Arranged Love...story

Arranged Love




1.


Raina Marseilles groaned inwardly as she heard her father, the earl of Essex announce that she was to be wed within a fortnight to the Duke of Chillingworth. Her mother was nearby putting on great airs to their audience at her father’s summer house.
Raina caught the eye of her dearest friend in the world and rolled her eyes. Charlotte Bennett and Raina had been friends from the time they were babes in arms. If there was trouble afoot one was sure to find the two girls involved.

Dante Marseilles pulled his daughter to him and gave her a chaste kiss on the jaw just before inviting everyone to enjoy the festivities.

“Father, may I be excused for a moment?” Raina asked quietly knowing that her father never said no to her.

The earl looked down at his only daughter and smiled, “Now don’t go off getting yourself into any trouble before Chillingworth gets here,” he said with a chuckle. “And you know your mama would have a proverbial cow if anything should happen to that gown of yours.”

She kissed her father, “I know papa, and you won’t even miss me,” she said moving away before her mother noticed. She headed straight to Charlotte who was busy sipping on disguised ale.

“Charlotte Aimee Bennett don’t go getting yourself drunk now,” she scolded as she grabbed the mug from her friend. “I need you to have your wits about you,” she said before downing the dregs of the ale.

Charlotte giggled and the two girls talked up a storm until dinner was announced.

“Well I do say, my husband to be is rather rude,” Raina said with feigned ado. “I do believe he’s late for supper.” Charlotte giggled but the two quieted down quickly as Raina’s mother glared at them.

Twenty minutes into dinner a pageboy made his way discreetly to the earl and relayed a message before turning and heading back out of the room. Dante stood, and all eyes trained on him. Even at the age of fifty he still commanded an audience. All attention focused on their host, the guests waited for his announcement.

“I regret to say that our dear Duke of Chillingworth will not be joining us as he was detained in London by bad weather,” the earl said to his rapt audience. Raina breathed a sigh of relief, this would give her more time to devise a plan to escape marriage.

“However he has sent along some of the members of his entourage…” Dante continued. The door opened and four men walked in with a beautiful girl dressed in a man’s garb.

“Please make yourselves at home, for my home is your home,” the earl said with a flourish of his arms. The din in the room soon rose again as the new guests made themselves comfortable and were fed.