What was this all about?
Alarmed and discouraged, Mary was even more shocked when Lord Hanbrooke looked up at her with an expression of anger. He was clearly upset, and his frustration was not directed at Charlotte, but at Mary.
“Crispin? What are you doing out here?” Lady Beatrice asked, clearly upset that he was alone with Charlotte and in such close confidence. Her tone was shock and confusion, but Mary was far more concerned than she imagined anyone else was.
Why was he here with Charlotte? What were they up to? Had her stepsister finally found a way to convince him that she was better for him than Mary was?
“Crispin? Did you hear me? What are you up to?” Lady Beatrice demanded.
But Lord Hanbrooke did not answer his sister. Instead, he took a step closer to Mary and shook his head, chewing his lip for a moment. He was clearly upset, more than Mary had realised at first. There was no sense of peace in his gaze, and she saw only his frustration. Whatever it was, he was directing it at her.
“You should have told me,” he said, his tone low and more like a growl than anything Mary had ever heard before. She couldn’t believe that he would speak to her in such a way and with such anger.
“Told you what?” Mary asked, confused, and not understanding why he was clearly so upset with her.
“You ought to have told me that you are engaged,” he said.
For a long moment, Mary stood in shock. Engaged? What was he talking about? Where had he heard such a ridiculous notion? It made no sense to her that he would think that she was engaged when there was absolutely no other man in her life apart from her father.
She didn’t answer because she had no idea where to begin to try and explain to him that he was wrong, and it was a nonsensical idea that she was engaged.
But then, Mary glanced at Charlotte, who glared at her with an evil smirk and cold eyes. It was evident at once what was happening and Mary didn’t know how she could put a stop to it, but she knew that she had no choice.
This was a dreadful trick that Charlotte had pulled, and it was an ugly game she was playing. Mary was furious, knowing that she did not deserve this.
“Engaged?” Lady Beatrice asked, scoffing in surprise.
“No!” Mary insisted, once she remembered herself. “Good heavens, no! I am not engaged. I assure you that there is no gentleman in my life. I am perfectly free.”
But Lord Hanbrooke appeared less than convinced and when Lady Rachel came walking towards them with her head held high in a haughty, angry manner, Mary knew that this was all a lie and a set up to ensure that she was kept from Lord Hanbrooke.
“I suspected that you had a secret, but what is this about you being engaged? Are you telling me that you have cast aside the reputation of your family all so that you might be able to find some other man, all the while posing in public as though you care for Lord Hanbrooke?” Lady Rachel asked, her voice rising in pitch.
“I assure you, Lady Rachel, I am not engaged. I have never heard such a notion. You know that I could not possibly have such a relationship without your approval,” Mary said, reminding this woman who had made it her business to know everything that happened to Mary.
She had to defend herself, despite having no idea where this foolish rumour came from. Had Charlotte really become so bitter that she would make up such a lie? Or had she misunderstood something and believed that Mary had betrayed Lord Hanbrooke and harmed the reputation of their family?
She hated to think that her stepsister would be at the root of this lie, that she would be the one to make it up and try to ruin Mary.
“I have long thought that you might have an improper dalliance, but I am grieved to have it confirmed. Even your father told me that you had a history of such things.
I am shocked and appalled at how you have represented our family and at how you have betrayed Lord Hanbrooke when it is so clear that he cared for you,” Lady Rachel said.
The accusation that Mary’s father had suggested something like this came as a complete surprise to Mary. She couldn’t believe that to be true. But that statement appeared to strike Lord Hanbrooke more than any other.
Her stepmother then turned to Lord Hanbrooke and put a hand to her chest, looking at him with great sadness. “I must beg your forgiveness, Your Grace. I had hoped to keep you from Lady Mary’s wicked and dishonest ways, but you can understand that it is difficult to warn a man against a woman without ruining her reputation.
As I had no evidence to the fact of her engagement, I could not bring myself to risk expressing the idea. You must forgive me. It is my fault that she has been allowed to carry on so.”
“But it is not true! I have no relation to any man. There is no dalliance, no engagement. She is lying!” Mary insisted, shocked that this was happening. She couldn’t believe it, but it seemed that no one was willing to listen to her.
Lord Hanbrooke looked at her for a moment, his eyes full of hurt. There was such heartache in them that Mary knew once more how close she had been to happiness. He had cared for her, and he clearly wanted to be with her.
But this lie was already tearing them apart. And for some reason, he had decided to believe it without any evidence.
“I promise you, it isn’t true. You have to believe me,” Mary said.
“As you said, we do not know one another well. I want to believe you. You say that it isn’t true, but I need to know that for certain. I cannot imagine why your sister would say otherwise and if your father has noted a pattern…” he said, his tone flat and broken.