February 1887: Arden Manor
Arden Manor in the wilds of Warwickshire seemed, on the face of it, the perfect English country house, the seat of the Grey family since they first took ownership of Arden and its surrounding lands. Sadly, it was only on the face of it. The whole countryside for several miles around was aware that the family fortune was gone, squandered by the former Lord Arden in gambling dens; indeed, a good part of London society also knew it. The current Lord Arden had managed to claw back some semblance of wealth through a well-chosen marriage, but alas, much of the young lady's dowry had been demanded back by her family when she died not long after their wedding. Still, nobility commands a certain respect, and that respect was still evident, even in the demands from creditors for payment.
Lady Constance Stanley, the sister of the current lord of the manor, swept into her brother's study with a heavy sigh. "This cannot go on, Lawry," she said, without preamble. "It is bad enough that we are becoming laughable among our peers, but now even the local butcher is beginning to demand payment for services. We have to do something."
His sister could not have had more perfect timing than to find him in his study going over the ledger and the mound of bills that were piled up on the desk around him. He had already sold many of the family's treasures, save the furniture, their mother's silver the most recent item to have gone to auction to pay the latest round of bills. There wasn't much else he could do really, but either find another rich wife or gainful employment. He was currently leaning toward employment, but he wasn't even sure if that would save them from their creditors at this point. It was sad that things had come to this, and through no fault of his own.
Lord Lawrence Grey, known to friends and family affectionately as "Lawry", quietly sighed before setting down his pen, folding his hands, and lifting his gaze to his sister with what he hoped was infinite patience. "What would you have me do, Connie" Hold a ball and hope Cinderella leaves behind a glass slipper at midnight?" Marrying for money had always felt wrong to him, and though he'd had nothing to do with it, he'd always felt guilty about Adelaide's death.
She moved to sit in the chair across from him in a swish of skirts. "Go to London for the Season," she told him, hoping he was prepared to listen to her this time. "It was a terrible tragedy, what happened to Adelaide, but it was not your fault. No one could have predicted that she would be so weak to a simple fever. No one blames you. Indeed, you are still highly eligible; there are matrons all over the country who would burst their stays with delight if you chose to wed their daughter. But the only way to find a wife with a handsome dowry is to be a part of society again."
They had been over this more than once, and from the look on his face, it wasn't a topic of conversation he was very open to discussing again. He had his pride, after all, and he didn't like the idea of whoring himself out just for money, and yet, it was a fairly commonplace occurrence among those of his rank. "We've talked about this already. It's too soon," he said, dismissing her argument with a wave of his hand. "Tell me, where is your beloved husband these days" Surely he has enough money to support the two of you."
Constance's expression flickered - only for a moment, but there was a suggestion of pain in her eyes that she hoped her brother did not see. "Edmund is in York, on business," she told Lawrence. "I believe he will be there for several months, so you shall simply have to endure my pestering, or act upon it. I shall not give up so easily, Lawry."
"Of course he is," Lawry muttered beneath his breath. He did not have the highest opinion of Edmund Stanley, but as the man was married to his sister, there wasn't much he could do about it. Lawry tapped his fingers against the leather blotter on his desk, his expression both pensive and annoyed. "I suppose I will not hear the end of this until I do as you ask," he said, obviously not happy about her request, but what choice did he have"
"No, you will not," Constance assured him, but her lips were quirking into a faint smile of triumph. "And as your only female relative, I shall simply have to join you in London. You cannot simply call upon any lady that meets your need; I, however, can." And it would get her back among the people they'd known when they were younger, when their family name had not been dragged through the mud by their father's gambling debts.
He wondered if she really cared about what he wanted or needed at all, or if this was just about her own needs and desires. Still, he wanted to redeem the family name as much as she did and prove that he was a better man than his father. And saving the estate wasn't just about them, but about all those who worked for them and depended on them for income, as well as those in the surrounding villages. Was it really so much to ask that he consider a second marriage" He sighed, knowing there was no point in fighting it. "Very well. But the lady will be one of my own choosing." After all, he was the one who was ultimately going to look at her every day.
"I am not our father, Lawry," she reminded him, for a moment her tone and expression stern. "How could you possibly think that I would seek to force you into a marriage that was not of your choosing" I know this is not the way you would wish to seek a companion in life, but it is your only choice. And you will not frighten the mothers half so much if you have your sister at your side."
"I know," he admitted, not taking her scolding too much to heart. His sister had been forced to become the maternal head of the household after their mother's death, and he knew she meant well. The estate had been in their family for generations and neither of them wanted to lose it, but he was the one who was expected to marry for money in order to save it. "It's just ....After what happened to Adelaide ..." he started, trailing off and leaving the rest of that thought unsaid. His sister should be able to fill in the blanks easily enough.
"Dear heart ..." She reached across the desk to clasp his hand in her own. "Adelaide was a sweet girl, but hardly robust. You did everything you could possibly have done to care for her. Indeed, her family did not blame you for her death at all, though I hardly think it was in good taste to demand the return of the dowry before you had even had time to mourn her. We shall simply have to find you a young lady who is not quite so delicate."
Arden Manor in the wilds of Warwickshire seemed, on the face of it, the perfect English country house, the seat of the Grey family since they first took ownership of Arden and its surrounding lands. Sadly, it was only on the face of it. The whole countryside for several miles around was aware that the family fortune was gone, squandered by the former Lord Arden in gambling dens; indeed, a good part of London society also knew it. The current Lord Arden had managed to claw back some semblance of wealth through a well-chosen marriage, but alas, much of the young lady's dowry had been demanded back by her family when she died not long after their wedding. Still, nobility commands a certain respect, and that respect was still evident, even in the demands from creditors for payment.
Lady Constance Stanley, the sister of the current lord of the manor, swept into her brother's study with a heavy sigh. "This cannot go on, Lawry," she said, without preamble. "It is bad enough that we are becoming laughable among our peers, but now even the local butcher is beginning to demand payment for services. We have to do something."
His sister could not have had more perfect timing than to find him in his study going over the ledger and the mound of bills that were piled up on the desk around him. He had already sold many of the family's treasures, save the furniture, their mother's silver the most recent item to have gone to auction to pay the latest round of bills. There wasn't much else he could do really, but either find another rich wife or gainful employment. He was currently leaning toward employment, but he wasn't even sure if that would save them from their creditors at this point. It was sad that things had come to this, and through no fault of his own.
Lord Lawrence Grey, known to friends and family affectionately as "Lawry", quietly sighed before setting down his pen, folding his hands, and lifting his gaze to his sister with what he hoped was infinite patience. "What would you have me do, Connie" Hold a ball and hope Cinderella leaves behind a glass slipper at midnight?" Marrying for money had always felt wrong to him, and though he'd had nothing to do with it, he'd always felt guilty about Adelaide's death.
She moved to sit in the chair across from him in a swish of skirts. "Go to London for the Season," she told him, hoping he was prepared to listen to her this time. "It was a terrible tragedy, what happened to Adelaide, but it was not your fault. No one could have predicted that she would be so weak to a simple fever. No one blames you. Indeed, you are still highly eligible; there are matrons all over the country who would burst their stays with delight if you chose to wed their daughter. But the only way to find a wife with a handsome dowry is to be a part of society again."
They had been over this more than once, and from the look on his face, it wasn't a topic of conversation he was very open to discussing again. He had his pride, after all, and he didn't like the idea of whoring himself out just for money, and yet, it was a fairly commonplace occurrence among those of his rank. "We've talked about this already. It's too soon," he said, dismissing her argument with a wave of his hand. "Tell me, where is your beloved husband these days" Surely he has enough money to support the two of you."
Constance's expression flickered - only for a moment, but there was a suggestion of pain in her eyes that she hoped her brother did not see. "Edmund is in York, on business," she told Lawrence. "I believe he will be there for several months, so you shall simply have to endure my pestering, or act upon it. I shall not give up so easily, Lawry."
"Of course he is," Lawry muttered beneath his breath. He did not have the highest opinion of Edmund Stanley, but as the man was married to his sister, there wasn't much he could do about it. Lawry tapped his fingers against the leather blotter on his desk, his expression both pensive and annoyed. "I suppose I will not hear the end of this until I do as you ask," he said, obviously not happy about her request, but what choice did he have"
"No, you will not," Constance assured him, but her lips were quirking into a faint smile of triumph. "And as your only female relative, I shall simply have to join you in London. You cannot simply call upon any lady that meets your need; I, however, can." And it would get her back among the people they'd known when they were younger, when their family name had not been dragged through the mud by their father's gambling debts.
He wondered if she really cared about what he wanted or needed at all, or if this was just about her own needs and desires. Still, he wanted to redeem the family name as much as she did and prove that he was a better man than his father. And saving the estate wasn't just about them, but about all those who worked for them and depended on them for income, as well as those in the surrounding villages. Was it really so much to ask that he consider a second marriage" He sighed, knowing there was no point in fighting it. "Very well. But the lady will be one of my own choosing." After all, he was the one who was ultimately going to look at her every day.
"I am not our father, Lawry," she reminded him, for a moment her tone and expression stern. "How could you possibly think that I would seek to force you into a marriage that was not of your choosing" I know this is not the way you would wish to seek a companion in life, but it is your only choice. And you will not frighten the mothers half so much if you have your sister at your side."
"I know," he admitted, not taking her scolding too much to heart. His sister had been forced to become the maternal head of the household after their mother's death, and he knew she meant well. The estate had been in their family for generations and neither of them wanted to lose it, but he was the one who was expected to marry for money in order to save it. "It's just ....After what happened to Adelaide ..." he started, trailing off and leaving the rest of that thought unsaid. His sister should be able to fill in the blanks easily enough.
"Dear heart ..." She reached across the desk to clasp his hand in her own. "Adelaide was a sweet girl, but hardly robust. You did everything you could possibly have done to care for her. Indeed, her family did not blame you for her death at all, though I hardly think it was in good taste to demand the return of the dowry before you had even had time to mourn her. We shall simply have to find you a young lady who is not quite so delicate."