Текст книги "Truce"

Автор книги: R. L. Mathewson

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Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

Chapter 20

He knew!

Elizabeth forced herself to remain calm, knowing that was the only way she was going to survive this. There had to be a way to get out of this and, while she sat there trying not to lose the contents of her stomach once again, she would try to think of a way out of this or pray for a miracle, probably both.

James chuckled good-naturedly. "As much as I appreciate a good jest, Robert, I'm afraid you're interrupting Elizabeth's acceptance."

"She most certainly was not about to accept," Lord Dumford said in outrage.

Robert moved his gaze to the older man and said in a quiet, controlled voice, "Leave. Now." He spoke softly, but the threat was clear.

Lord Dumford noticeably swallowed. He took a step back and to the side, well away from Robert's reach before leaving the room at a quick pace even as he glared at Robert.

"You can't be serious," James said, indicating to Elizabeth who was the only one who’d remained seated, "You hate each other."

Robert looked at her for a moment. She hoped to catch a glimpse of the kind, sweet stranger who'd made love to her in the orangery, but he wasn’t there. She'd never seen anyone's eyes look so cold before. The fact that it was because of her made her want to cry and beg for his forgiveness. She hadn't meant to hurt him.

"It doesn't matter how we feel about each other. We are to be married today. Now," he said, pulling out a folded piece of parchment. It was more than obvious that everyone in the room knew what he held by their expressions of outrage and disbelief. Robert had procured a special license for an immediate marriage, something that was very likely to cause a scandal.

Elizabeth felt her stomach turn as terror shot through her. He was serious. She couldn't marry him like this, she just couldn't. She’d hoped to explain about the baby to him and come to some sort of agreement. She wasn’t foolish enough to believe that it wouldn’t have ended in marriage, but she’d hoped for something on more amicable terms. She didn’t want to be forced into marriage by a man who hated her. She opened her mouth to tell him that just as her stomach lurched. Clamping a hand over her mouth, she practically jumped from her seat and just barely made it to the large potted plant by the piano in time.

---

Robert clenched his hands tightly by his sides as he watched Elizabeth give him further proof of her deception. There was no doubt in his mind now that she was carrying his child. He ignored the confused looks of their families and from the servants who’d lingered in the room as he watched her. The fact that no one moved to help her hadn't slipped his notice. Everyone appeared to be too stunned to do much of anything but stare at him, never mind help Elizabeth.

As angry as he was at her, he couldn't stand to see her suffer. With a muttered curse that had Lady Norwood and his mother gasping, he stalked over to her. Kneeling down next to her, he gently rubbed her back as she finished. He ignored the loud whispered conversations going on behind him and focused on Elizabeth as she tried to calm her breathing.

He could feel her body tremble beneath his touch. She was scared, he realized. For the first time since he'd known her, she was scared. That alone would have softened his heart if it hadn't been for one simple fact.

She’d tried to keep his child away from him and that was unforgiveable.

"Robert, please don't do this," she whispered.

"What is going on here?" Lord Norwood demanded.

Robert stood, bringing Elizabeth with him. When she tried to move away from him, he tightened his hold on her arm. He faced their families and the two men he'd brought with him.

"Lady Elizabeth has accepted my proposal. We've decided to marry today," Robert announced to an already stunned group.

Everyone gaped at them. Lord Norwood opened his mouth to say something, closed it, shook his head and opened his mouth again. "Elizabeth, is this true? Do you wish to marry Robert?"

"No," Elizabeth stressed. Her refusal normally would have irritated him, but she no longer had a choice, neither did Lord Norwood for that matter.

Lord Norwood exhaled a relieved sigh. He looked at Robert and gave him a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, son. I understand how easily it is to become infatuated with a beautiful woman, but she clearly doesn't feel the same way. As fond of you as I am, I don't think the match would work," he shifted his gaze to James, who still looked confused, but somewhat relieved. "Now, I believe we should go to my office and have a celebratory drink. What do you-"

Robert cut him off. "I'm sorry, my Lord, but I believe there's some confusion. Lady Elizabeth does not have a choice in the matter. She will marry me."

All good humor fled Lord Norwood's face. He took a threatening step forward. "You dare dictate to me, boy? In my own home?" His father stopped Lord Norwood from taking another step by placing his hand on the other man's chest.

"What is going on?" his mother asked no one in particular.

James ran a frustrated hand down his face as he considered Robert. "This is no longer funny, Robert."

"Do you see me laughing?" Robert bit out. "This is the very last thing on earth that I want, but I don't have a choice."

Elizabeth managed to pull her arm free. "And it's the very last thing you will get. We are not marrying today or any day," she said through clenched teeth.

"You will be my wife in less than ten minutes," he said coldly. "I guarantee it."

She looked towards her father for help. "Father, please do something!"

Lord Norwood shook his head, giving Robert a pitying look. "I'm sorry, son. She doesn't want you. You need to set your sights on someone who does. I will not force her hand in this."

Robert shook his head, unconcerned. "The choice is no longer yours, my Lord. In the eyes of the law she is already mine and she will marry me today."

Every pair of eyes widened at that declaration. Eerie silence once again filled the small ballroom. It was his father who finally broke the silence. "What did you do?"

Before he could answer, James was in his face, shoving him backwards. "You stupid, selfish bastard!" He swung at Robert and would have made quite an impact if Robert hadn't ducked out of the way.

Robert made no move to strike his brother. "I'm sorry, James. But there's nothing I can do to change this. Believe me, I wish there was." He didn't miss Elizabeth's soft gasp or her hurt expression before he was forced to duck out of the way of James' fist once again.

After a few more swings, he was left with no choice but to end the confrontation. With one well-placed punch to the jaw, he sent his older brother stumbling back.

James rubbed his jaw as he glared at him. "I hate you," James said evenly before he turned around and walked away, pausing only long enough to send Elizabeth a look of regret.

His father stepped in front of him. "Please tell me that you didn't do what I think you did."

Robert shook his head slightly. "I can't." With that his mother and Lady Norwood broke into sobs. They sat down on the small sofa and held on to each other while Elizabeth looked around nervously and the men looked wary.

"Papa, please don't let him do this."

"It's not up to him any longer, Beth. In the eyes of the law you already belong to me," he said, gesturing to the surgeon he’d brought with him. "Unless you can prove you're not carrying my child we will marry at once."

Lord Norwood looked pleadingly at his daughter even as the color drained from his face. "Elizabeth?" The way he said her name said it all. He wanted her to deny everything.

Elizabeth didn't answer her father. Instead she stepped forward and held his gaze. "If you force my hand in this, Robert, you will be sorry," she said tightly.

He looked into her beautiful eyes and sighed. "I already am, Beth."

Chapter 21

"It's not so bad," Mary said softly as she poured warm water over Elizabeth's shoulders.

Elizabeth wiped her eyes with her palms. "Yes, it is. I'm married to a man who hates me. James now hates me. Mother and Lady Bradford have both taken to their beds and, according to the servants, haven't stopped sobbing since they found out word spread around the ton about my condition and the quick ceremony. Father will not speak to me," she mumbled pathetically.

"You have been rather busy, haven't you?" Mary asked with a kind smile.

She nodded numbly before she burst into fresh tears once again. "I'm so sorry. I don't know why I can't seem to stop crying," she said, mortified that she hadn't been able to stop crying since the forced ceremony.

"Shhh, it's perfectly natural. It's been a very stressful day given your condition."

Elizabeth simply nodded as Mary continued to run warm, lavender scented water over her hair. Today she was supposed to make last minute preparations for her trip. Instead she found herself married to her childhood enemy and there was nothing that she could do about it. The moment he’d found out about the baby, she belonged to him.

Despite everything she promised herself over the years, she was now another man's property. If that wasn't bad enough, the man she now belonged to hated her and she loved him more than anything. This situation was hopeless.

"Did you know?" Mary asked softly as she poured more water over Elizabeth's back.

"Know what?" she mumbled against her knees as she sniffled back another sob.

"That you were with child?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes tightly as she hugged her knees to her chest just as tightly. "Yes."

"Oh, Elizabeth," Mary said on a broken whisper. "Why didn't you come to me for help?"

"It was my problem," she muttered pathetically.

"Elizabeth, surely you knew that you couldn't hide this from everyone forever. What were you planning on doing once you began to show?"

"That's what I would like to know," Robert drawled, earning a startled gasp from Mary.

"You don't belong in here!" Mary said and Elizabeth didn't need to look up to know that her sister was already halfway across the room and shoving Robert out of the room. She'd never been happier with her sister's bossy ways than she was at that moment.

She didn't want to see Robert, not yet. Not when she was still so angry about what he’d pulled. He knew that she didn't want to marry and yet he forced her hand. She wasn't foolish enough to believe that she actually had a choice in the matter. As much as she detested the rules, she also knew that she couldn't fight them. She'd freely given herself to Robert and no matter the circumstances of that choice; she'd ruined herself and became damaged in the eyes of society.

Society's rules also decided that the baby in her womb was Robert's property and, as a result, so was she. The moment she realized that she was carrying his child she also knew that he now controlled her life, today only made it official. For the rest of her life she would have to answer to Robert and be dependent on him for everything. Everything she owned was now his and there was nothing that she could do to stop him from spending it however he wished.

He could spend every last pound on women and cards. She wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop him and she hated it. She hated having no say in her life, no choices, and she especially hated him for making her fall in love with him, because he certainly would never return those feelings. No, he'd go out of his way to make her life a living hell and there was absolutely nothing that she could do about it.

Of course she could make her situation tolerable by becoming a doting wife. She could become the perfect wife and keep her mouth shut and stay out of her husband's way and simply be thankful for his generosity, but that really wasn't her way. She hadn't been lying when she promised that he'd regret this, not only because she had absolutely no plans for becoming a simpering wife, but because she would make sure that he knew early on that it was best not to try and control her.

Her father had learned that he couldn't control her and now so would Robert.

"Leave us," Robert said in a hard tone.

Elizabeth softly snorted at that even as she sniffled. If he really thought that he could order Mary around he had another thing coming. Her sister loved her and would never abandon her. She would-

"Goodnight, Elizabeth," Mary said on a weary sigh seconds before she heard her bedroom door close with a deafening click.

Wonderful, she thought as she wiped away another tear, hoping that the dimly lit room was too dark for him to see her crying.

"How are you feeling?" Robert asked, his words were cordial enough, but his tone was cold as ice.

"You didn't need to check up on me, Robert. I'm fine. Goodnight," she said firmly, hoping he'd just leave and let her come to terms with everything.

Not only was she married to a man that didn’t love her, but he didn’t even like her. He’d certainly made his feelings clear on the matter when he’d humiliated her and forced her into a marriage that neither one of them wanted.

---

“You and I need to have a talk,” he said quietly, too afraid that if he spoke any louder that he would lose what little control he had and start yelling.

He still couldn’t believe what a bitch she’d turned into. She’d certainly fooled him into believing that she’d grown into a kind woman. Over the past month he’d seen her be kind to servants, children, and even beggars on the street. She treated everyone with a sweet smile and a kind disposition, but now he had to wonder how he ever fell for such a farce.

Only a heartless bitch would allow her child to be labeled a bastard when the father was more than willing to give it the protection of his name. He knew only too well how society looked down upon bastards, how they were treated like lepers. He’d attended school with several boys, who’d had the misfortune of having been born in that unfortunate set of circumstances.

It hadn’t mattered who the boys’ fathers had been, how intelligent they were, how funny they’d been or how good they’d been at sports, they were all treated like garbage. They were teased, taunted and constantly reminded that they didn’t belong. Their prospects in life were severely limited because of their status, guaranteeing them that they would never find a way into a life that should have been theirs.

They were outcasts, not good enough for the class that they should have been born into and too good for the class that they’d been trapped in. They’d have trouble getting work, being respected or simply marrying. They didn’t fit in anywhere and that knowledge would follow them to their graves. The fact that Elizabeth had been willing to place their child in that life infuriated him to the point that even looking at her sickened him.

Once the small ceremony had finished he’d simply walked away from her, too afraid of what he might do if he stayed. He’d never hit her. He’d never hit a woman before and had no plans on doing it now, but he had been very much afraid of saying something that he’d eventually regret. As much as he hated her right now, and by God did he hate her, she was still the mother of his child. For their child he planned on showing her respect, but that was simply it.

She was nothing more than the woman that he was now trapped with. She was his wife and he would see that she had a roof over her head, food in her stomach and clothing on her back, but that was all. They were leaving as soon as he was certain that the scandal that their hasty marriage had created died down enough that it wouldn’t affect their child if he or she ever decided to return to England.

He planned on taking her when he left the country. He’d keep her in the room furthest away from his so that he didn’t have to see her every morning. As long as she stayed out of his way and brought his child into this world, she could do whatever the hell she wanted after that. She could return to England after she had the child and he wouldn’t give a damn. Hell, at this point he didn’t even care if she raised their child. He’d happily hire a nanny if that’s what needed to be done.

At least now he knew the motivation behind her cruelty. He hadn’t when he’d walked out after the ceremony, but upon his return a somber Lord Norwood had been waiting for him in the library to explain Elizabeth’s inheritance and dowry. When Lord Norwood finished explaining everything and left him with a stack of papers to go through, his anger had intensified to a very dangerous degree.

Elizabeth had been more than willing to condemn their child as a bastard for a very large inheritance that awaited her on her next birthday. She would have been a very rich woman, and she probably thought that her money alone would have given their child all the protection that it needed, but it wouldn’t have. Society loved to look down on its inferiors and no amount of money would have been able to stop that for their child or for Elizabeth.

It had made him wonder if she even planned to keep the child. Did she already have plans to have a surgeon rid her body of the child or was she planning on abandoning the baby as soon as it was born? He’d forced those questions from his mind, too afraid that he’d end up killing someone in a fit of rage.

Never in his life had he been this furious. The only thing that had managed to calm him down and even put a smile on his face was the fact that Elizabeth would never see a single quid of that money. She would never enjoy the luxurious life that she desired, because she’d married him.

The fact that she had no idea yet that she’d lost everything brought him such joy. As her husband, everything that she had was now his and she probably assumed that she’d be able to manipulate him with her sweet smiles and passions in the bedroom to gain what she wanted.

She would be wrong.

Not only would he never fall for her sweet act again, but his wealth hadn’t changed since this morning. If she had married his brother or the Marquis in a proper wedding, then she would have indeed become a very rich woman by the end of the ceremony. Then again, if she had succeeded in leaving before anyone had discovered that she was with child, she would have been able to enjoy her newfound wealth. That is, until it was learned that she’d had a child out of wedlock. Then everything that she’d gained would have simply been taken from her.

The stipulations were very clear in her godmother’s will. Of course, he’d be willing to bet everything that he had that Elizabeth wasn’t aware of the conditions of the will, otherwise she would have never allowed him to touch her that night in the orangery.

Elizabeth’s godmother had certainly cared for her, that much was clear, but she’d also been a stickler for the proprieties of society and had expected her beautiful goddaughter to marry well. At the very least, she’d expected her goddaughter to remain chaste for the rest of her life.

The expectations had been very clear, in order for Elizabeth to gain control of her inheritance she needed to either marry well or remain a virgin. She hadn’t done either. His father might be an Earl, but Robert was only the second son, not very likely to gain the title since James would probably be married within the year with a babe on the way soon after that. That night in the orangery had sealed her fate. By allowing him to take her into his arms, she’d lost her inheritance.

He’d actually considered waiting until tomorrow and allowing her father to explain the situation, but where would the justice in that be? He deserved something for the hell that she’d put him through and he fully intended to collect his reward.

“Please just leave, Robert,” she said quietly as she hugged her knees to her chest.

“And abandon my beautiful wife on our wedding night?” he asked with mock indignation as he picked up a chair and brought it over so that he could sit right in front of the bathtub.

With a sigh of anticipation, he sat down in the chair, leaned back with his arms folded over his chest and his legs stretched out in front of him. Was it wrong that he was planning on enjoying her downfall? Probably, but he didn’t care. She’d brought this on herself and he was going to enjoy every last minute of it.

“Just……just leave,” she whispered, not bothering to look up at him, but that was fine with him as long as he had a front row seat to her downfall.

He’d never before been purposely cruel to a woman. It just went to prove that Elizabeth brought out the worst in him. At least he had a lifetime of revenge to look forward to, he decided as he thought over the best way to break the news to her.

“I had an interesting conversation with your father a little while ago,” he simply stated to get things started.

“I’m sure that you did,” she mumbled.

“Did you know that there is no dowry for you?” he asked conversationally as he watched her every move, waiting for the reaction that he craved.

“Yes,” she said quietly with a slight nod as she continued to stare down at her bathwater.

“You don’t find it curious that a man as wealthy as your father wouldn’t set aside money to see you married?” he asked, anticipation soaring through him as he continued to toy with her.

“No.”

He cocked his head to the side as he studied her. “And why is that?”

She gave a humorless laugh as she turned her head slightly away from him and as discreetly as possible, wiped at her face. So she was crying, was she? Already trying to manipulate him then. She’d learn very quickly that her tricks wouldn’t work on him.

“You already know why, Robert, so please just leave me alone.”

He pursed his lips up in thought as he considered her request. “No, I don’t think that I will.”

“Can you not gloat about the fact that you now control my inheritance tomorrow?” she asked, a bite of anger lacing her words. “Please just leave me be,” she whispered in defeat, her voice cracking with emotion as she once again wiped at her face.

“What inheritance?” he asked, savoring the moment of her downfall.

She shook her head in disgust. “You don’t need to play these games with me, Robert.”

“You’re absolutely right,” he said, nodding as he decided to end this game and get right to the conclusion. “This game has gone on long enough. So why don’t I explain how things are going to be from this point on?”

He didn’t give her a chance to answer, not that she made any attempts as she continued to sit there in what had to be a cold bath by now. It was best to explain the way things were going to be from now on and then leave her to her fate while he went to one of his clubs and enjoyed himself. Who knows, perhaps he’d follow in his father’s steps and set up a beautiful mistress to see to his needs. He certainly didn’t owe Elizabeth anything, especially his fidelity.

“You will be given a yearly sum to cover your clothing needs and that is all. I will personally see to it that our child is well taken care of. You may have a room of your own and you will see to your motherly duties. Other than that I don’t give a damn what you do as long as you stay out of my way.”

She nodded as though she’d expected as much from him and he wasn’t sure why that grated on his nerves. Did she really think so little of him? Did she believe that he was purposely cruel or did she accept the fact that she’d pushed him to it?

“I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you,” she said on a choked sob, obviously trying to get back in his good graces so that he’d give her part of her inheritance. It actually made him hate her more for the attempt.

“I’m sure that you are,” he said darkly as he glared at her.

“Don’t you have any questions about your inheritance?” he asked, wishing to end this so that he could leave.

After a slight pause, she shook her head. “I’d rather not.”

“That’s probably for the best,” he mused, watching her intently before he broke the news to her. “Since it’s gone.”

“Gone?” she asked, sounding confused as she finally looked at him.

He forced himself to ignore the evidence that she’d been crying as he continued. She would never manipulate him again and she’d be smart to learn that now.

“Of course it’s gone,” he said with a shrug. “You didn’t meet any of the conditions of the will after all.”

“Conditions?” she asked, looking adorably confused.

“There were several conditions. The first one of course was that you were expected to marry well,” he said with a shrug simply to annoy her. “Then of course was the condition placed on your birthday.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked, frowning.

“You were expected to remain chaste in order to receive your inheritance.” When she simply stared at him in confusion, he added, “Untouched.”

She paled at that as she noticeably swallowed.

He reached up and lazily scratched the back of his head as he gave her a careless shrug. “So, you see that whatever plans you had when you decided to keep my child from me wouldn’t have worked. Then again, if you had simply accepted my brother, you would have gained a title and a fortune.”

“But, I don’t love James,” she mumbled absently as she hugged her legs more tightly to her chest as if that would protect her from her new reality.

He ignored the bait that she was trying to hand him. Did she expect him to ask if she loved him? Did she truly believe he was that gullible? She’d learn in time, he supposed as he got to his feet, but he couldn’t leave until he struck the last blow.

“You should probably write your sister and congratulate her,” he said as he returned the chair to its place in front of the dimming fire.

“Why?” she mumbled, sounding sad and giving him what he wanted.

“Because you’ve just made her a very rich woman.”