Page 36 of Haunted Hearts

“Blaze, no,” she whispered.

“Arthur? What’s going on?” asked Lillith’s mother, looking up in surprise.

“I don’t believe I’ve summoned you, Payne,” growled Arthur. “And you are dripping water all over my floor.”

“Lillith? Did you two ride here in the rain?” Beatrice jumped up and ran over to greet them. Arthur reluctantly followed.

“Mother,” said Lillith, giving her a slight hug, not wanting to get her wet.

“Where is Serena?” Beatrice looked around.

“She’s back at the manor,” Lillith answered. “I was out for a ride and it started to rain. Lord Blaze came to look for me. We came here to get out of the rain since it was closer than the manor. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not, my dear.” Her mother called a servant girl over. “Please make sure Lady Lillith gets a dry change of clothes. Then she will join us for the meal. Sir Gunderic will find something dry for you to wear, Lord Blaze.”

“Never mind,” said Blaze. “It’s really only my cloak that is wet.” He made a big show of removing it, purposely shaking water on the floor, probably just to rile Arthur. Lillith didn’t want to leave her uncle and Blaze together. She might need to intervene if trouble started.

“I’m fine too, Mother. Really,” she said. “Mayhap just a cup of mead would be nice.”

“You’ll sit up at the dais with us. Both of you,” said Beatrice, putting her arm around Lillith and escorting her to the head table. She looked back to see Blaze following, and her uncle reluctantly doing the same.

“I thought we’d talk about the wedding while we’re here,” said Blaze as he seated himself right next to Arthur. Lillith thought she’d better sit next to him instead of with her mother.

“There’s plenty of time for that, Payne,” grumbled Arthur, sitting back down, taking a big swig of wine.

“I thought the sooner the better. I mean for the alliance and all. It’s so nice that the feud is finally over.” Blaze picked up a cup and held it out for the cupbearer to fill.

“Yes. Nice,” said Lillith, looking out at everyone staring at them with scowls on their faces. It was clear that the rest of the inhabitants of Alderwood weren’t so happy about this idea. It would take time for them to accept Blaze.

“You are all invited to join us for the wedding at Skull Manor.” Blaze took a drink of wine, not even looking at Lillith. “However, since I’ve been tricked, I want to marry your niece, Lillith instead of Serena.

Her uncle was drinking and almost choked, spitting out his wine.

“Blaze, not here. Not now,” Lillith whispered, knowing this conversation should be held in private.

“Lord Payne, what do you mean you were tricked?” asked Beatrice, obviously not knowing what Arthur had done.

“Your new lord, Lady Bonnel, decided to fool me, making me believe I was agreeing to marry Lillith instead of Serena.”

“What? Arthur, is this true?” asked Beatrice.

“I might have forgot to mention which girl he’d marry in the proposal, but it was written as plain as day in the final contract,” said Arthur, looking madder than hell. “You signed that contract, if I must remind you, Lord Payne.”

“You purposely wrote in Serena’s name at the last minute, knowing I wouldn’t see it. I want you to change it to Lillith.”

“Oh, my,” gasped Beatrice. “Lord Payne, my daughter, Lillith is already betrothed to someone else.”

“That’s right, Payne,” growled Arthur. “The contracts are binding and cannot be changed.”

“For your sake, I’d try,” said Blaze in a low voice, swirling his wine around in his goblet.

“If I break the betrothal with the baron, we’ll be at odds. I can’t do that,” said Arthur. “I have my reputation to uphold.”

“Well, when I tell everyone you deceived me, you won’t have a reputation to uphold, so don’t worry about it,” Blaze snarled.

“Arthur, isn’t there something you can do?” asked Beatrice.

“Aye, please try, Uncle,” said Lillith, getting involved. “I don’t want to marry the baron. I want to marry Blaze.”