His expression darkened for a moment. “When your family thrust us into a great war, I rushed willingly to the frontlines. I would’ve been your faithful loving husband, but without you, there was reason to continue living. Death was welcome then. But my father always thought of the future. He sent his only living heir to Persia with his most trusted servants, hoping to keep our family line alive. The young boy thrived. He spent his life devoted to growing the meager wealth he was able to retain in exile. Though he could never return to his homeland for fear of the death that was promised by your family, he amassed a small group of allies and followers dedicated to him and his legacy. He wed, produced an heir of his own, who wed and begat more heirs. Within a few generations his line had become stronger. Eventually, they relocated to France where they married into the aristocracy and continued to prosper.
“Throughout every generation—every reinvention—the past wasnever forgotten. The story of how betrayal destroyed our kingdom and forced us from our homeland was passed down, told in whispered tones from the cradle to the grave. My grandfather, Comte de Montbrun-les-Bains, was the first to believe in the possibility of correcting the great karmic error that was inflicted upon us. He was the first to consider a reincarnated destiny.”
He chuckled and gave a condescending shake of his head. “The fool mistakenly believed himself to be the prince returned. He was the one who began the search for the missing bridal necklace.” His gaze shot to her throat. “Those jewels should have been a symbol of the union between two great and royal lines. Grandfather researched the path of your family line and believed he’d discovered the princess reborn. But she had already married a British duke. It was a betrayal all over again.”
“My grandmother?” Eleanor muttered.
“The old man was wrong,” he asserted with sudden force. “But he did one thing right. He married my mother to an Englishman, bringing our family together in the same country once again. It was my mother who finally gave birth to the one who would restore the family honor and finally claim the bride who had been stolen from him.”
Eleanor’s eyes grew wider and wider as he spoke. The conviction and certainty in his final words rang like a knell through her bones.
Ackerly’s gaze bored into her with intense possession. “I have come back foryou, my love. And I will allow nothing to come between us this time.”
She could see how deeply and completely he believed everything he was saying. It convinced her even more that the only chance she had was to try to go along with him. If she could gain even a bit of his trust, she might be able to take advantage of it and claim an escape.
“You came back for me,” she whispered in soft reverence.
His smile sent icy chills down her spine. “The moment I set eyeson you, I recognized you. All my mother’s bedtime stories came to life in an instant. I saw my destiny laid before me, leading straight to you and back to the glory we were denied. I was fated to correct the ill-designed past. But first, I needed to ensure everything was perfect.
“It was not so difficult to recover the necklace. My family knew who had taken possession of it all those generations ago. We knew it had never resurfaced. I simply had to follow the clues through history to that simple fishing village.” He scoffed. “Then that damned fool, Weathers, stole the thing for himself.”
Ackerly blinked away the flash of temper in his eyes. “But no matter. The piece found its way to you, after all. As it should have. Waring has been dealt with. You are with me. And now everything is properly in place. We shall wed and rule our combined kingdoms as had been fated so long ago.” He smiled. Almost gently. “Soon, my love, all will be righted.”
The carriage lurched to a stop. Ackerly’s expression sharpened as he leaned forward and placed his hand heavily on her knee. “You will not fight me,” he said, as if he fully expected her to follow his words as law. “Such foolishness is of the past. We both know the end of that course.”
Despite the intense urge to shove his hand away and flee from the carriage, Eleanor lowered her chin and her gaze as she whispered, “Destiny shall not be denied.”
He squeezed her knee and hummed an approval before turning to open the carriage door.
He did not even question her acquiescence. She didn’t know what she’d do if he didn’t believe her. She had no idea how far she’d have been able to force the ruse to convince him.
After stepping out of the vehicle, he turned back to offer his hand. Though she inwardly cringed at having to willingly touch him, she did so. Keeping her head slightly bowed, she tried to scan the area around them as best she could.
The awful scent of the Thames wafted around them and the sounds of the docks were unmistakable. Lifting her gaze in surprise, she saw that they stood before a seafaring ship that was bustling with activity, as though preparing to leave port within moments.
The man intended to spirit her away from England tonight!
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Phin forced hisway into consciousness to the unmistakable sound of fists hitting flesh in a rhythm that seemed to sync with the pounding in his head. Despite the thunder of pain bouncing about his skull, he scrambled to regain his bearings. The panic flowing hot in his blood allowed him to recall the moments before he’d been knocked out. A frantic glance revealed that he’d been tossed into a carriage with Iago who was slowly stirring beside him.
He didn’t think they’d been unconscious for long, yet as he thought of Eleanor, a fierce sense of urgency demanded he act swiftly.
Giving Iago a rough jostle, he muttered, “Quickly, old friend. To action.”
He opened the carriage door to see that they were in a lane running behind a row of Mayfair mansions. He had to believe he’d only been out a couple minutes and they were still at the Smithsons’ and Eleanor was only a short distance away. Any other possibility was unacceptable.
The scuffle he heard upon waking seemed to have ended as a black-clothed figure stepped around from the front of the vehicle. Phin leapt from the vehicle and squared off, fisting his hands in preparation for a fight. Then he recognized Aadesh.
“Good, you’ve awakened,” the other man said before sweeping an urgent gesture. “Get back in the carriage, we need to follow them.”
An icy wave of dread and terror slid through Phin. “Who?”
“He took Lady Eleanor. They drove off just a moment ago. I can catch them.Get in,” he ordered again, already swinging up into the driver’s seat.
Without hesitation, Phin dove back into the vehicle where Iago was sitting upright, listening intently. He gave a firm nod, but Phin couldn’t return it. His heart was in his throat. They’d faced treacherous foes and extremely dangerous situations in the past, but none had ever terrified him like this.
He’d completely failed her.
