Nothing to Commend Her Read Online Free PDF Page A

Crittenden had her gossip mixed up, or some such thing."
    He sat back in his chair. “But if you don't wish to marry the man, Agatha, you simply need say nay. I will not force you. Yet you should think on it, my dear. You've not had any serious offers for some time. I doubt you shall ever receive one from so esteemed a gentleman again."
    She knew he really meant she would never receive another offer ever again, but was too kind to say so. And as to serious offers, she'd never received one in her life. There had been the occasional interest of some older gentleman looking for a young stout lady to take over the raising of his brood, but her father knew better than to approach her with those.
    He despised the fact that she knew how to curse, and quite well. She'd learned from the best gardeners in the area. So he avoided situations in which her ire would be so high that she'd resort to foul language. But marry Lord Leighton? It wasn't some cruel joke perpetrated by those horrid girls?
    "Well, Agatha? What is your decision? I know you aren't one to tarry over such things,” he said.
    "No.” She wasn't one to tarry, not when her heart was involved. Or would be.
    His brow furrowed. “I see,” he said with a sigh. “Then I shall let the gentleman down as nicely as possible."
    "Yes. I mean no.” She giggled at her incoherence, it was so unlike her. “I mean, I shall accept."
    His brows rose. “Are you sure, my dear?"
    She stood on shaky legs. “Yes, quite sure.” She moved to the door, curious as to how she managed it. Her heart was pounding so hard beneath her breast she felt certain she was going to faint, which she never did.
    "Well then. I shall respond immediately. But Agatha..."
    She looked to her father, her damp palm on the doorknob.
    "I will miss you, my dear."
    She smiled, her throat tight. “And I shall miss you, Papa."
    "I cannot believe you are getting married before me,” Hattie said with a giggle.
    Agatha clutched her cousin's hand. “Neither can I."
    The coach rattled on, closer to their destination. Within the hour she would be Lady Leighton, wife to the fifth Earl of Pensby. How could her life have taken such an unexpected turn in so short a time?
    "I still say this is too sudden,” her aunt fussed, but with a smile. “Your father should have insisted on a minimum of three months of courting before packing you off to Yorkshire."
    "Obviously the man was so smitten with Agatha, he couldn't bear to wait,” Hattie said.
    Agatha chuckled, but it came out as more of a choking sound. He'd not wanted to wait for any number of reasons, but she felt sure that smitten wasn't one of them, which left the question as to why he had chosen her.
    The night in the long gallery had been the only night they'd ever spoken. There'd been no courting at all. Her father had said that he'd returned to his estate immediately after the Crittenden ball, but should he not have come to call at least once, or perhaps dine with her and her father one evening?
    "The banns were read, Mama,” Hattie said, drawing Agatha from her thoughts.
    "Yes, but I don't see what's all the rush. I would've loved to help you plan the wedding dear."
    "Oh, but you have, Aunt. My gown, my trousseau, the flowers."
    "Oh posh. That isn't hardly planning. Why, Lord Leighton took it upon himself to select and approve, mind you, the entire guest list as well as the menu for the wedding breakfast,” she huffed.
    "I'm sure he was merely trying to precipitate things, Aunt,” she said with a forced smile. Was she about to marry a controlling man?
    The carriage rattled to a stop and her father appeared beside the door to assist her. “You look lovely, my dear."
    "Thank you, Papa."
    He patted her hand as he guided her into the church and her waiting fiance. Shaking with excitement and dread, she walked to the front of the small parish to stand by her husband to be. Even scarred, he brought a sigh of admiration from her.
    She knew, in that moment, that she'd