Once Upon an Irritatingly Magical Kiss by Bree Wolf

Chapter Three

Arrangements

Thorne was tired of discussing the terms of his marrying Miss Mortensen with Lord Hartmore. The man seemed utterly heartless and greedy at the same time. All the stipulations were only with regards to Thorne’s fortune and the gains he desired in exchange for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Not one word concerning her welfare and happiness passed his lips, and Thorne began to feel like a villain because he was beginning to see that his agreement to Lord Hartmore’s terms would force Miss Mortensen’s hand.

She did not wish to wed him. That much was crystal clear. No matter what he said to her or how kindly he spoke to her, she always seemed ill at ease, barely meeting his eyes and fleeing his presence the first opportunity she got.

Lord Hartmore did not seem concerned. In fact, he did not even seem to notice. Even when Thorne addressed the issue plainly, Lord Hartmore merely waved it away. “There is no reason to worry. Young women are always a bit apprehensive when it comes to marriage. It shall pass,” the older man replied, not even casting a glance at his daughter, who once more stood across the room with her golden-haired friend.

The fury!

Thorne smiled. While Miss Mortensen was eyeing him with no small measure of apprehension and anxiety, the fury beside her seemed to burn with anger. Thorne could see her all but bouncing in her slippers, a muscle contracting as though she wished to charge across the room and slap him hard across the face. What he had done to deserve such hatred, Thorne did not know; however, he had to admit he found it most intriguing.

He could not help but wish to speak to her for he fully expected the exchange to be life-altering. He did not know why, but he was certain of it. Perhaps it was those expressive eyes of hers, revealing how she felt quite openly while at the same time concealing something he could not quite grasp.

Indeed, the most intriguing woman!

* * *

Glaring at the man across the dance floor, Christina felt her hackles rise when he flashed her a teasing smile. The nerve of that man! Was he completely unaware that his mere presence caused her friend deepest unease? In fact, Sarah looked ready to faint, her face pale with a tinge of green as though she were moments away from casting up the contents of her stomach. It all the more proved to Christina that Sarah would not survive such a marriage. Something had to be done.

But what?

“What did he say to you earlier?” she asked her friend, placing a gentle hand upon Sarah’s arm.

Sarah blinked, her breath coming quickly. “Pardon me?”

Christina smiled at her reassuringly. “When you spoke to him before, what did he say?” Indeed, she had watched Lord Hartmore and his daughter approach Mr. Sharpe with great care, tension lingering in her shoulders as she had been well aware of her friend’s reluctance.

Shaking her head, Sarah blinked, refocusing her thoughts. “I…He…I believe he asked about my favorite pastime.” She frowned, then shook her head again. “To be honest, I don’t quite remember exactly what he said. Whenever I see him, all I can think about is leaving London, leaving my family, leaving you.” Her hand reached for Christina’s and held hers tightly within her own as tears began to mist her eyes. “I never thought I would one day find myself marrying a man outside of the social circle I’ve always known. Manchester will be a completely new world, no doubt terrifying and overwhelming.” She swallowed hard. “I’m not certain I can do this.”

“Then don’t,” Christina urged. “There must be another way. Perhaps…” She gritted her teeth, trying to think of something, anything.

A defeated look came to Sarah’s eyes. “There is not. The only solution is for me to marry a man of wealth and no one else has offered.”

Christina’s head snapped up, hope tingling through her limbs. “But if we could find someone, not anyone, but a gentleman who would—”

Sarah shook her head. “My father’s situation is well known, and this is my third season.” A sad smile came to her face. “I have not received a single proposal in all this time.”

“Neither have I,” Christina pointed out, determined not to allow Sarah to give up so easily. There had to be a way! There simply had to be!

Sarah chuckled. “It is not the same. Everyone knows that the Whickertons marry for love and nothing less. No man simply seeking a connection would propose, knowing it would be a waste of time if he did not also possess the heart of the one he was offering for.” She shook her head. “No, Chris, it is not the same.”

Christina huffed out an annoyed breath, unable to argue with her friend. Yes, the Whickertons married for love. Everyone knew that. It was like a law of nature. Something written in stone.

“Then perhaps…” Christina thought out loud, uncertain what she wanted to say, but knowing that there had to be a solution. There simply had to be!

Gritting her teeth, she turned to look across the room at Mr. Sharpe. Yes, he was not unpleasant to look at. Those teasing eyes of his might even seem appealing to some women. And that smile…

Christina whirled around and grasped her friend’s hands. “I know what to do!”

Sarah tensed, her eyes widening ever so slightly, hope as well as the fear to give into it mingling there.

“It’s simple,” Christina explained, eagerness bubbling in her veins. Never had she been able to bear being idle. It gave her a feeling of helplessness, powerlessness. “We’ll see him married to another. That’s the solution. If he marries another, he cannot marry you.”

The spark of hope vanished from Sarah’s gaze. “You know as well as I do, that only someone desperate would accept him. Someone like me.” She looked around the ballroom, then shrugged her shoulders. “Everyone is hoping for a great match, and he is simply not that. The only reason for anyone to accept him aside from his fortune would be to save face.”

Christina’s eyes widened as a new thought formed in her head. “We could see him compromised with another.”

Sarah cast her an indulgent look. “Would you truly do this to another? A young woman like us? Would you trap her into a marriage to a man you’re so determined to keep from my side?”

Christina could have groaned as her newly formed plan slipped from her fingers, and she closed her eyes. “No, of course not.” Again, that feeling of helplessness washed over, and Christina felt like retreating from the harshness of the world and curling up into a ball, ignoring all that was and might be. Yet if she did so, she would find herself forever running. No, she was not that kind of person. No matter what, she would face what was coming head-on.

Casting a smile at Sarah, Christina reached out to squeeze her hand. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment. There is someone I need to speak to.” And with that, she spun on her heels and began to march across the ballroom.

Toward Mr. Sharpe.

“Chris, please don’t do this!” Sarah hissed under her breath, a frantic tone in her voice as she tried to dissuade her friend. “My parents will be furious.”

Christina could not have cared less. She could not simply stand by. She had to do something.

Anything.

Perhaps Mr. Sharpe would turn out to be a reasonable man after all.

Miracles did happen upon occasion, did they not?