Silence of Scandal by Jackie Williams

the woman inside the carriage didn’t fall gratefully into his arms but began to sob louder. The noise was not the dainty whimpers that he had heard from his mother as she had cried on leaving Ormond, but great gulping sobs of heart wrenching despair. His gut froze in his body. The woman was distraught.
    Grady viewed the group in confusion while Carter and Giles had descended from their carriage with looks of concern.
    “What on earth have you done to the woman?” Giles asked as the ghastly noise from inside the carriage grew even louder.
    Alexander glared at his friend and then turned to Carter who shuffled nervously from foot to foot.
    “God damn it man! Whose idea of a joke is this? This woman is not for me. There has been some mistake and I am married to someone forced into this situation. I’m the one with no choice, not her.” He lifted his chin. “I give up my rights to the title and lands, Hardacre can have them. Give this woman her freedom back instantly, do you hear?”
    Carter stood his ground.
    “I’m afraid it isn’t that simple, Your Grace. I don’t know what you are complaining of anyway. I can assure you that she comes willingly to this marriage.”
    Alexander was momentarily taken aback.
    “But why? I had nothing. Hardacre held all my brother’s notes; he could have had Ormond anyway. Why force this woman, his daughter, into marrying me. It makes no sense,” he gasped out.
    The sobbing behind him became slightly less pronounced.
    Carter shrugged.
    “I was there when she signed the papers. There was no coercion.”
    Giles had moved over to the carriage. He pulled out the steps and held out his hand while rolling his eyes as he expected a wizened old crone to appear. He actually staggered back as he saw his friend’s new wife for the first time.
    “Good Lord! Was there a more beautiful creature ever born on this earth? What the devil is this goddess doing marrying the likes of you?” His incredulous tones reaffirmed Alexander’s first impression. This woman had to have been forced to marry him.
    Carter cleared his throat.
    “I think we should go inside. Your wife appears to be in need of a rest from the exertions of the day. There is still the ball to come. Your guests will be arriving within the hour.”
    Alexander immediately turned to the young woman still sitting tearfully in the carriage. Her eyes were wide with fear as she stared at him. He brushed Giles aside and held out his hand.
    “Come, my dear, this will be resolved instantly. Come and take a glass of sherry while we fathom a way to set you free. I’ll have Grady turn away our guests at the door.”
    She stared up into his face for a long moment more before she placed a trembling hand in his and took a hesitant step forwards. Her foot caught the hem of her dress and she went tumbling into Alexander’s outstretched arms. He gathered her against him refusing to let her fall to the ground and his blood immediately began to race around his body only to pool in the one place he would have preferred that it hadn’t. Fortunately the fabric of her silken dress covered his embarrassment as he turned with her still in his arms and strode uncomfortably towards Ormond.
     
    Elizabeth Carlton Hardacre cursed her own feeble heart as it lay thumping erratically in her chest. From the second she stepped inside the church she could think of nothing but her escape.
    She knew her father to be a harsh man but how could her father have done this to her? Threatening her with destitution and a life on the streets if she didn’t agree. She shuddered at the thought but still she had hesitated, weighing up her options. She took one last look at the door wondering if there would a last chance for freedom but in her heart she knew it was hopeless. She had no other choice but to go through with it. The door clicked firmly closed behind her and she took a wary step forwards.
    The dark haired man at the altar stared curiously at her and she was more than