Chapter Text
“Daisy, my flower. Please have a seat.”
Her father had a smile on his face like he always did when it came to her, but her mother, standing at his side, looked far less pleased.
“What is it, papa?”
With her hair carefully styled and her dress neat and demure, Daisy knew she looked every bit the lady. And her father likely thought she was as empty-headed as every other lady of her acquaintance. A facade she went to great lengths to keep intact.
“I have arranged for your betrothal...to our neighbor, Lincoln Campbell.”
“Mr. Campbell?” Daisy let her emotions play across her face. “I thought you said he wasn’t suitable.”
“No one is good enough for my Daisy,” her father agreed.
“You were born for so much more. And you chose to bring shame on our family instead.” Her mother’s tone was even, but Daisy heard the tension in it. Jiaying always appeared so regal, the bold colors of her gown, still-dark hair, smooth skin, and tilt of her chin making her look formidable. If it hadn’t been for her background, she’d be a leader among the high-sticklers of the ton. As it was, she was tolerated, if not completely accepted, due to their family’s wealth.
But Daisy didn’t have the same fear of her mother that others did. She’d learned her mother’s weaknesses long ago — her desire for control and unwavering focus on her family and their place in the world — and instead of being pulled into whatever drama was unfolding, Daisy often chose to just escape the house instead.
Today, though, it was her life that was being controlled, without a single thought for her own desires.
Daisy straightened her spine as she had been taught by her governess, and looked her mother straight in the eye.
Arranging for her to be married off to their penniless neighbor seemed to be a sort of punishment that Jiaying took pleasure in. It was certainly a more forceful move than she’d made before. Or maybe Daisy had finally gone too far. It was not easy to force Cal’s hand when it came to Daisy. She knew she was pampered and doted on by her father, but it wasn’t as if she was taking advantage of him. He seemed to love every moment of it.
“My love, this is Daisy’s special day.” Cal moved towards her mother, holding out a placating hand, and her expression softened a little. But when she shifted her gaze back to Daisy it was as hard as granite again.
“While I am pleased that she’ll finally be doing her duty as a daughter and marrying, I am just worried that she had to ruin herself to do it.”
Daisy gritted her teeth, determined to stay calm for the remainder of the discussion.
“I didn’t ruin myself,” she insisted, twisting her fingers into her skirt to keep herself from fidgeting and drawing her mother’s eye. And she hadn’t. Not technically, anyway. Not that it seemed to matter.
Her mother let out an unladylike snort. “You ran off with the coachman. And heaven knows why. He’s not even attractive.”
She waved her hand as if that explained everything and gracefully dropped onto the settee across from Daisy, fixing her with a stare that was slightly unnerving.”
“Fitz is very handsome,” she insisted, but at the way her mother flinched at the words, she decided to change tactics. She probably wasn’t supposed to be on such familiar terms with the servants. “And I didn’t run off with him. I merely —“
“My little flower.” Her fathers cut her off before she could finish that thought. It was probably just as well. “We’re just relieved that Mr. Campbell is willing to take you after...well, after. Just make sure you don’t run off with his coachman.”
Her father let out a jovial laugh. The kind of laugh it was difficult not to join in on, but she restrained herself given it was her marriage they were talking about.
“Of course I won’t, papa. I just don’t see why I have to marry him at all.” She batted her eyelashes at him. “Nothing untoward happened after all.”
“Simply because you didn’t have time to more thoroughly ruin yourself doesn’t mean the damage wasn’t already done. You’re just lucky your father arrived in time or you might have found yourself married to a Scotsman with no future at all.”
Her mother gave an exaggerated shiver and Daisy rolled her eyes. Her maid had certainly had plenty of wonderful things to say about a certain blue-eyed Scotsman. It was possible there were some things her mother didn’t understand.
“But I don’t know why I have to marry him.” She bit her lip to give the impression she was deep in thought. “He doesn’t have a title, or a fortune.”
“No, he doesn’t.” Her father sighed. “But that’s what makes him perfect for rescuing you from this predicament you’ve made for yourself. I was able to offer him the strip of land with the stream adjoining his property in addition to your dowry and he said yes without a second thought. Of course it isn’t what we’d hoped for, but at least your children will have land to inherit.”
Children. Marriage. Daisy’s head fairly spun at the thought.
“The banns will be read this week and in four weeks you’ll be a bride.” Her father said the words in a tone that brooked no argument. Once his mind was made up there was nothing to be done, so all she did was nod once before standing to return to her room.
As much as she hated being bartered off without even being consulted, she knew her father was right. She couldn’t show her face in London after what she’d done. But marriage would forgive all manner of sins, and she’d finally be free to pursue her heart’s true desire.
On the other side of the stream dividing his land from his neighbor’s estate, Lincoln sat in his study, contemplating the marriage contract he’d just agreed to. He’d come out pretty well in the deal. Daisy as his wife. A substantial dowry to refill his family’s coffers, and the land he’d wanted to purchase from Cal for years.
And all he had to do was get married.
It seemed so simple, but this was Daisy they were talking about. Nothing with Daisy was ever simple.
There was a knock on the door and his housekeeper entered. “Did you want to look over the menus I put together?”
“Hmmm?” He has been too distracted by the direction of his thoughts, wondering what might go wrong between today and the day of the wedding, that he hadn’t been attending to her words.
From the smile on her face, it seemed clear that Mrs. Fitz knew exactly what he’d been thinking about. “Menus?”
“Whatever you think is appropriate is fine. I trust your judgement.”
His new housekeeper was young, but she was incredibly organized, had an attention to detail he’d never encountered before...and she’d come highly recommended. His household was secure in her hands and he’d just leave her to it.
“Of course.”
She moved towards the door just as the butler entered, a silver salver with a single card on it. As they passed each other, his housekeeper and butler exchanged a look that sent a little pang of jealousy through him. The life of a servant may not be ideal, but they, at least, had married for love and not for land or money or any of the other silly reasons the aristocracy tied themselves to another through marriage.
“What is it, Fitz?”
He was suddenly too weary to even care.
“Oh, ah, an invitation.”
Lincoln furrowed his brow. He didn’t get many invitations at all. And certainly not out here in the country. Maybe it was for a house party and the hostess hadn’t yet realized he was no longer even the slightest bit eligible.
Fitz cleared his throat. “A dinner invitation. From your neighbor.”
That made more sense. He took it from the tray and read the details.
“Fitz.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Please let the cook know I won’t be dining here tonight. I will be wooing my betrothed.”
“Very good, sir.”
Fitz turned to go, every bit as efficient as his wife, and Lincoln relaxed back into his chair. It was a good thing he had a few hours before he needed to dress for dinner. He’d need to have his wits about him to make it through dinner with Daisy and her parents.