The Fickle Bride (working title)
an excerpt

Katharine, or Kate, her eldest daughter, had exceeded her mother’s expectations by far. During her first Season in London, she had captured the heart of one of the most eligible bachelors in England, Lord Gregory Andell. Lord Gregory was the Duke of Burwell’s second son, which might have discouraged many a matchmaking mama, had it not been known that His Grace of Burwell had every intention of providing for all his offspring – and providing for them liberally. As it was, Lord Gregory was known to be rich, and besides one never knew – his elder brother, the Marquis of Asterby, showed no inclination towards marriage, and Lord Gregory’s wife might well end up a Duchess one day. No wonder it was, then, that Lord Gregory Andell had been one of the most sought-after bachelors in London. There was a great deal of indignant and malicious gossip in London when Lord Gregory had offered for Katharine Markham, a mere baronet’s daughter. He, who could have looked as high for a bride as he chose!

When Lord Asterby had failed to make an appearance at his brother’s wedding, many had suspected that this was because he disapproved of his brother’s choice of wife. Nothing could have been further of the mark, however. The Marquis had not attended his brother’s wedding because he had fallen ill, and had therefore been unable to travel to London for the event. When Lord and Lady Gregory, after spending their honeymoon on the Continent, returned to their new home which was in close proximity to his grace of Burwell’s principal seat, Lord Asterby had been one of the first to welcome the young lady into his family, and nothing could have exceeded his cordiality on the occasion, or so Kate had written to her mother. She continued to be on the best of terms with her husband’s relatives, and her marriage appeared to be a very happy one. By now, she had been married for almost a year, and was expecting her first child.

Barbara, Sir Hugh Markham’s second daughter, did not expect to make a match as brilliant as Kate. Barbara knew she was one of the better-looking females, there was no doubt about that, but she was lacking Kate’s charm. She was known for her good sense, and her dependability, but neither of these characteristics was likely to captivate a man, though her mother often told her that most men wanted a dependable wife, and Barbara did not doubt that either. But one would have to look past the outward appearance in order to find her good qualities, and most men she knew did not bother to do so.
Barbara’s second London Season was almost at an end, and still she had received no offer of marriage. It did not worry her too much, but her mother was beginning to feel uneasy on her behalf. A girl not married after her second Season was almost on the shelf, a fate that Lady Markham did not wish to befall any of her daughters.

There was one gentleman who was showing some interest, though. Mr Thomas Nash had danced with Barbara at almost every ball or assembly she had attended of late, and had sought her company during other functions. He was a creditable parti – a young man embarking on a political career, having just been elected MP for a London constituency, and determined to do well. His fortune was large enough to provide him with a genteel income, and so Lady Markham had taken great pains to encourage the young man. He would do very well for Barbara, she thought, and lost no opportunity telling her so.

With such encouragement, Mr Nash’s proposal did not come as a big surprise to Barbara. She had expected something of that sort to happen, and in the firm belief that she could do worse but was unlikely to do any better she accepted his offer, thereby gaining her parents’ full approval.

Barbara liked her husband-to-be well enough, but she was far from being in love with him. Mr Nash had many good qualities – he was a kind-hearted gentleman, with excellent manners and a great deal of intelligence, and though he was not exactly handsome he was far from ill-looking. One thing that Barbara did not like about him was his tendency to disregard her opinions, and to dismiss them as foolish notions – but that fault, her mother had assured her, was not past mending.

“Once you are married, he will come to appreciate your good sense, my dear,” Lady Markham had said to her, and Barbara, not knowing any better, had taken her mother’s assurance at face value. Mr Nash did not know her very well, after all, and would in time learn to take her seriously.

The announcement of Barbara’s betrothal was duly made, and a date for her marriage to Mr Nash was settled upon. The wedding was to take place at Michaelmas, by which time Kate would have given birth to her child and, God willing, would have recovered enough to be able to travel into Hertfordshire to attend her sister’s nuptials. Mr Nash had hoped to get married sooner, but Barbara had put her foot down – she did not want to get married without her sister, she said, and it was unthinkable that Lady Gregory Andell would travel across half the country in her condition.