That was the story Cassandra had concocted. There was no other way to explain the haste of their marriage, particularly given the lack of dowry, of which this intimate group of people was, of course, aware. They had to say it was a case of true love. There hadn’t been time for Bennet to ask Prudence what she thought of that.
Just then, Lucien stepped into the study. Bennet’s neck dampened with sweat as anxiety flared through him.
The moment Lucien’s mouth pressed into a thin line, his lips almost disappearing, Bennet knew. Lucien looked Bennet in the eye. “I’m afraid I have nothing to show for my efforts. I’m sorry, Glastonbury.”
Bennet managed to nod as his emotions swirled toward the dreaded despair. “You did your best, I’m sure.”
“He was immovable.” Lucien scowled. “He is not the man I knew. I hate having to tell your bride that he didn’t want to help her. His own sister!” His lip curled with disgust.
Bennet appreciated the man’s outrage on Prudence’s behalf, but then she was also his cousin. “I take it you know whom I’m marrying?”
“Cass included her name in the invitation, along with the fact that she was thrilled to welcome our new cousin into her family. I can’t quite believe Prudence is our cousin and that you and she happened to fall in love. What a strange and wonderful life this is.”
Bennet didn’t find it particularly wonderful at the moment. Now that he knew there would be no money, his mind was scrambling with how to pay for Aunt Agatha, for Aunt Judith and Great-Aunt Esther. Perhaps he should move Cousin Frances into the house at Aberforth Place as Great-Aunt Esther had suggested. But the thought of asking Prudence to deal with that gave him pause. She had no idea what she was getting into.
He should tell her so that she could cry off if she wanted to. Only he knew she wouldn’t. Because of the baby. She would protect the child from being illegitimate at any cost, and he didn’t blame her.
The circumstances of their marriage were a muddled, complicated, fretful mess. True love indeed.
“What are you going to do?” Wexford asked, looking at Bennet.
“If you’re asking whether I still plan to marry Prudence, of course I do.”
Wexford seemed puzzled. “That wasn’t a question for me, given that you love her. I mean, what are you going to do about your financial situation?”
“The same thing I’ve been doing—managing.” He wasn’t going to discuss this with them. They couldn’t understand what it was like.
Prudence would be shocked when she arrived at Aberforth Place to find the skeleton staff and the empty rooms. Would she mind not spending time in London during the Season? He wouldn’t be able to afford an appropriate wardrobe for her. That meant they’d be apart since he had responsibilities in the Lords.
God, they just hadn’t thought this through. There hadn’t been time. The baby had changed—and rushed—everything.
Feeling overwhelmed, he excused himself to go outside. He needed air. And several thousand pounds.
Strolling to the farthest corner away from the house, he crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at the ground. He’d barely allowed himself to think of the baby. What if the poor child was like his or her grandfather? Or worse, like his or her Great-Aunt Agatha—consigned to an asylum by the age of twenty?
He began to sweat again, his breath coming faster as panic and fear seethed within him. His control began to slip. But he couldn’t succumb to emotion right now, not when he was minutes away from marrying Prudence.
Her face rose in his mind. He thought of the way she’d scowled at him after she’d first arrived at Riverview, how she’d told him he wasn’t sharing her bed. Then, days later, she’d invited him to do so, utterly shocking and seducing him with her passion and sweetness.
They might not be star-crossed lovers, but he wanted her as he’d never wanted anyone else. That was something, wasn’t it?
He just hoped it was enough.
The ring on Prudence’s finger felt heavy, the gold shining brilliantly in the light streaming through the window. It was a beautiful spring morning, perfect for a wedding.
She could hardly believe she was married, let alone the Viscountess Glastonbury. A viscountess.
“I’m sorry there isn’t a diamond or an emerald,” Bennet said, coming up behind her. The ceremony had ended a short while ago, followed by a champagne toast, and now they were waiting to go into Cassandra’s hastily planned but certain to be elegant breakfast. “Someday, I’ll replace it with something more befitting your station.”
She looked up at him. “Some would argue this fits my station perfectly. And that I have vastly overstepped.” She quirked her brow to accompany her sarcasm.
“They would be idiots.” He kissed her forehead.
Lucien, Cassandra, and their brother, the Earl of Aldington, approached, along with Christina.
Prudence’s mother stood at her side. “Your cousins have something lovely to share. I wish I could claim to be a part of it, but I cannot.”
Lucien looked toward his brother before addressing Prudence and Bennet. “Constantine and I would like to offer you a wedding gift of a thousand pounds. It’s not a dowry, exactly, but we hope you’ll accept it with love.” His gaze settled on Prudence.
The floor seemed to tilt beneath Prudence’s feet. She looked from Lucien to Bennet and back again. “Is there no dowry?”
A look of surprise quickly followed by regret passed over Lucien’s features. “Of course Glastonbury hasn’t been able to tell you yet since I just informed him before the ceremony.” He looked to Bennet. “My apologies.”
“Warfield declined to provide a dowry,” Bennet said quietly from beside her.
She turned her head toward his. “You knew this and married me anyway.” He’d said he would, but she supposed she hadn’t quite believed it. She knew how badly he needed the money.
He clasped her hand and squeezed. In that moment, she knew she loved him. Her mother hadn’t been exactly right. Emotions weren’t always untidy or unnecessary. The love she felt for Bennet was crisp and clear. It made her feel strong and happy. And it was very, very necessary. She honestly didn’t know what she would do without it or what her life had felt like before he was in it.
“I’m moved by your generosity,” Bennet said to her cousins.
“Thank you.” It was all Prudence could manage to say past the stone in her throat. Today was a dream come true, except these were dreams she’d never nurtured. A family. A husband. A child. Love.
“I want to thank you too,” Christina said to her nephews. “I’m so glad my family has embraced my daughter.” She looked to Prudence. “I wish it could have come from me.”
“I know.” Prudence deeply appreciated all of them, but it was going to take time to feel as if she was really part of their world.
“We’ve discussed telling our father the truth about you,” Cassandra said, glancing at her brothers. “Constantine is going to do it with Aunt Christina. Con is his favorite, and his presence makes everything more palatable.”
Aldington grunted and rolled his eyes. “It’s unfortunately true.”