Page 25 of Haunted Hearts

“I – I – Oh, Blaze, don’t you see? It doesn’t matter what I want.”

“Well, I think it does. I also don’t see the problem. After all, your uncle never said which of you I was marrying. Therefore, I’ll still be betrothed to a Lady Bonnel, just as the contract says.”

Emery cleared his throat. When Blaze looked over at him, he pointed down at the final contract that Blaze had just signed for Lillith’s guard before the man went back to Alderwood. Blaze had been so eager that he’d signed it without reading it. It was opened now. Emery had obviously read it. “Actually, my lord, I believe this is the final signed contract right here, and I hate to say that Serena’s name is on it after all.”

“What?” Blaze grabbed the contract, and held it up to inspect it. He didn’t think he needed to read it since he knew what it said. But now, there, as plain as day, was Serena’s name, not Lillith’s. It no longer said he was marrying Lady Bonnel. Now it said Lady Serena Bonnel. The sneaky uncle of hers must have planned for this to happen. “Nay. This isn’t right,” he said, shaking his head. Being fooled once was unacceptable. Being fooled twice was an action worthy of starting a war over in his opinion. Blaze threw the parchment down on the table. “Lillith, I won’t put up with this.”

“But it’s a binding contract, my lord,” said Emery from behind him. “If you break it, the feud will never be ended.”

Blaze thought about all the trouble they’d had over the past years involving the feud. His stable had been set on fire, and many of his crops had been burned by Henri Bonnel. To retaliate, Roger Payne had stolen a good number of the Bonnels’ livestock, not to mention he also contaminated their moat with oil. That was only a precursor to the rumors each side spread about the other that kept deals from going through with other lords.

“You’re right. I can’t live with an ongoing feud any longer.” Blaze brushed back his hair. “Nay, I’m not going to break the betrothal after all. I’m just going to change it. Just like Arthur Bonnel did. Now, Lillith, your uncle needs to replace Serena’s name with your name on this parchment, and it needs to be done right away. The only Lady Bonnel I am marrying is you.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Lillith squeaked out. He noticed the troubled look on her face, and wondered why she was fighting this suggestion.

“Why not?” he asked.

“Because Lady Lillith is already betrothed to someone else. Aren’t you, my dear?” Minerva stood up and walked over to Blaze. “Son, you should have listened to me when I was trying to tell you what the cards warned me about earlier,” she told him.

“Nay! This isn’t true. It can’t be.” Blaze looked back at Lillith. “Tell me it isn’t so. Are you really betrothed to someone else, Lilly?”

“I’m sorry, Blaze. My father betrothed me to Baron Edward Bancroft before he died,” she answered.“The acceptance just came through and the contracts are signed.”

“You’re marrying a baron?” he asked, thinking now that mayhap he wasn’t good enough for Lillith. After all, he wasn’t even a knight. He hadn’t thought titles meant so much to her, but obviously he was wrong.

“We are scheduled to marry as soon as he returns from campaigning overseas with the king.”

“Bid the devil, this can’t be happening,” said Blaze through his teeth. “I’ve been tricked and I don’t like it.”

“I’m sorry, Blaze.” Lillith got to her feet. “I don’t blame you for being angry. You don’t deserve this. I think it is best if my sister and I leave now. I’ll talk to my uncle and explain to him how you feel. Come, sister. We will leave and Lord Blaze will never have to see us again.”

“Nay, wait.” Blaze said, reaching out and taking Lillith by the arm. “Don’t leave. Please.” It had been so long since he’d had Lillith near, and he didn’t want it to end this way. Besides, if they went home now and told Arthur how he felt, another feud would be started.

Lillith slowly turned her head to look at his hand on her arm. Then her eyes drifted up to meet his. His mistake was looking directly into her eyes, because it only made him lose his heart to her again.

“I don’t understand,” she said softly. “Do you want the betrothal or not?”

“Nay. Aye. I mean . . . I’ll handle negotiations with your uncle. In the meantime, I’d like you and your sister and your traveling party to stay here at Skull Manor. As my guests.”

“Blaze, do you think that’s a wise decision?” asked his mother, shooting daggers from her eyes at the girls.

“It’s my decision, Mother, and you have no opinion in this matter. Lillith, will you stay?”

“Well, I don’t know.” Lillith looked at Serena and her sister shrugged. It was clear that neither of the girls knew exactly what to do. “I suppose we could stay for now.” Lillith sat back down. “But you’re not going to be able to change a thing, no matter what you think.”

“We’ll see,” said Blaze, sitting back down feeling infuriated, exhausted and confused.

* * *

An hour later, Lillith closed the door to the bedchamber that she, Serena and Posy were sharing during their visit at Skull Manor.

“Well, I suppose that didn’t go as badly as I thought it would,” remarked Lillith, turning around to find her sister lying on her back on the bed. Her arm was thrown over her face. “I mean, Blaze did ask us to stay. That must mean he still has hope.”

“I was sure I was going to swoon,” said Serena, being dramatic as always. “I’m so glad you are here with me, Lillith, because that man scares me to no end.”

“He’s a warlock. He’d scare anyone. Just like that evil witch of a mother of his.” Posy busied herself going through one of the trunks that held the girls’ clothes. “Lady Serena, your gown is going to get wrinkled if you insist on lying in bed with it on. Mayhap you should change. You’ll look terrible when you go out to the courtyard this afternoon to mingle with Lord Blaze’s household.”

“Mingle?” Serena shot up in bed. “I’m not going to mingle. I am going to stay right here in this chamber where I’m safe, until we find a way to break the betrothal and go home. I can’t wait to get out of here before those witches curse me or kill me, like what happened to our brother and father.”