She was rather anxious to return home, wondering what kind of reaction her father would have regarding the article. Her father was a rational man, but she was convinced there was no way that he would be able to act rationally if he heard the news.
“Rebecca?” Thomas said softly and she glanced at him. “Are you well?”
“I am not certain how to answer your question, Thomas. Things have happened in such quick succession that I haven’t been able to process everything. Your mother, the article, your brother, and now my father. I feel rather overwhelmed. A multitude of feelings swarm inside me. Thoughts are whirling in my mind at an alarming rate, and I feel powerless to stop them,” she said with a sigh. “Are you well?”
“Evaluating my life, as one does when they are moments away from death,” Thomas said.
Rebecca smiled weakly and stared out at the hills passing. She was on the verge of bursting into tears, but she convinced herself to remain strong. She did not wish for Thomas to see her in such an emotional state and quietly composed herself, praying that everything would be all right.
Or at least she hoped it would be.
After all, she was aware that Thomas would not allow any harm to come to her, even if the source was her father.
The carriage came to a stop and Thomas climbed out. He held his hand out to her, but she ignored it. She did not intend to be rude to him, but rather it was her anxious state that caused her to withdraw and not accept his assistance. She stepped onto the ground and made her way to the townhouse.
As they reached the door, it opened, and they were met by Rebecca’s red-faced father. His stare was dagger sharp, directed entirely at Thomas.
“Inside. Now,” Dr. Morton said firmly.
Rebecca gulped, her stomach plummeting at the expression on his face. But she nodded obediently and entered the townhouse, immediately making her way to the parlour.
“What is this?” Dr. Morton demanded as he grabbed the newspaper and held it in the air.
“Father, I can explain—”
“Please do so,” Dr. Morton interrupted.
Rebecca drew in a breath but before she was able to utter a word, Thomas stepped in. Whether it would be considered heroic or foolish was still to be determined.
“Dr. Morton, if there is anyone here who should explain, it should be I.”
“Then do so!”
Thomas was clearly taken aback by the forceful manner in which her father spoke, and she opened her mouth to step in.
“Speak, you coward,” Dr. Morton said impatiently.
“Father...”
“No, your father is right in calling me a coward, Rebecca,” Thomas said and turned to Dr. Morton. “If there is anyone responsible for the damage caused to Rebecca’s reputation, I am to blame.”
“This is unacceptable,” Dr. Morton said and threw the newspaper on the ground.
The sudden movement made Rebecca jump and her bottom lip quivered. “Father, it is not true. The article is not accurate at all.”
“Thomas did not kiss you?” Dr. Morton asked.
She hesitated for a moment then told the truth. “He did kiss me, and I kissed him in return. But nothing else came of it.”
Her father’s face darkened into a deep crimson and his gaze darted toward Thomas. “What do you have to say for yourself, Thomas Melton? What are your intentions toward my daughter?”
“Father—”
“I am not addressing you, Rebecca,” he said in warning.
Her father stepped forward and glared at Thomas who was only a short distance away. “Speak. Now.”
Thomas cleared his throat and Rebecca stared at him expectantly. “My intention was to come here today and request your permission.”
“Permission for what?”
“To court your daughter with a view to an engagement,” Thomas said.
“What?” Rebecca asked with a gasp.
That was most certainly not what she had expected Thomas to say.
“And why would I allow you to court her?” Dr. Morton asked.
“I am the reason her reputation is now in tatters and I do not wish to cause her any further harm or embarrassment. I care for your daughter, Dr. Morton, and I believe that I can make her happy. Her reputation does not matter to me, because I know the sort of person she is.”
Rebecca stared at her father, her jaw slack in shock.
“You truly are to blame for my daughter’s reputation being ruined, especially since I made it very clear to her that I did not wish for her to marry young. Perhaps I did this to protect her from men such as yourself. But owning up to your mistakes and being prepared to go to extremes to rectify them shows me that you have a sense of maturity and responsibility. Shall we discuss this further?”
Rebecca’s jaw dropped as she listened to the conversation developing between her father and Thomas, as though it was the most ordinary thing to do. She blinked a number of times, not truly believing she was witnessing this sight before her.
She had not imagined her father would even consider allowing Thomas to court her with the intention of marrying her. It infuriated her not only because her father had suddenly swayed with Thomas’ promise of marriage, but they were practically planning the wedding already.
She hadn’t agreed to anything, nor had she been asked whether this was what she wanted. She was once again being overlooked and it infuriated her to no end.
On several occasions she attempted to speak, but her father did not allow her to. He simply cast a dismissive glance in her direction before continuing his conversation with Thomas. Even Thomas avoided her gaze, which made her feel unimportant and that neither she nor her opinion mattered at all.
The more her father and Thomas discussed her future, the angrier she became. Hot tears stung her eyes and a gasp escaped her throat.
“I cannot believe you are discussing my future
