Marjorie stared in surprise at the Earl’s words, but finally her laughter overcame her. Still, she composed herself long enough to say, “That was very unkind. I’m sure she has some fine qualities…”
“I’m not.”
“so we mustn’t speak this way of her. Besides, I’d far rather discuss your offer of marriage than that horse-faced… see? You’ve got me doing it now!” Marjorie laughed, but Evan had turned serious.
“Do you honestly mean it? You will discuss my proposal? Does that mean you’ll think on it and give me an answer?” he pressed, the hope in his voice searing Marjorie’s skin.
“Of course I will,” she replied softly. “I have become very well acquainted with you through my own charades, perhaps better than many young ladies are before they’re to be wed. I know you to be a man who is generous, honest, and truly compassionate to those around you, from your highest noblewoman in your lady mother to the lowest stable boy who cleans out that stalls. I do not mean only to flatter you with lofty words, My Lord, but I do not know how anyone on earth could be your equal in character and humanity.”
Evan nodded hopefully, then teased, “It doesn’t bother that I tried to marry your sister only a few minutes ago?”
“Well, I admit that is a subject we will have to agree never to speak of again, My Lord,” Marjorie said, mocking him with a severe expression.
“And do you not care to know why it is that I wish to marry you?” he said, baiting her again.
“In truth, not really. I’m sure it has to do with my not looking like a plow horse, or something like that,” she returned in jest.
“I will admit, that is a significant part of my reason,” Evan replied with a merry laugh before adding, “But more importantly, it is this. I have never met a lady who cares so little for finery yet always carries herself as though a queen. I do not remember ever encountering a woman who so certainly puts the needs of all others ahead of her own, even when her own life is at stake. But quite simply, I’ve known from the first time that you appeared at my stable looking for employment that you were someone I needed in my life.”
“What? You knew, even then that I was not a horse rider? Surely you did not!” Marjorie argued.
“My Lady, precisely how ugly do you think you look? To think that a creature as stunning as you in both comportment and beauty could even passably resemble a man?” Evan laughed again before tentatively reaching to take Marjorie’s hand. “Perhaps I did not know why you were masquerading as such, and to be honest, at that moment I only cared that you were an expert with horses such that I had never seen. But you must know, I would have recognized your beauty even should I have been stricken blind. That is because your beauty emanates from within your dear heart and soul, not because of ribbons or silks or jewels.”
Marjorie’s heart beat loudly within her chest, the sum of all her recent longing all happening before her. But within a moment, the realization struck, flooding her bones with an ache such as she had never before felt: she could not accept the Earl’s offer of marriage.
Epilogue
“My Lord, I am most grateful to you for your kind words and your loving offer, but I must refuse,” she began, but Evan put up a hand to stop her. He led her gently to a small couch and bade her sit, joining her while still smiling. “How can you look at me thus when I’ve just rejected you?”
“Because I know you’re not really turning me away,” he said kindly. “You’re thinking precisely of how you can possibly bind our families together when your father has such an obvious loathing for me.”
“Well, yes…” Marjorie stammered. “He would never agree to it. And besides, as much as I’m ashamed to say so, I have no dowry to bring.”
“Ah, but Lady Marjorie, you do. You bring to this marriage even more than most brides. In truth, it may not be gold or silver or even land—”
“Please do not insult me by insisting that my fair beauty is worth more than all the dowries of the known world,” she said angrily.
“I was not going to say that. My, compliment a young lady on her ravishing beauty and she thinks she’s Helen of Troy now,” Evan teased, and Marjorie had to laugh. “But no, what I was going to tell you is this: I understand all of your father’s motives.”
“What? How can you possibly when I myself can barely make sense of it?”
“He is a man who is desperate to uphold that which his own dear wife left him.” Evan was quiet, giving Marjorie a moment to think that through. Then he added, “Your father sought to ruin me, what with plagues and curses upon my stable, so that his business might prosper and mine would fail. When he saw the opportunity to accuse me of a high crime, he seized it. I know too well the madness that has driven him thus far, because I too am driven by the memory of someone who mattered a great deal to me.”
“Your father, you mean,” Marjorie whispered tenderly.
“Precisely. My entire life has been about living up to the incredible standard he set, and much like your father, it is something that he never asked of me. It is a madness that we infect ourselves with, this need to prove to a ghost that we are worthy.”
“But what would you propose?” she asked, still missing his intention.
“I would propose that your father and I go into business together,” Evan explained, ignoring the look of horror on Marjorie’s face.
“My Lord! Every business venture my father has ever touched has turned to dust in his hands! You do not want to align your name and your fortunes with his ill-luck!”
“But that is only because he was trying so hard to do it single-handedly,” Evan said, giving Marjorie’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Think what kind of stables he would have had, what reputation in this business he could have easily gained, if he’d only listened to you.”
Marjorie was stunned, unaware that Evan thought so highly of her skills. But was he wrong? No. Many times she had tried to assist her father in making sound decisions with their horses, the buying and selling of the creatures, only to be rebuked.
“Tis true, my father thought it unladylike for me to interfere,” she admitted, “which only confounds me because my mother was far more the expert. He deferred to her in all things concerning our horses!”
