Page 140 of The Betrothal

Coming up to London today I was desperate, I needed to get to her, we had made a mistake letting her go, regardless of our justification, and once we learned with the morning announcement that she had been recovered, our decision was made for us.

The last argument against keeping her wiped from the board.

“Explain.” Archibald’s words were clipped. Everyone was becoming agitated.

They could finally feel how we had for the last few days.

“Not that you deserve the explanation. But Isabelle found herself lost in a blizzard in Kent. She told us she’d taken some time to be alone before her new future.” I fleshed out the loose story we’d agreed on the way up. The day really had been extremely rushed. “We offered her shelter but were cut off from the world. During that time our feelings developed and I won’t be going into any greater detail than that.”

Theodore scoffed. “You fucked my fiancée!”

“Unless you want to be put back on your ass, you will remain quiet. Men are speaking.” I didn’t look at him when I responded. A happy grunt from Seb told me that my comment made him suitably furious.

“We were wed the day you abducted her.” When her father went to argue I raised a hand, stopping him. “Our plan was to visit, and as I said, given the history between our families we anticipated that there would be some sore hearts, but that all would be well. But, as I said, you abducted my wife.”

Edmund’s mouth opened and closed.

“Don’t forget that they drugged her and tried to force her into an illegal union?” Seb joined the conversation. He had a beautiful way of adding salt to a wound. “You essentially trafficked your own daughter.”

Edmund looked horrified and furious in equal measure. Giving his attention to Seb for the first time. He dismissed him quickly, returning his focus to the only person in the room who could rival his influence or reputation.

The Cavendish.

I drew the marriage certificate from my pocket, crossing to the desk and slamming it onto the surface.

Edmund took up his phone and began scouring the document, tapping furiously on his device.

He paused, waiting.

“You can’t be seriously considering this, Edmund. He’s a liar. Someone the awful girl has arranged to intervene. She’s devious, Edmund.” Isabelle’s mother reminded us of her unwelcome presence.

“She’s right,” Theodore chimed in. “I hate to say it but she isn’t trustworthy, she’s more than proven that over the years.”

“Quiet! Both of you!” Edmund’s patience was spent, his phone dinging as he shouted.

The arguments stopped and Edmund fell quiet.

“Feel free,” I said quietly.

Edmund slowly raised his eyes to look at me, a brow arched haughtily in question.

“To challenge it. It’s already in the public eye. We can hash out why Isabelle disappeared. Her appearance at the wedding today.” I looked briefly from Edmund’s reddening face to the barely contained rage on Theodore’s. “Marrying a woman who is so clearly sedated.” My voice lowered dangerously as I fought to regain control, but I couldn’t help my attention snapping back to Isabelle, still unconscious in Seb’s lap and I couldn’t drag my eyes away as I continued. “Toe-to-toe, on any normal day, I could destroy everything you hold dear.” I forced my focus back to the snakes arranged around Edmund’s desk. “Today, after what you’ve done. Well, it would bring me nothing but joy to wipe you from the face of this Earth.”

Edmund let out a snort of disbelief.

“Really, I encourage you. Challenge this. Let’s go public. I can’t wait for it all to play out.”

A deep snicker of amusement came from Seb, the sentiment not reciprocated in the blowhards facing off with me.

“The paperwork is legal. The marriage registered,” Edmund conceded tightly.

“So?” Archibald sputtered. “You’re her guardian, Edmund. You can annul it.”

Edmund gave him his attention fully. “My apologies, Archibald. But this is now in the public domain. The annulment would be scandalous, for both of our families, and a rejection of the Cavendish marriage – there is too much there for either of us to outmanoeuvre.”

A loud crash was followed by extensive cursing as Theodore lost it.

“That little bitch!” he snarled. “You can’t do this! I’m not being rejected by her. If you allow this, I promise you, you’ll regret it.”