Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
I coughed, nearly choking upon my tea. “You left with him? As in eloped?”
Again, she giggled. “Almost, but my uncle retrieved us. By then I had already given myself to him so uncle sought for it to be done. It feels very much like a dream. It happened so quickly, and I am now the first married of my cousins. They are all jealous—”
“And you are pleased?”
She nodded. “Quite so.”
“How much do you know of Fitzwilliam?” I asked.
Her demeanor changed. She looked around the room quickly and then back to me. Leaning forward, she whispered, “I know the truth.”
“The truth?” I repeated.
“Many believe him to be the dowager’s first son from a previous marriage, but the truth is he is the former duke’s son. And his mother was the true love of the former duke, but they could not be together. Thus, he and his mother were banished by the new duke.” She sighed heavily, glancing down at her cake.
“You believe my husband to be so petty and cruel?” I asked angrily.
Her eyes widened. “Forgive me, for I know this is now your family as well, and I do not want to upset the current duke with such information. I simply wish to end the rift between the two of them so that we could be one family.”
Naïve.
It was the kindest word I could use for her. The more I looked upon her, the angrier I became. The girl seemed to have been left to the winds and rains of heaven with no guidance from anyone! Fed lies as truth and tricks as love. This was all horrid, and she did not realize any of it. Instead, she saw herself as quite clever.
Was I to tell her the truth and shatter this fantasy that was in her mind? Or was I to pretend and smile, not revealing to her that the worst type of fiend had derailed her life? I tried to imagine it, saying, He does not love you; he is using you. I was sure of it, even without the history of Evander or Emeline’s mother. Fitzwilliam was a despicable bastard!
“Your Grace?” she asked as I had not spoken in some time. “What do you think of it?”
“Think of what?”
“Mending the bond between our husbands.”
I thought it impossible. “Let us first focus on our bond. My mama says where women go, men follow.”
“A friendship with you, Your Grace? Gwendolyn and Minerva will never believe it. I must write to them. It is such an honor. Can I ask if you have thought about having a ball? I sought to have one myself, but I do not know much of anyone. And obviously, Everely is much grander. I have heard you are not yet acquainted with much of the local gentry and have only been to town and met the lower folk.”
“Yes, as is customary, I thought to wait until the London season was over,” I replied.
“Your Grace, it is quite unfair for the locals who cannot manage such a trip to London. The town balls are never as magnificent, and many are left with only stories of how delightful the season is elsewhere. You could very well make Everely the new center of social society.”
“I shall think on it.”
I offered more sweets, which she happily accepted. I hoped Evander was having greater luck exposing Fitzwilliam for who he truly was.
Evander
I knew visiting the magistrate’s office would be of little use, but I had not believed it would be so obviously discouraging and enraging. The moment I entered, I was met not by the magistrate but by the bastard swine himself, sitting upon a chair, tea in hand as if he were not a criminal of the highest of order.
“If it is not the duke in all his glory,” the devil said, smiling from ear to ear.
In anger, I stood still, unable to move or speak for fear I would strike him. I glanced around the office to see he was the only person in the rooms.
“If you are seeking the magistrate, he will return momentarily. We were having a grand conversation before he stepped out. Between you and me, I believe he has greater aspirations in life.”
I clenched my fist and turned from him.
“Well, little brother—”
“You have no brother in me,” I sneered, nearly spitting. “And you may think you have fashioned for yourself a very good safety net, but believe me, I will not rest until you are held accountable for your misdeeds.”
“Misdeeds?” He dared laugh at me. “I know of no such thing!”
With the mocking look on his face, I could not stop myself from grabbing his coat, wishing to throw him across the room. “That girl…Emma, even as you tricked and abandoned her to misery, even as she was dying, her last thoughts and desires were of you. She wept for you. You proved to be nothing but a monster, and still, that poor one wished to hold on to the lies you fed her in any way possible till the end.”