Chose was a strong word. He'd been naïve and trusted the judgement of others and had so little interaction with Noelle before their marriage that he'd given her no opportunity to show her true colors. Hindsight was a wonderful thing, in hindsight he knew that Noelle had been a bad seed, however he'd been complacent and gullible. If Noelle had been a model wife he'd still have been a fool blindly placing his future in the hands of others. If he hadn't underestimated how variable women of supposed good breeding could be he might have been more cautious. If she'd artfully deceived him throughout numerous meetings together then he could only blame her for tricking him to the altar. With his complete lack of interest in investigating his bride to be he had practically been asking for the dregs of society, what better opportunity to offload daughters who would otherwise end up old maids or disowned for a scandal? He'd do the very same with Althea now if she were old enough to marry off.
To answer Lestrange's question he'd had to admit that he had chosen her, even though he hadn't chosen Noelle as he now knew her to be. In this instance it would make him look better if he let Lestrange think he'd been deceived rather than made deception wholly unnecessary in the first place. "I did." His reply sounded a little terse - it was essentially an acceptance of responsibility. "She seemed like a good match and she was pretty enough." Neither had been enough to make up for her character.
To answer Lestrange's question he'd had to admit that he had chosen her, even though he hadn't chosen Noelle as he now knew her to be. In this instance it would make him look better if he let Lestrange think he'd been deceived rather than made deception wholly unnecessary in the first place. "I did." His reply sounded a little terse - it was essentially an acceptance of responsibility. "She seemed like a good match and she was pretty enough." Neither had been enough to make up for her character.
