Lord Milton was too stupid to see that the best parts of Isabelle were the wild ones. The moments when she was hiking her skirts and beating everyone in a race. The paint that stained her fingers. The way she would take a puppy beneath her wing and care for it as lovingly and gently as any child could wish from its own mother.
Lord Milton laughed and shook his head at something the man beside him had said. “She will be molded into the perfect wife with that switch. Obedient. Willing to have as many children as I desire. She will be seen and not heard, and at the end of the day I will be the ruler of the house and she shall be cowed into complete submission.”
“You will do no such thing!” Felix growled, finally losing his careful hold on his temper.
The smirk that appeared on Lord Milton’s face made Felix see red. His hands balled into fists at his side. He longed to lunge forward, take the man by the collar and teach him what it truly meant to be cowed into complete submission.
However, Felix wasn’t a violent man. He wouldn’t make a scene in public. At least not one that was unnecessary.
Lord Milton handed his wineglass to his companion before stalking menacingly over to him. “You cannot stop this union, Windham, if you do not approve of the intended marriage, then I will send word to her father. Who do you think he will believe? A man in good standing, or a man who cannot take care of his duchy or his family? Don’t think I haven’t seen the way Lady Victoria throws herself at the wealthy young lords, or the way the dowager duchess nearly salivates after them with dreams of her daughters being married.”
Felix stared at Lord Milton, aghast. His heart had been unceremoniously torn from his chest and smashed to pieces on the cold stone tiles, crushed beneath the soles of Miss Alden’s slippers as she walked towards them.
“If you so much asthinkof going through with this wedding, it will be the last thing youeverdo,” Felix said, his tone deep and icily dangerous as he stalked toward Lord Milton. “I will see you hanged for the abuse.”
Lord Milton stepped closer to Felix, a cruel smile twisting his features. “Are you threatening me?”
“That I am.” Felix kept his hands close to his side. If there was to be a fight, then he would allow Lord Milton to be the one to start it.
“What is going on here?” Isabelle walked over and stopped beside the two of them, looking ready to jump in the middle if it came to blows.
He suspected that she would. She wasn’t the kind of woman to back down from a fight, especially if she was at the center of it.
Felix crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze locked on Lord Milton. “Are you going to tell her the truth about the marriage, or am I?”
Lord Milton glanced at Isabelle, his shoulders slumping forward. “I am afraid that there are benefits to marrying you that Windham here thinks will be an issue in our engagement.”
Isabelle looked hard at Felix. His heart felt as though it would burst from his chest.
Once she asks Milton what he is going on about, she will hear the truth about the situation and will end their engagement without further ado. She will tell him never to darken her door again.
At least he hoped she would, but there was something about the stubborn set of her jaw that made Felix think that the last thing she planned on doing was listening to him.
“We may go into the hall and speak honestly.” Isabelle motioned her chin toward the door before shooting a pointed look at the people beginning to gather around them.
Felix spun around and led the way, Isabelle and Milton trailing behind him.
Edith cautiously followed the three of them, staying close to the wall. When Felix looked at her she gave him a slight shake of her head.
Felix leaned back against the wall. Lord Milton stood across from him, taking Isabelle’s hands into his own and stroking them.
Lord Milton gave her a smile that made Felix’s stomach turn. “I was planning to speak to you about this before the wedding, in my own time, as this is difficult for me to talk about.”
It is impossible that Isabelle is succumbing to this nonsense.
To Felix’s chagrin, Isabelle appeared to be believing every word. She leaned closer to Lord Milton and smiled sweetly. “Whatever it is, we can work through it together.”
“He is a terrible gambler and a rogue,” Felix blurted out, before Lord Milton had an opportunity to fabricate lies and further deceive Isabelle. “He spent what fortune he did have at the card tables and is now intent upon marrying you to pay off his debts.”
Lord Milton cleared his throat. “He speaks the truth. I admit that I spent far too much money at the card tables. It began quite slowly; a little bet here and there. Then, before I knew it, I had run out of money and depleted my finances. However, I wish to marry you because I adore the woman that you are.”
Felix snorted scornfully and scoffed. “Tell her the truth, Milton.”
Lord Milton stared mockingly at Felix, the corner of his mouth twitching whenever Isabelle was unable to see his expression. “I adore you, Miss Alden, and I may have my vices, but I assure you that I am seeking help for them, and I pledge to be a better man tomorrow than I was yesterday.”
Isabelle sucked in a sharp breath. “We will speak about it further in the morning. Now is not the time. Let us all return to the ball.”
“Before we return,” Lord Milton said, his tone softening, “I would like to ask for your hand in marriage. I adore you, Isabelle, and I know that we will make each other happy. I have my vices, but I will slay my metaphorical dragons for you.”
