But there was something else that was going to blow up in their faces if they weren’t careful.
“Whatever it is, make it happen quickly,” she muttered. “You know that we cannot wait.”
Oscar frowned as his level of displeasure was taken to a new level. He closed his eyes for a moment, struggling not to erupt in fury. When he finally opened them, he had to take a deep breath to fortify his composure.
For surely, it was in danger of breaking.
“That,” he said. “God’s Bones, now we must deal withthat. Everything would have been fine had Cecil gone through with the marriage. No one would have been the wiser.”
“Nay,” Randa said, eyeing her daughter, who was hanging her head. “No one would have been. So whoever you find as herhusband, you had better do it soon. Otherwise, we may not be able to convince him that his firstborn is actually his child.”
There it was. Out in the open now. That secret they’d been trying to hide. Randa had never been able to get a straight answer out of her daughter, whether Cecil had forced himself on her or whether she’d been a willing participant. Whatever the case, Ophelia was with child. Nearly six weeks now, by her estimation. Another few weeks and she would begin to show it. But right now, they had a window of opportunity. She still didn’t look pregnant even if her breasts were filling out, but that seemed to be the only symptom so far.
Thankfully.
But they didn’t have much time.
Ophelia needed a husband or the de Bulverton family would be the source of rumors for years to come.
“Why, girl?” Oscar finally grunted. “Why did you do it?”
Ophelia kept her head down, unable to look at her grandfather. “I told you why.”
She had. Oscar growled angrily. “Because you’re a whore,” he said. “I never thought a grandchild of mine, myheiress, would be a whore, but here we are. You are with child and you have no husband. Now I must rush to find you a husband, and even then, he may not believe the child is his. I will have to promise him my earldom to keep him silent, I am certain, but that is what I must do to preserve you and our family honor. Damn you for this. Damn you,damn you.”
With that, he walked off, leaving Ophelia in tears and Randa trying to comfort her.
But he didn’t care. He had a plan and had since before his foolish daughter listened toherfoolish daughter and this foolery had infected his entire life. A plan he’d been formulating for years, something that would turn his granddaughter into the catalyst for something much greater than she deserved. ThankGod that Cecil de Bosque had broken the betrothal, because now, Oscar’s dreams were going to come true.
He was taking over his granddaughter’s future.
Never mind the fact that Ophelia would be a pawn. As long as Oscar got what he wanted, that was all that mattered. The fact that she was carrying de Bosque’s child might complicate things, but in the end, he would have his way.
He would put that plan in action.
PART ONE
CHAPTER ONE
The Blackchurch Guild
Devon
Two Months Later
“Ihave notseen you in three years and you come to tell me that I am tomarry?”
The words of incredulity came from a man who normally didn’t give credence to that kind of emotion. He was a Blackchurch trainer, one of the toughest, most experienced men on earth, and emotions didn’t play into the demeanor that his elite status dictated. He was usually calm in all situations, calmer still in the face of danger, because that was what it took to be a Blackchurch trainer, to teach the most qualified and experienced warriors in the world.
Blackchurch trainers didn’t break.
They didn’t react.
But he was sure reacting now.
“Creston, listen to me,” Royston de Royans said to his younger brother. “Do you not understand, lad? This is a great position for you, not to mention the fact that you would outrankme. I am only a warlord, a mere baron, but you…youwould be an earl. An earl!”
Sir Creston de Royans was listening to his brother with his mouth hanging open. He was simply having difficulty fathoming what he was hearing. His eyes narrowed as he tried to make sense of it.
