Daniel ran his tongue over the lower part of his lips, as if by doing so, it would help to moisten his lips and ultimately aid in his argument. But it didn't. He found that he couldn't speak, nor move nor react in any way, to his mother's silly announcement.
Somehow, he had by himself, put himself in this situation that has now succeeded in trapping him.
He stood frozen, recalling the conversation that had taken place only a few minutes ago.
"Marriage to a woman with a fortune to her name will solve this mess." She had argued and he had simply laughed at her argument, fully believing she had been referring to Lady Price. Of course, he made it very clear to his family he wasn't going to end up with the widow, even if she seemed to be the only one in the high class society that was interested in a blind man. He knew her reasons for desiring him and he knew it had nothing to do with love.
"Lady Price is out of the question. Even Lady Price would run away from a marriage that would no longer be of benefit to her. I am being stripped of the title, remember? The widow will find someone suitable to try to trap with her lying and conniving ways."
"I do not speak of Lady Price." Her words surprised him, but only slightly. What other woman was foolish enough to put up with his blindness?
Raising a brow, a coy smile settled on his face. "Pray tell, Mother, who have you managed to convince to wed your poor, blind son?"
"Do not put it that way, Daniel, I'm trying to help."
He reached out then, tapping the chair gently until he found his mother's hand. Giving it an encouraging squeeze, "you have done enough, Mother, do not pity me. A marriage, will not solve this problem for there is no woman, young and rich, foolish enough to bear the burden of my blindness. Perhaps a young peasant girl might have been willing to put up with it, but with Father's decision to strip me of everything and leave me at the mercy of Julius, I'm afraid I will have nothing to bring to the table and even a peasant will refuse to be wed to me."
"You are in doubt of my ability to find a woman, young and rich, willing to get married to you?"
"Very much, Mother." He smiled, certain he had won the argument. At least he was winning in something, even if it was irrelevant compared to the battle with his father he was sure to lose.
He knew quite well that there was nothing he could do about it. He could protest all he wanted, the Earl's decision would be sure to stand; he would be stripped of his birthright and left to wait on his brother for food and a roof over his head.
Releasing his mother's hand, he rose to his feet, frustration settling in his stomach. He had no control, he groaned aloud. He had lost control of his ability to see, to move around the unfamiliarity that laid outside the mansion without help, to live life to the fullest and now, to his birthright.
"Will you marry if I find a willing bride?" His mother's question grated on his nerves.
"Certainly not, Mother! I will not be tied to Lady Price! I might have lost my sight but even you cannot deceive me into marrying her."
He heard her rise to her feet and grab his arm. "I do not speak of Lady Price, Daniel."
He laughed once more, turning to the side where she stood beside him, eyes most likely scanning his face. "If you can find a willing bride, who is not widowed and doesn't have such a poor reputation in society, fine, I will."
Her fingers uncurled from around his arm, a soft sigh following her actions. "It is settled then, you will marry Dasa."
When he didn't speak for a long while, he heard her soft footsteps leaving the room.
He stood still, unable to comprehend the conversation he had just had with his mother.
Her solution to the problem was a marriage to his valet? How would that solve anything? Surely she was mistaken, Dasa was a valet, not an heiress. A simple peasant girl willing to be wed to a blind man in order to climb the social ladder. Of course, she would have no idea that he no longer had access to the ladder. If Dasa was trying to get married into wealth, she might as well pick his brother.
His brother was the one with the eyes that functioned, the title and the fortune. Daniel was the one without eyes, a title nor a fortune to his name.
He would live well, he knew. Two thousand pounds would be enough to afford a home and a few helps but not enough to keep him relevant in the eyes of society.
No, he shook his head. For some reason, he believed Dasa deserving of a better man. If his mother wanted him to get married to a peasant, she could choose from the large supply of peasant girls in town. Perhaps one would concede to such a life spent with him.
It wasn't long until his mother came visiting in his room once more and his argument was quickly put to the side. Dasa wasn't a peasant, according to his mother. She was an heiress in need of a husband to help her come into her fortune.
While this argument made a little sense, he was unable to put a valet and an heiress side by side. He pointed this fact out to his mother and once again, she assured him she had done her research and had confirmed Dasa's claims to be in fact true.
"Lord Hadley, her uncle, was made a Trustee by her father," She said, the sound of tea pouring into a cup, nearly drowning out her words. "She is to be married by the age of eighteen in order for the property to reclaimed by her husband or she would lose everything." She took a long sip of her tea, giving him ample time to consider her words. He knew a woman could inherit her dead parent's property, but it didn't explain Dasa's willingness to disguise as a valet.
His mother spoke for several more minutes leading to an hour, before remembering there was something she needed to do. Kissing him goodbye, she rose to her feet.
"By the way, her name is Lady Hadassah Hadley, you might want to refer to her by her proper title the next time you two are in the same room."
Hadassah.
The name stuck to his mind for several days. He found himself muttering it under his breath, testing it on his lips.
He was seated in his room one evening, a book in his hands, when he heard the familiar footstep. He hadn't heard it in weeks, but he recognized it and this time, it made his heart pound.
"My Lord?" Her voice drifted to him from the door.
Placing the book on the sofa, he rose to his feet and turned to the direction of the door. "Lady Hadley." He bowed his head slightly. "Forgive me, I planned to meet with you tomorrow." He lied, knowing fully well he had been meaning to put off their meeting for several more days. There was still so much he needed to think about, so much he feared and worried about.
Now that he knew of her true identity, he became more hesitant to be wed to her. She wasn't a peasant girl in need of a wealthy husband, she was a wealthy woman in need of a fitting husband. He was in no way qualified to meet her standard. If anything, he needed her. He needed her wealth to stay relevant in society and to maintain his pride. His mother had explained that the marriage would be a good one, ridding him of the shame of losing the title and bringing him into sudden wealth. It would be good for him, but would it be good for her? He would gain, would she? There was too much at stake for her.
"May I come in, my lord?" Her question pulled him back to the present. Nodding, he heard her gentle footsteps cross the room, a smile curving his lips; he had wondered about those footsteps for several weeks, it felt good to finally have an answer.
"Please." He motioned to the sofa and waited until she was seated, before sitting beside her.
"Forgive me for appearing without being summoned." She began. "I fear I do not have the time to wait any longer, my lord. You must know of your mother's proposal of a marriage between us," The confidence embedded in her voice eased his anxiety. "I would like to know if this is your desire as well, to get married to me."
"I should be asking this question of you, Lady Hadley. Do you desire to marry a man with neither a fortune nor title to his name?"
"I am not concerned with titles, my lord."
"Are you concerned with sight? Surely you are, Lady Hadley. Perhaps I can convince my mother to arrange for a marriage between you and Julius, perhaps this is a more suitable match?"
"You may reject me, my lord but do not toss me about like a piece of worthless furniture." Her words were laced with anger.
He opened his mouth to protest but decided against it.
"Daniel," He nodded. "If we are to be married, you must call me Daniel."
"And you will call me Hadassah."
"It is safe to say, Hadassah, that we have a wedding to plan."
Copyright © 2018 Lily Orevba All rights reserved.
A/N
Hey guys! Thanks so much for reading and for your constant support. I can't believe how well this story is doing in such a short period of time. So, *big hug*
A little help though; what's your favorite festivity meal? Perhaps something you'd like to have in a wedding or something?
Small reminder to vote if you enjoyed this story. Once again, to vote, find the star icon on your screen and click on it. Also, you can share this story with friends and family by finding the 'message' icon on your screen. Do leave a comment, I like to know what those festivity menus are.