The man I once called family, snorted then looked away from me. His eyes seemed to be reflecting in a devilish memory. “It doesn’t matter now,” a snake-like smile spread across his lips, “because he’s dead.”
chapter twenty-three
I stopped listening, although I could still hear Mother’s story. I stopped feeling, but I could still sense her clammy hands against mine. I stopped thinking, yet my mind connected the pieces as they slowly fit together. My whole life was a lie; I was never truly a noble. My mother had been unfaithful during her younger years, and her husband found out.
I had been the product of an affair.
I sat back into the plush arm chair, no longer certain I possessed the strength to lean forward. My heart stopped beating entirely as Mother relayed the story of my true father’s death, or more accurately, his murder.
Once Lord Lockly had discovered his wife had been untrue, he was left with a choice—sully his name and business with the impeding gossip of the affair, or cover up the incident entirely. It turns out my adoptive father has always been cold-hearted. He tried to bribe my real father into fleeing the kingdom, but he refused to leave my mother because she was pregnant with me.
Lord Lockly refused to let his perfect image fall apart, so he proposed a plan—a plan to his close friend Lord Charles Dugal. Back then, Silas Lockly was the Dugal family’s largest source of business, so in order to maintain both of their successes, Charles agreed to assist my father with the unthinkable. It turned out my birth father worked at the Dugal’s lumberyard, so when an accident ensued with a falling oak tree, nobody thought twice. Only my mother cried for his death, but she was never permitted to show her grief.
When I was born, everyone was under the assumption that I was simply the child of the Locklys. However, one other person knew the truth. One man had a hand in the entire conspiring, and he never let Silas forget it. It turns out that my adoptive father’s debt ran deeper than just monetarily. Charles Dugal held the constant threat of the man’s crimes over his head, and if he didn’t follow in line with his orders, there wasn’t anything stopping him from spilling his murderous secret. Once Lord Lockly refused to partner with him in his bounty hunter business, Charles demanded a hefty apology fee—me. He had to exchange my life for his freedom, and he did so without regret. Why would he regret it? I was the product of his wife’s failure to love him.
I leaned my head back toward the ceiling as my mother sobbed her way through the end of the story. It all made so much sense now. Why I had never been listened to, or even seen as an individual. My whole life I had been a painful reminder to both my parents. To my mother as a reminder of her deceased love and my “father,” a reminder of Mother’s deceit. It was too much to take in. I hadn’t cried since Mother starting explaining, but fath—Lord Lockly soon returned to the room to address us both.
“Lord Theodore will be picking you up this afternoon,” Silas Lockly said flatly, already turning back out of the room. “Both of you should get cleaned up before he arrives. You will be staying with his family until the wedding next week.”
Next week?My already broken heart pained from the news. It was all happening so fast.
“You should go gather your necessities in the meantime,” Mother croaked hoarsely as she followed him out of the room. “Lunch is in an hour. We’ll talk more then.” Then they both left, leaving me broken and abandoned.
Once they had both cleared out, I made my way up to my old bedroom with slow paces. The pristine room looked untouched from my last visit, aside from a freshly-made bed. I sat upon the familiar quilt, once again staring out the small window. My tear-stained eyes caught sight of one new addition. Shining metal nails were now hammered into the frame of the windowsill, so there was no chance of escaping a second time. I let out a shaken breath, disappointed that I couldn’t even let in the fresh air and sunshine.
As I washed myself and dressed, my mind returned to Elias and Bear. My heart was too heavy to ponder my own dilemma any further. I worried if his adoptive parents had thwarted him, accused him instead... or worse. My thoughts grew relentless, imagining every possible scenario where things may have gone wrong. As I changed out of the over-worn yellow gingham dress, I laid it across the bed. My fingers brushed across the fabric, picking up dust, dirt, leaves, and even dog hair. I smiled weakly, recalling all the memories this garment held.
It had been an adventure worth experiencing, and I wouldn’t change my choices now even if I could. If I hadn’t fled this room, I would have never met Elias, never uncovered his parents’ scandal, and never learned so much about myself. I was braver than I ever imagined. I was clever, thoughtful, and a little brash, but in the end I protected the ones I loved. More than anything, I learned what I’m deserving of. I deserve a man who listens to me, who appreciates my thoughts and opinions, and who loves me regardless of whether or not I combed my hair, used proper etiquette, or ate porridge in bed. Anything less wasn’t worth my efforts, and my soon-to-be husband was going to learn to live with that.
After everything I had learned today, none of the pain truly compared to the feeling of losing Elias. He was long gone now and hopefully, in the midst of clearing his name. He could start over, and live a life without the restraint of others’ crimes. I, on the other hand, was in the opposite position. Just like Elias, I had spent my life as someone else’s game piece. My life had been traded away like a bartering chip, only to cover up a greater crime—Elias would understand what that felt like. In fact, he might be the only person in the Emerald Realm who could relate. I lay back on my bed, desperately wishing that I could talk to him about this, but I couldn’t. It was only me now, me and Theodore—the son of my father’s murderer.
Despite my mother’s promise to talk over lunch, the meal was excruciatingly silent. I ate my meal with my head low and focused on being thankful that I could eat at a proper table. The kitchen staff kept sneaking me sympathetic looks as they served the course, and I longed to give them each a hug. I would miss their caring gestures. That was probably the only thing I would miss about this wretched home.
The sun had already set midway by the time the Dugal carriage pulled into the yard. Afternoon shadows cast across the elaborate family carriage as it stopped perfectly in line with the entrance. I watched, seated in front of the parlor window, as the pretentious Theodore stepped out of the coach. A second man exited the coach behind him, presumably his father. The two looked nearly identical except for age.
Through the window’s glass, I finally got my first look at Theodore’s face. He wasn’t terrible looking—in fact he was quite handsome—but there was pride in his eyes that told me he was aware of these attributes. As he and his father stepped up to the front door, Mother rushed into the parlor to gather me. Half-walking and half-shoved, I made my way into the entry way just as the door swung open to reveal my future husband and father-in-law.
“Charles, Theodore, welcome. Please do come in!” Father’s usually hard exterior was suddenly more cheerful than a cardinal in the spring. “Allow my footman to take your coats.” Father waved a commanded hand at the servant, but Lord Charles put up a hand in dismissal.
“That won’t be necessary, Silas,” Lord Charles declined. “I’m afraid we don’t have the time for a pleasure visit, this is strictly business.” The audacious lord cast his eyes upon me, eyeing me up and down with an uneasy judgment. “So, this is the young lady?” He raked his eyes over me once more, and I repressed a shudder. “Pleasure to meet you, Lady Aurelia.” He held out a hand for me to shake, but I ignored it, offering him a curtsey instead.
“The pleasure is mine, Lord Dugal.” I used my sweetest voice, my lips pressed into a fine line as I bit back the urge to kick him in the unmentionables. I turned my attention to Theodore, our faces finally meeting for the first time. “You must be Theodore.” I forced a smile.
“Lord Theodore, actually.” He took my hand and placed a kiss upon the top. My skin crawled under his touch. “You’re just as lovely as I imagined.” He smiled back at me, and I felt the urge to kick him, too. I already knew that he had seen me before, so his words were nothing more than frilled nonsense.
As we completed our awful first impressions, the servants loaded my belongings onto the top of the Dugal’s carriage. Only a few more words were exchanged between our parents before they were bidding me farewell. Mother gave me a lingering hug, and for a moment, I pitied her. She may not have wanted this for me after all. It was the same life she had been forced to live, one of a loveless marriage. I squeezed her a little tighter before coldly passing Lord Lockly. He didn’t protest as I exited the house without even a glance at him.
With my newly betrothed by my side, we climbed into the carriage and made our way for the Dugal estate. My eyes never left the window as I thought only of Elias. At least he would get a happy ending.
chapter twenty-four
The next six days passed by with great strain. The Dugal estate was smaller than the Lockly and Oberon manors, which made it impossible to avoid anyone. Apparently, the news of my “scandal with Elias” had passed rapidly throughout the staff. Every servant eyed me with either distaste or loathing, which wasn’t terribly surprising since they believed I was more spoiled than their young master. However, that was a tall order to match. Theodore, was by far, the most spoiled, brainless, imbecile I had ever had the displeasure of sharing air with. It was no wonder his father had to resort to blackmail to get him a bride.
I sat in the manor’s small library, attempting to forget my troubles in the lines of a book. The wedding was tomorrow, and I still hadn’t heard any word from Elias. Each and every day I had begged the servants to share the town’s gossip with me. My whining pleas probably only convinced them that I was prudish, but I didn’t care. I needed to know if Elias was alright.
The only solid news I had received was that an investigation into the Oberon family was underway, but that could mean anything. Since Lord Luke was one of the five judges, the details of the case were kept under tight wraps. Nobody knew who was being blamed for what, or if there was even a crime in the first place. Every day I hoped for the announcement that Lord Oberon was in prison, but it looked like I would be married before I got my answer.
I thrust my eyes back into my story, forcing my thoughts to focus on something other than Elias. After a few lines of strained reading, I finally dissolved into the words. My peace was short-lived because only one page later, my despicable betrothed waltzed toward the nook I occupied.