The Fallen Woman (A Regency Romance) by K.L. O'Keefe Read Free Book Online

her in her father’s words.
    “I got a letter from a man today,” her father went on, “and it gave me an idea.”
    “A man? An idea?” Her father gave her little information to sate her curiosity.
    “Yes, yes. I got a letter from the son of an old friend, and the letter ignited a spark in my head. Well… the idea had already been sitting there, but I needed something to give it a little shove.”
    “Father, you’re not making any sense.”
    “I’ll get around to it in a moment, daughter. Don’t be impatient,” her father chided her. “I had a thought, that is… to marry you off.”
    But who would have me? Leona wanted to ask. “Marry me off?”
    “Yes. Quickly. Very quickly.” Mr. Lennox gestured toward his daughter’s stomach. “And I thought we could pass that bastard off as your husband’s.”
    Leona’s mouth fell open. She stared at her father for what felt like an eternity, unable to speak, unable to move. Finally, she said, “But father… that’s wrong!”
    “Ain’t nothing wrong about it!” he protested. “What other choice do we have? It’s genius, if you ask me! If we can patch it together quickly enough, the taint on your name will be erased, and that bastard… assuming it’s a boy… will be this man’s heir!”
    “Father…”
    “I said I’d decide your fate, and that’s what I’m going to do! I’ve already decided!” He clenched a fist and waved it in front of her. “Now, now… don’t flinch, Leona. I’m not going to hit you, I’m just excited. This is the best idea I’ve had in my whole life. And you have to go along with it. It’s the only way out of this mess you’re in.”
    “To lie?” Her lips were quivering. “Forgive me if I’m not thrilled about the prospect of sinning to erase my sin. I already feel like a terrible person. My own father wants me to feel worse!”
    “Don’t be a foolish girl. There’s no need to get melodramatic about it. You can either take my advice, or let the whole world know you’re a whor… uh… a mother without a husband. I think your course of action should be obvious, poppet.” He tried to pat her on the head, but she dodged it. “Now, here’s what’s going to happen. There’s a young man coming to visit us in--”
    Leona interrupted him. “Who is this man you expect me to marry? Shouldn’t I know the name of my future husband?”
    Mr. Lennox grinned. He thought her curiosity must’ve been a sign of her compliance. “Viscount Randall.”
    “A viscount?” Her mouth fell open. “But… father… he has a title ? You want me to trick a viscount?”
    Her father nodded, and calmly proceeded to explain the situation. “You met His Lordship when you were barely fifteen, but you must have made quite an impression on him. He wrote with an expressed interest in marrying you, dear. I didn’t even have to approach him on the matter! We’ve arranged everything nice and quickly, you see… the whole thing’s been dashed easy.”
    Leona’s eyes felt like they were on fire. Suppressed tears made them burn. “I don’t remember him. Why would he want to marry me, of all people? Why now?”
    “What does it matter? He wants to marry you, and that’s all that matters to me. You better not get any ideas in your head, Leona. If you spoil everything I’ve arranged, I’ll turn you out on the streets. I swear to God I will!” Mr. Lennox laid an arm across his daughter’s back in a poor show of affection. “If you do this, I’ll never have to worry that my daughter’s not taken care of. He’s got quite a fortune, you know. And the title. He might not be a handsome man, but you know how I feel about handsome men. You might even grow to like him.”
    Leona didn’t know what to say. What could she say? Even if she objected to her father’s idea, what other choice did she have? If she took a gamble on the viscount, wouldn’t it be better than staying locked in her room, bearing her father’s consternation for the rest