘anyone’ in your plan?” Leo asked dryly.
“You are.”
She nodded matter-of-factly.
“Unbelievable.”
Leo shook his head with a helpless laugh. Only Elaina Winchester would dare treat him this way.
“So who exactly is this extraordinary husband you’re searching for?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
Elaina smiled mysteriously at his grumbling, offering no further explanation.
