Cassie was irritated with this intriguing stranger – Mark’s insistence on addressing her as a marchioness when she had already corrected him and she was going to state the same to him. However, Mrs. Weatherland interrupted their heated exchange which she remembered from the past so many years. She reprimanded both the young people whom she loved dearly as her own kids.
“Oh come… come! Everyone knows that someday you will inherit the titles and estates from your uncle and you will be the next Marquess of Bellingham, Mark. And since you both will be married by then” and then she said half under her breath, “if you do not cut each other’s throats out by that time,” and continued on “Isabella will be the next Marchioness of Bellingham. Quit fighting over this now. It’s been six years since you both goad each over this. I go weary of your disgruntlements. You both are aware, there is no escaping this fate of yours. And I must say…”
But Cassie had lost track of what Mrs. Weatherland was saying. The daughter of the Duke of Wellingshire, Isabella was engaged. Isabella or Bella, as most people called her, was engaged to this stranger, no to Mark. His name was Mark and he was the future Marquess of Bellingham. He was also uncle to Alex and Nina, the two lovely darlings whom she now loved as if they were her own. He was the brother of the late daughter-in-law of the Duke, Maria. He was the brother-in-law of the late son of the Duke, Anthony. And he was Bella’s fiancé…and in turn her fiancé! How would she ever get out of this!
He didn’t seem the kind of person who would let her go easily. But then he also didn’t seem keen on marrying her. Maybe, there was still some hope. This brightened her a bit. Yes, she would discuss this with the Duke and … Mark. Surely, there was a way out of all this.
Mark saw the play of emotions on Bella’s face. She went from despair to hope to delight. She was a sight to behold when she was delighted. Heck! She was a sight anytime. His thoughts made him wonder, whether he truly wanted to be free of their imposed relationship or not. Earlier he was so sure, he wanted nothing to do with her. Now, he wasn’t sure anymore. Something had changed in her since the last time he saw her, when his sister and her brother were alive. It was a change for the better. And it was making the task of resisting her difficult.
With an effort, he wasn’t aware he would be faced with; he drew his attention to the situation at hand. Mrs. Weatherland was asking him if he was coming to the Duke’s Townhouse. He had planned on using his uncle’s Townhouse. But he wanted to explore this new side of Bella.
“Of course Mrs. W. I could never refuse you.” he said amiably which rather pleased Mrs. Weatherland.
Mark called for the footman and the duke’s coach arrived and all three of them left in it, while Mark’s own coachman followed behind.
Mark studied the beautiful woman sitting in front of him in the coach. He had despised her all his adult life, not for her beauty, but for her frivolity, her vanity, the way her beauty affected him. But when his uncle gave the directive that he would donate all his monies to charity unless he married the Duke of Wellingshire’s only daughter, he had relented. Looking at her now, it took him back when it all started.
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Lincolnshire, the Americas, 1864
Michael Windworth and Alicia Windworth were a missionary couple working in the colonies. Michael was the younger son of the Marquess of Bellingham, younger by a mere seven minutes. However, he never grudged his brother – Marcus’ fortune as the heir to a title. He was happy being the “spare” and even happier to carry out his life as a vicar in the small town of Burton, bordering Bellingham Estate. However, fates had decided something else for him and one fine day he decided to leave for the Americas to work as a missionary over there along with his newlywed wife, Alicia.
Alicia was more than happy to accompany her husband and in time the lord blessed them with two sweet and beautiful children– Mark and Maria. Even though they were twins, they were as apart in looks as night and day. While Mark was dark, Maria was fair. Mark had black hair and midnight blue eyes, while Maria had strawberry blonde hair and cornflower blue eyes. As they grew up, Maria stopped growing after reaching a height of five feet, while Mark shot three inches over the six foot height of his father.
After living a happy life for more than two decades in the Americas, Michael and Alicia Windworth, died due to an epidemic they had tried to save the people from. After the death of their parents, Mark and Maria were left alone. At the same time, a letter arrived from England from their Uncle Marcus giving his condolences and asking them to come visit him in England. He seemed sincere in his feelings for his brother. Besides he was the only relative they had left in the world, so the siblings decided to go to England in search of their destiny.
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Bellingham Estate, 1886
Mark and Maria had come to England for the first time in the twenty one years of their life. They were also meeting their Uncle Marcus for the first time and were shocked to see the face of their father looking back at them. Marcus Windworth, the ninth Marquess of Bellingham looked exactly like his younger twin – Michael. But the passing away of his brother had added some fine lines to his features. He welcomed his niece and nephew in his home and his heart with open arms. Marcus had never married in life due to a love long lost and so now he poured all his love and pent up emotions on his new charges.
With his love and understanding, Maria soon bloomed to be a beautiful and happy young lady with all the charms that ladies at that age are wont to have. Mark however was quieter and took all calmly. But, he loved his sister dearly and was happy to see her bloom again into a cheerful lady. He thought he would soon have to fight off ardent suitors.
However, Marcus had other plans. He had a best friend in the Duke of Wellingshire – Robert Middleton. His grace came from an old and established family and was the tenth Duke of Wellingshire. He also had a large estate and a flourishing business looked after by his only son – Anthony. Anthony, the Marquess of Bringham, one of the lesser estates in the Dukedom, was a young man of pleasant features and pleasant manners. He was the quintessential blue eyed, blonde haired English gentleman with a twinkle in his eye, a smile on his face and a nice word for everyone he met.
Marcus loved Anthony like a son and now since coming to know Maria, thought of getting them married to each other. Maria was a fair maiden with her mother’s pretty features and her father’s disposition. She was kind and caring and exactly like the daughter he would have liked to have.
A chance meeting coupled with some others arranged by Marcus and Robert, and as fate would have it, Anthony and Maria fell in love with each other. One fine day Anthony proposed and Maria accepted.
Mark in the meantime was getting to know Isabella, the beautiful but headstrong daughter of the Duke. Isabella or Bella, as she was better known, was a beauty with honey blonde hair like her brother but green eyed like her late mother. At first, Mark was in awe of her beauty like the dozens of other suitors around her. Her laugh was like tinkling bells and her smile could light up a dull room.
But as Mark started to get to know her, he saw the stubborn streak in her coupled with the selfish attitude which showed when things didn’t go her way. This was not often as every one was ever ready to please her and have her shine that smile on them. But it was present and could not evade Mark’s perceptive eyes. As the nature overrode the beauty, Mark saw her for what she was and got out of his infatuation with her before he could fall further into it.
When Bella realized that her wiles would not work on Mark, she started to despise him. However, she did like Maria and loved Anthony in her own way. When the happy couple announced their engagement, everyone was genuinely happy for them including Mark who wanted nothing more than his sister’s happiness. Also, he had got to know Anthony as a strong and dependable character, who behind his easy smile was a person to be trusted always. Soon Anthony and Maria got married and within a year, Maria gave birth to twins – Alex and Nina.
In the short time that Mark had been in England he had quickly grasped the dealings of the estate and even seen to its progress. He found that he loved doing business and had a knack for it, rather than just being a peer of the realm like his uncle or a selfless missionary like his father.
But Marcus was not satisfied. After seeing his niece settled in her life, he now dreamt of seeing his nephew getting married as well to a girl of his choice. And the first name that he thought of was of course – his dear old friend, Robert’s lovely daughter – Bella. With this wonderful thought he approached Mark one day as he was going over the estate accounts.
“My boy, you are always engrossed in work. We have Estate Managers for that sort of work. You should learn to relax once in a while and spend some time on yourself”, said the Marquess to his nephew.
Mark looked up from his work and gave one of his rare smiles to his uncle, and said, “Uncle Marcus, I love going through the accounts myself and getting to know the nitty-gritty of the business. Besides you are the one who always says that I have to look after all the estates one day. I am just getting some practice.”
Marcus never understood why Mark needed to be so engrossed in the work. But yes, he was right. As the next Marquess of Bellingham, Mark would one day oversee all and well all this training would just help him to better understand the business of the estate once he took the reins in his hands.
“Very well my boy. It is up to you. After all it is your legacy to uphold. However, let me remind you again. Our forefathers have left ample for us and God has been really kind to us. Also, our Estate Managers are astute and so the holdings of Bellingham have always increased in dire situations as well”, said Marcus with a smile of his own.
“I know uncle, I just love doing this and I feel I have found the purpose of my life when I am working for the estate”, said Mark with a sigh.
“It pleases me to see that you love the estate so!” said Marucs with another smile. He was really proud of his nephew.
“Anyway, enough of all this, I wanted to talk to you about something” added Marcus.
“Sure, tell me Uncle?”
“You know, Maria is now well settled in her life. Anthony is a good person. They even have kids now to keep the house in an uproar. But I have been thinking of our house.”
“What about it, Uncle?”
“I want small kids to run about in Bellingham as well. I want you to get married.”
Mark burst out laughing, “Surely you are joking, Uncle. I am but twenty two. Too young to get hitched.” Mark started to turn his head towards his work again with a chuckle.
Marcus interrupted him. “No listen to me, my boy. I know you are young. But you can get betrothed?”
Mark quirked up a dark eyebrow, “To whom?” He had a feeling he was aware where this was leading to.
“Bella” said Marcus with a smile.
“BELLA!!! Are you serious Uncle?” shouted Mark.
“Of course I am. I even talked to Robert about it. And he is ecstatic about it as well. We couldn’t find a better suited pair”, beamed his uncle.
“You are both out of your minds!!!” roared Mark, “I am not interested in that... that SHREW!!!”
“Mark! Hold your tongue! Bella is the sweetest, loveliest young girl you will ever find.”
“Sweet my foot!” mumbled Mark and then said loudly, “Look Uncle, even if she was the sweetest, loveliest young girl on earth I am not interested in marrying her nor am I getting betrothed to her. Not now. Not ever.”
This angered Marcus, who had loved Bella like the daughter he never had, before Maria had turned up. Although now Maria was his daughter and he loved her the most, still Bella was dear to him as well.
“Mark! You will not insult Bella. I love her and I have given my word to her father. You will get betrothed to her. You both can get married when she is ready.”
“If you have given your word, then you go fulfill it. I don’t have to”, said Mark in anger.
“Yes you have to. Or I will unbequeath you!”
“You wouldn’t dare. You know how much I love the estate. Besides you cannot. I am your only living heir.”
“You are forcing me to. Besides I can. You may be my only living heir and I have to pass the title of Marquess down to you, but the properties and estate are not entailed. I can give them to whom so ever I like” stated Marcus with a gleam of triumph in his eyes. He knew he was not being fair to Mark, but it was for his own good. He would never do that to his nephew though. The Bellingham estate had always gone with the title and that is how it would remain to be so. But his nephew did not need to know that. Besides one day Mark would thank him for making such a good choice of wife for him. He thought that since he had made the right choice for Maria, he could not go wrong for Mark.
Mark on the other hand was mulling over his Uncle’s ultimatum. In the past year that he had known Bella, he found her rude, obnoxious, frivolous and selfish among other things. No doubt he found her pretty but he did not think lust was a good enough reason to base a marriage on. He wanted a marriage like the kind his parents shared or the kind his sister and brother-in-law shared. He highly doubted that he would find that kind of marriage with Bella.
Also, in this short span he had come to love the estate more than the colonies he had spent his life growing up. However, he could learn to live without the estate. Besides lately he had realized it was the thrill or the risk of venturing into a business and seeing it succeed that lured him more. His sound business decisions for the estate might work elsewhere as well. He just had to try his luck. Till then he would bide his time.
With this thought in mind he turned to his Uncle, “Very well, Uncle Marcus. I agree to get betrothed to Bella. But I have certain conditions.”
Marcus looked at him with a smile now and said, “Let me know.”
“One. Bella has to agree. Two. I am not getting married for another five years at least.”
Not one to quibble over trifles, Marcus said, “Agreed.”
Besides he knew that Bella would not refuse him and Robert would agree to wait for five years before getting married as Bella was too young now at seventeen.
When Marcus went up to Robert and Bella and mentioned this, Bella said,
“Engaged to Mark? What did he say?” she carefully controlled her expressions before Marcus as she did not want to spoil her image in front of him.
“He agreed. But he wants to wait five years before marriage.” Marcus replied.
“Hmm. Very well, if he says so. I agree as well.” said Bella demurely lowering her eyelashes.
Marcus beamed happily and hugged Bella quickly before hugging Robert tightly.
Bella on the other hand was thinking about Mark. Well, well, well. So finally I get a chance to get under his skin. Figuratively. She smirked. He was the only one who didn’t seem to fall at my feet at my one smile. The only one who seemed unaffected by my charms. Let’s see how he fares as my betrothed and if he is really as immune to me as he seems to be. Besides, I would love to be a Marchioness one day.
Robert looked at Bella who was smiling to herself as if contemplating the issue and he shivered. Whenever, Bella looked like that it usually meant trouble for others. Marcus was blind to a fault where Bella was concerned; but Robert did see the evil streak in his daughter at times. However, she was his daughter and he loved her. Still, he worried about Mark and wondered if Mark would have agreed without any sort of pressure from Marcus.
That evening Mark and Bella met at Wellingshire Estate when Mark had come to visit his sister.
“I see my betrothed has finally deigned to pay me a visit”, said Bella.
“I have come to visit my sister and her children. I have no desire to set my sight upon you.” gritted Mark.
With a bored look Bella responded, “Whatever you say. Let me see if you say the same once I become your Marchioness.” There was an evil gleam in her eyes, which raised Mark’s hackles.
“Oh? Already dreaming, Marchioness?” said Mark, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Of course, my lord”, snapped Bella right back.
“I am not a lord, Marchioness”, snapped Mark.
“We shall see… my lord”, said Bella with a smile and walked away from him.
This set a pattern in their communication even as their betrothal was announced and they were congratulated by one and all. That very year Mark returned to America at the age of twenty two. He had worked hard over there in trade, unheard of in his family. He never took a break; accept for a yearly visit to his sister’s family. But there he was again thrown together with Bella, which encouraged him to go back and work harder. Six years had passed since then and finally his hard work had paid off. Hard work and a stroke of luck last winter had made him richer than his uncle.
Last year when he had returned home, his uncle had insisted on his and Bella’s marriage. But he had escaped saying that there were still two months for the five years to be up that he had asked for. He had not returned back since, and he had dreaded to go back when he knew his uncle awaited his return and would wait no more for his marriage to his precious ‘Bella’. However, with the riches that he now had he could buy an estate of his own, larger than Bellingham and Wellingshire combined and live a life in luxury. He no longer needed to marry Bella to gain a fortune. He had made his own fortune. And this year he had returned to break their long standing engagement.
