An Acceptable Marriage (BOOK 5)

Chapter 1

"The idea of waiting for something makes it more exciting"

― Andy Warhol

May 23rd 1884

For the majority of her nineteen years of life, Arabella Thorpe had dreamed of marriage. She'd always known that one day she'd be wed and become the wife of an earl or a baron or some equally dashing fellow. She'd watched all her sisters and oldest brother grow up and wed and become happy, and even Oliver her senior by two years, seemed happy enough as he roamed around Europe, getting into mischief and various scrapes that his money and charm always got him out of. Like her two older sisters before her, Arabella had managed to go through her Season without achieving a betrothal and had been busy searching for the right gentleman ever since.

As Arabella stood on the staircase of Bingham, her family estate, she took a deep breath, pinching her cheeks before making her way into the ballroom where the butler, a man she had known since she was eight, announced her arrival.

He smiled reassuringly at her as she entered the crowd of glittering, scented and admiring guests.

This wasn't her party, it was for her sister Lilly who had recently published her first novel and was the talk of the upper circles of society. Not all of the talk had been approving of course, many had thought it silly and vulgar but Lilly being her usual self had revelled in the controversy and had taken it well. She was now doing her best to scowl in the corner of the room, though the occasional smile would burst through her exasperation.

"Why do you look glum, Lilly?" Arabella wandered over to her sister, picking up a glass of sparkling wine on the way. "I would have thought you'd be thrilled."

"I am happy of course, but would be even more thrilled if these people had the ability to tell Shakespeare from the Illustrated News."

"Oh come now, you shouldn't look at it that way. You didn't come all the way down from Hertfordshire to skulk, now did you?"

"She can skulk anywhere, no matter what else is going on. She's really quite extraordinary in that way." Said Lilly's husband as he wandered over.

Luke Grimshaw was a tall, slender and dark haired man who Arabella had fancied when she'd first met him five years ago. He now wore a quiet, proud smile on his face as he watched his wife glower at him.

"I'm not skulking, I'm merely waiting for someone to approach me and make a silly comment on my novel. I refuse to go and ingratiate myself unless I am forced to." Lilly sniffed, taking Arabella's glass and swallowing the rest of the pale liquid.

"You are a bore," Arabella rolled her eyes and moved away from her sister, keen to find someone of worth (and preferably good looks) to speak to.

"Excuse me, Lady Arabella Thorpe?" Arabella turned away from the waiter at the mention of her name, a fresh glass in her hand, to see a man at her side, smiling broadly at her

"Yes?" She smiled prettily back, taken by the man's good looks.

"My name is Bertram Cook, Baron Filbert."

"Ah, Lord Cook how nice to meet you." She offered her hand and he took it, kissing it lightly.

"Charmed, my lady."

"And I suppose you are here for my sister Lillian? How did you enjoy her book?"

"To be perfectly honest I've not had the chance to read it."

"No?" Arabella cocked an eyebrow, surveying the man shrewdly. "Than may I ask why you are here?"

"Your brother, Lord Thorpe, sent me an invitation after meeting me at my sister's birthday party and I thought it would be rude not to come."