Will they?
Annie was not so convinced. She thought of Lady Shrewsbury and how much people still talked of her scandal, though she had been married to Lord Shrewsbury for a few years now.
“This scandal will still follow me, Mr Knight. It will come with me like a stench, and you will be associated with it.”
“That is something I am willing to bear.” His words softened her heart a little toward him. She smiled, appreciating that the man perhaps had more benevolence in him than she had at first realised.
“You are kind, sir, but I must ask another thing before I give you my answer.” Annie lowered her teacup to the table between them and leaned forward, ensuring she had his complete attention. “You do not love me, and I do not love you. Does your heart by any chance lie with the lady you kept staring at when we danced together?”
Annie did not look to her mother, though she was aware out of the corner of her eye that Barbara was shaking her hand at her, encouraging her to be quiet.
Mr Knight winced and sat back in his seat, sipping again from his tea as he paused before answering, apparently thinking over his words.
“It does,” he said eventually. “I should be honest with you, Miss Storey, completely. I love another, but she made her own choice. She married my friend and not I. I deem the only thing I can do now is to move on with my life and marry someone I think well of and respect. Love would not be part of our marriage, that I acknowledge, but I would be a good husband regardless.”
“I do not doubt you would,” Annie said with a small smile. Slowly, she stood to her feet, her mind made up. “You are a kind man for your offer, sir, but you deserve to find another you could love. You should not be bound to a woman who already loves another.”
“What are you doing?” Barbara hissed across the room.
“Thank you, Mr Knight, but I cannot marry you,” Annie said succinctly.
“No! Forgive her, Mr Knight. She is merely overwrought as of late.” Barbara crossed the room and reached Annie’s side. “Please, do not take this as her final answer. Would you allow us to think over the offer together as a family?”
“Yes, of course.” Mr Knight stood to his feet and bowed quickly, clearly intending to take his leave. “Farewell to you both. I will call again soon.”
As he parted, Annie glared at her mother, aware of Barbara’s anger for she was steaming.
“Do you wish to live alone and in disgrace?” Barbara asked after the door had closed behind Mr Knight.
“I’d rather that than marry a man I cannot love and who cannot love me.”