Arabella felt relieved that her father realised that such a document could not be binding. She was barely two years old at the time, and even if parents still controlled who their daughters might marry, the bride’s consent was still a variant taken into consideration. At two, she could barely utter a few words when this contract was signed, let alone allow a piece of paper to dictate who she or her sister was supposed to marry. This was all a great misunderstanding that would be resolved quickly, for sure. And it would make a great story to tell in the future.
“I do not see it the same way that you do, Lord Lambourne.” The Duke's voice sliced through her hopes like a butcher’s knife. “You made a promise to my father, and you took your timesigning a document to solidify that promise. And now you are trying to brush it off. I am not so keen on doing that.”
The room went absolutely still. If a pin were dropped on the carpet, it would echo against the walls. The Duke’s voice, right at that moment, lived up to the ruthless rumour that followed him everywhere. He was not there to play, to joke, to laugh, or display any other human emotion in general. It was clear that if his terms were not met, he would be relentless in his retribution.
The only reaction that broke that cold wall came from Bridget. She started shaking beside her, her hands cold even if Arabella still held them. When Arabella glanced into the eyes of her sister, Bridget looked back with a look of utter fear and shock. She was, after all, the eldest daughter. If the Duke was there to enforce that ridiculous contract, she would be the one to honour it.
Arabella smiled at her sister, reassuring her that such a thing would not come to pass. The document had no legal footing; it was impossible for the Duke to lay such a claim on her family with that useless piece of paper. She was still looking at her sister when she heard her father.
“Perhaps you‘re right, Your Grace. We should take this up to my study and discuss further.”
Arabella inhaled in shock. Her father seemed almost defeated. Granted, the Duke was quite formidable and menacing, but that didn’t mean that he could bully them into submission, especially regarding such a serious matter.
As the two men turned to walk out of the drawing room, Arabella stood up, her back straight, her shoulders thrown back, chin up, and eyes blazing.
“I do not think there is anything to be discussed,” she said in a firm voice.
Behind her, Bridget squeezed her hand as if afraid that something bad would happen to her sister. She was half right. If Arabella didn’t speak up now, something bad would fall upon their heads.
And that something slowly turned his massive back and fixed those green orbs into hers. The world tilted, and Arabella felt as if she had been hit hard in the chest. All of the intensity that that cold gaze held was now directed solely at her.
It took all of her experience dealing with the hyenas of the ton to withstand his look. And still she took one little step back. Because that man looked at her with a calculating, measured look, the same one a beast has when weighing if the prey was worth the wait. And it seemed that in his eyes, she was easy prey since he turned fully to her and approached.
“You must be Miss Arabella,” his voice was low and slow, like he had all the time in the world.
Right at the moment, Arabella questioned whether she really had to be who she was because if she wasn’t, then she could just flee.
“I am,” she said decisively instead.
“So, what are you trying to say, Miss Arabella?”
“I am not trying. Iamsaying to you that I will not allow you to marry my sister.”
A long pause. The room went still. Arabella could hear her sister inhaling in shock, and see her father pinned to the floor. But all her focus was on the Duke himself. His face remained impassive for a few seconds, blinking slowly, his look assessing her.
Then he threw his head back and laughed. Arabella froze. There was nothing warm or gleeful in the way the Duke laughed. It was the same way a wolf would howl into the air. Cold, soulless, and intimidating.
“How very interesting,” the Duke said, his focus back to her.
It was that moment that Arabella realized that she may have miscalculated the situation gravely. She used her experience navigating the ton, but this man played with a whole different set of rules. Rules that he imposed.
The gigantic man took one step closer, not too close, just right at the edge of propriety, and leaned in. His green eyes captivated hers with their cruelly amused look. Her heart could withstand only as much. It skipped a beat and started racing right after.
“It is almost endearing to think that you can or cannotallowme to do anything, Miss Arabella.”
That is all he said before following her father out of the drawing room. Leaving Arabella with the devastating notion that she just provoked forces she couldn’t control.
CHAPTER 3
Drawing Room
All Arabella could hear was the ticking of the clock, the soft whisper of her slippers against the carpet, and the relentless pounding of her own heart.
She paced the length of the drawing room again. And again. The heirloom Aubusson beneath her feet had endured three generations of Lambournes. It might not survive her agitation.
“You are making me anxious,” Bridget said at last.
Arabella stopped mid-stride.
