It took a bit of time to fully retrace the conversations. The more I considered it, the more I recognized that strange hints of secrecy had been scattered across the estate. There had been the secret desk compartment where I first found the keys, the lord’s odd obsession with security, the second hidden compartment in the china cabinet, and now the business with the mage. It was all stacking up to be quite the concealment, but of what?
Once finished with my recap Elias nodded in understanding though his expression remained deep in thought. “Well, I suppose I shall need to keep my eyes a bit more open. It doesn’t sit well with me that he’s been keeping so many secrets. It’s time that I stop ignoring his business and make it my own.” He stood to his feet courageously, and I couldn’t help but smile. He reminded me of myself when a friend was once served an injustice. She, however, had been the crown princess and was dealing with a traitorous plot against her life, but it was the same idea.
“Well, if your search requires the aid of a gimpy, betrothed sidekick, I would be happy to submit an application.” I laughed, attempting to lighten the mood.
He smiled back, then opened his mouth to reply, but paused for a moment as his face fell. “That’s right, you’re betrothed.” He smacked a hand to his forehead in disbelief.
I raised an eyebrow at his odd reaction and playfully chided. “Yes, you knew this.” His expression remained and my brows knit further. “Is something wrong?”
“Um...” He bit his lip. “I forgot to mention. Your betrothed, Theodore, is coming over for lunch tomorrow.”
“I beg your pardon?” I stared at him for a dumbfound moment. Just how did one forget to mention such a dire piece of information?
“Sorry, it slipped my mind until now.” He ran a hand through his hair with a regretful look. I crossed my arms stiffly, and he gave me a guilty grin. “My family is a close acquaintance of the Dugal family. Charles Dugal has a great interest in Father’s work as a judge, so they come by often. Typically, our parents speak in Father’s office, while I’m expected to entertain Theo. It happens so regularly that the thought didn’t faze me until now.” He shrugged innocently, and I rolled my eyes with an exasperated sigh.
“So, you mean to tell me,” I loaded my tone with melodramatic irritation, “that my betrothed—who I want nothing to do with—is going to be here, where I’m actively hiding, practically as a fugitive, and you didn’t think it would beimportantenough to mention earlier?” I finished with an exaggerated huff.
He gave me a sideways smile. “Well...? I told you now, didn’t I? Perhaps next time my memory will grow even fuzzier.” He winked, and I threw the nearest cushion at him in retaliation. How odd it was to find someone who would return my sarcasm so proudly. It was certainly a refreshing trait.
“Keep that nonsense up, and I’ll knock your head loony myself.” I held up a second cushion as a threat and he raised his arms defensively.
“Alright! I’m sorry, I’ll be less forgetful next time. Hold the assault!” He laughed vibrantly, and I loved the sound. His true laugh was nothing more than unfiltered joy and I couldn’t help but smile contagiously when he set it free.
“Very well, then.” Keeping a shaming eye on him, I lowered my fluffy weapon. “Now that I’m aware of my betrothed’s visit, I think I can work this to my advantage.” A sly smile crept across my face.
Elias cocked his head. “How so? You’re not planning on smothering him with a cushion, are you?” His eyes lingered skeptically on the pillow in my grasp.
“No” I giggled, tossing the cushion aside. “I’ve been thinking... What if I’m not the only person unhappy with this arrangement? The Isallan law states that a young man, of at least eighteen, may propose to any lady aged sixteen or older. If the lady is under the age of eighteen, her parents may accept or decline the proposal on her behalf, correct?”
“Yes, that sounds about right,” he acknowledged, his hands resting on his newly acquired cushion.
“Well, there’s a key component there.” I paused, holding my hands up for dramatic effect. I waited for Elias’s amused scoff before I continued. “The law states that the prospective groom must propose. Since I ran away from my debut party, the poor lad never got a chance to pop the question. Therefore, my parents have no right to accept or decline the proposition yet.”
I watched with rapt attention as Elias’s face shifted in thought. “You’re almost there, but not quite.” He gave me a regretful half-smile. “Technically, the prospective groom can directly request a marriage from the lady’s family. The request never has to specifically pass through you.” He lowered his head, appearing saddened that he had to foil my hope.
“I suppose you’re correct, but...” I desperately searched for the loophole I needed. “There’s still the chance that Theodore hasn’t gone through with the request yet.” I paused once more, allowing my thoughts to fill in the blanks. A half-formed idea slipped into my mind, and I grasped it tightly. “Theodore may be disinterested in the marriage. If he has any withholdings to an arranged betrothal, then perhaps we can convince him to withdraw his proposal?” I sat up a little straighter adjusting my sore ankle as I did so.
Elias eyed me with suspicion. “What are you planning?”
“What if you talked to him?” I nearly jumped out of my seat with the new rush of excitement. This very well could work! “You can find out if he’s even interested in the marriage! If he isn’t, then you can tell him the truth about my situation, and he can dissolve the betrothal! I would be free to go home, and my parents wouldn’t be able to do a thing to change it.”
I was nearly bouncing in place. It had been days since I had any solid life plans other than run and hide. This could be an opportunity to fight back against my parents and show them that I’m more than just a tool to their success. My eyes pleaded with Elias to agree to my plan, but he remained still, as lost in thought as ever.
“I’ll do it for you,” he finally answered, a hint of skepticism embedded in his tone. “But before you get too excited, you need to know that Theodore is not the most reasonable of men. If he has his mind made up on something, he won’t change it for anyone else’s behalf.” His hazel eyes gripped me with a level of concern I hadn’t seen before. It was as if his biggest fear was watching me fail, and I couldn’t quite grasp why he cared so much.
“My hope is that he’s already against the idea. This would just be an extra push to cut things off.” I gave him a reassuring smile. He crossed the room to join me on my bench seat. I was a bit put off at first by his unanticipated proximity, but once he sat down, I felt an unidentifiable comfort.
“We’ll hope for the best...” He took my hand in his then gave me a sweet smile and my heart beat rapidly at the action. His warm hand fully enveloped my petite one. “Please just know that if we fail, I won’t give up until you’re free to live the life you deserve.”
My cheeks reddened at his unforeseen consideration. No one had ever done anything like this for me. Was my freedom really that important to him? Would he truly help me at any cost? No, I’m sure he had his limits. I was hardly an acquaintance of his at this point. He wouldn’t risk his life or status for me. But he sounded so genuine…
Maybe, just for now, I’ll stop worrying, and lean on someone else for a change. After all, when else would I have the opportunity?
chapter fifteen
It took a great deal of convincing, but I managed to persuade Elias to sneak me into the parlor for his conversation with Theodore. My ankle felt much stronger than it had the previous day, so I could put light amounts of weight on it as I walked. He tried his best to convince me that I only needed to listen through the ventilation hole, but that wasn’t good enough. I needed to see this man—the man who had forced my whole life to turn around, whether it was his will to do so or not. Plus, I was intended to marry him, so I at least had to know if he was good-looking.
Long before dawn, Elias and I hobbled down the stairs where he placed me behind the parlor draperies. He was unconvinced at first that such a simple hiding place could go unnoticed, but the arguments stopped once he inspected it. There were a few benefits to being small. I could clearly hear everything from this position, and I could even sneak the occasional glance through the drapes.This would be perfect.