“Oh, my dear Annelise! How you gave all of us a fright!” She began to pat Anna’s body. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No, I am unhurt, Mama.” Anna winced when her mother’s hand reached her right ribs.
“My dear, Anna got lost and His Grace found her,” Elliot said.
Her mother appeared to notice Ashden for the first time. She curtsied deeply. “Your Grace, we are immensely grateful.” Both her parents and Hunter were acquainted with Ashden, as most of the aristocracy was.
“Think nothing of it,” Ashden dismissed cordially.
“Oh, do be seated, Your Grace,” she encouraged. “I will ring for some tea.”
Ashden shook his head. “Please do not trouble yourself. I have business that I must see to in Westminster, and must take my leave now.”
“Oh, that is quite well.” Jemina rubbed her hands together. “We truly are very grateful.”
Anna clenched her teeth, disgusted by her family’s apparent obsequiousness.
“I wish you well, Miss Hampton.” Ashden smiled a little and inclined his head. “Have a pleasant day.”
“Thank you, Your Grace,” she murmured, her heart twisting. Her mother’s arm returned to her shoulder, while her father moved to walk Ashden out.
Helpless, she watched him leave her, and she fought the urge to grasp his sleeve and beg him to take her away from this hell. Anna felt as though a portion of her was leaving, which was greatly surprising because she barely knew him.
Hunter’s smile disappeared once Ashden and Elliot had left, and her mother’s hands left her shoulders. A dreadful tension descended upon the room as everyone waited. Anna closed her eyes, praying for anything that could save her.
The instant the sound of the front door closing came, Hunter came to stand in front of her. “You ran to the Duke, did you not?”
“I needed his help,” Anna answered.
“Help?” Jemina laughed bitterly. “I am sure whatever tricks you employed were rebuffed because he returned you to us.”
“I did not pull any tricks,” Anna defended, every part of her growing more rigid as her father’s footsteps approached.
“I made a grave mistake by allowing our engagement to be drawn out,” Hunter said. “We will marry tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Anna jumped to her feet. “You cannot force me to marry you!”
“My dear, you are fortunate Hunter still wishes to marry you after running off,” her mother spat. “You will be watched henceforth lest you try to run away again!”
Her father marched in then, his eyes red with rage, and he was jabbing a finger at her. “You! You are determined to bring shame upon this family!” He came and grasped her arm, yanking her forward.
“I will not marry Hunter!” Anna struggled to free her arm. She should never have allowed Ashden to return her. She should never have let her pride prevent her from telling him the truth.
“Yes, you will!” Elliot began to drag her toward the door. “You will remain in your room as your mother said, until tomorrow.”
Anna had never fought her father before, but she had decided not to be broken anymore, and thus, she gripped his thinning hair with her free hand, then kicked his stockinged shins when he paused. He released her and jumped back, which gave her the opportunity to run toward the door. She had to leave this house. They would kill her if she did not.
A hand pulled her hair, and she realized it was Hunter’s. His arm circled her waist from behind to keep her from running, and her father, having recovered from her kick, raised his hand up in the air. She shut her eyes and braced for the slap she knew was coming.
It did not, and when her mother gasped, she opened her eyes to see Ashden holding her father’s arm. Her heart leaped, and seeing him come to her aid gave her the strength she needed to jab her elbow into Hunter’s ribcage. Once his hold of her slackened, she pulled herself free and ran behind Ashden.
“How dare you!” her father accused, his eyes bulging as he became even more apoplectic than before.
“How dare you lay a hand on a woman?” Ashden demanded, his voice low but tempestuous. His sharp eyes turned to Hunter, who was glaring at Anna. “This is how you will treat a woman you are about to swear before God and man to protect?”
Elliot pulled his arm out of Ashden’s grip. “This is a family affair—"
“I do not care what this is!” the Duke cut him off, moving to shield Anna more properly. “Miss Hampton came to me with an offer. I accept that offer. I am going to marry her.”
