shook his head. “I will let my men stay here tonight, first thing in the morning I will take you to your new husband. He is waiting for you.”
“ Husband? You make it sound as if he has already been wedded to me and is not just my betrothed?” Van could feel the rage radiating from her and her fingers whitened as she gripped the smooth wooden arms of the chair in which she sat. The rage swirled around her and threatened to overpower her. She was losing control. It worried and excited her all at once. She wanted to let her temper loose and release some of the pent up energy that had been plaguing her for days.
She ground her teeth together painfully. The knowledge of what was at stake was all that held her together. She had given her word to her mother and honor would allow nothing less than fulfilling her promise.
Matthew looked at her, but appeared uncertain of how to answer. A deep sense of foreboding settled across her. She clenched her fists tightly and reminded herself of all that was at stake.
Her honor was all she had left to her. Her word had been given, and not just to her mother. If she broke her word to her mother, it would only affect her, but if she broke her word to the women and children she was responsible for, it would devastate their lives. These women had no one to turn to and were dependent on her care.
She glanced around at Amy and sighed. Amy was one more person who was now depending on her. She looked back at her father and cleared her throat. The anger was pushed down, but for how long she was unsure. “Well?” She was sure of one thing. She did not want to hear his answer.
Matthew looked at her and shook his head. “He has, by proxy. I sanctioned the marriage and it is legal. It will be satisfied as soon as it is consummated.”
Her reasons for staying calm faded from her mind like wisps of morning mist under the heat of her anger. She clenched her hands tightly into fists and tried to rise. She felt Amy grasp her shoulder.
Amy tightened her fingers desperately into her flesh. Van dropped back down into the uncomfortable chair, but could not stop the violent shaking that racked her body.
“ Milady, calm down. You knew he had picked a husband for you.” Amy sounded panicked.
“ Aye, I fully understand that, but I was under the mistaken impression I would have an ounce of say in the man I was to marry. What if I don’t like him, what if he is mean and cruel? Then what do I do?” She nearly leapt from the chair and began to pace furiously across the small room. She had never felt so out of control in her life. She, the master of all situations, had just been thrust into a situation she had no control over at all.
“ I am sure he has good qualities or else Earl Thereamong would not have chosen him.” Amy said softly stepping in front of Van to cease her stalking across the floor. Van knew the girl was trying to calm her, but it wasn’t working. Anger still swirled dangerously.
Van turned to the man she had been raised to fear and, feigning a calm she didn’t feel, demanded, “Fine. Why did you choose this man?”
“ His estates are adjacent to mine. I can see you and the grandchildren whenever I please,” he said in a calm, rational way that made Van want to scream. “He is a good man.”
Van knew there was no use in fighting it, not now. If she didn’t like the man that her father had chosen, she would get the marriage annulled. Her father may want her near him, but that did not mean that she had to stay married to the man he had shackled her to. If she didn’t consummate the marriage, she would be free. If there was too much of a fight, she would just disappear. Even though she was getting too old to be the Dark Knight she would never be found if she didn’t want to be.
Even with that knowledge, she hated the fact that something had been arranged that involved her and she wasn’t in charge of it.
The rage she had been feeling for the last week was on the verge of
“ Husband? You make it sound as if he has already been wedded to me and is not just my betrothed?” Van could feel the rage radiating from her and her fingers whitened as she gripped the smooth wooden arms of the chair in which she sat. The rage swirled around her and threatened to overpower her. She was losing control. It worried and excited her all at once. She wanted to let her temper loose and release some of the pent up energy that had been plaguing her for days.
She ground her teeth together painfully. The knowledge of what was at stake was all that held her together. She had given her word to her mother and honor would allow nothing less than fulfilling her promise.
Matthew looked at her, but appeared uncertain of how to answer. A deep sense of foreboding settled across her. She clenched her fists tightly and reminded herself of all that was at stake.
Her honor was all she had left to her. Her word had been given, and not just to her mother. If she broke her word to her mother, it would only affect her, but if she broke her word to the women and children she was responsible for, it would devastate their lives. These women had no one to turn to and were dependent on her care.
She glanced around at Amy and sighed. Amy was one more person who was now depending on her. She looked back at her father and cleared her throat. The anger was pushed down, but for how long she was unsure. “Well?” She was sure of one thing. She did not want to hear his answer.
Matthew looked at her and shook his head. “He has, by proxy. I sanctioned the marriage and it is legal. It will be satisfied as soon as it is consummated.”
Her reasons for staying calm faded from her mind like wisps of morning mist under the heat of her anger. She clenched her hands tightly into fists and tried to rise. She felt Amy grasp her shoulder.
Amy tightened her fingers desperately into her flesh. Van dropped back down into the uncomfortable chair, but could not stop the violent shaking that racked her body.
“ Milady, calm down. You knew he had picked a husband for you.” Amy sounded panicked.
“ Aye, I fully understand that, but I was under the mistaken impression I would have an ounce of say in the man I was to marry. What if I don’t like him, what if he is mean and cruel? Then what do I do?” She nearly leapt from the chair and began to pace furiously across the small room. She had never felt so out of control in her life. She, the master of all situations, had just been thrust into a situation she had no control over at all.
“ I am sure he has good qualities or else Earl Thereamong would not have chosen him.” Amy said softly stepping in front of Van to cease her stalking across the floor. Van knew the girl was trying to calm her, but it wasn’t working. Anger still swirled dangerously.
Van turned to the man she had been raised to fear and, feigning a calm she didn’t feel, demanded, “Fine. Why did you choose this man?”
“ His estates are adjacent to mine. I can see you and the grandchildren whenever I please,” he said in a calm, rational way that made Van want to scream. “He is a good man.”
Van knew there was no use in fighting it, not now. If she didn’t like the man that her father had chosen, she would get the marriage annulled. Her father may want her near him, but that did not mean that she had to stay married to the man he had shackled her to. If she didn’t consummate the marriage, she would be free. If there was too much of a fight, she would just disappear. Even though she was getting too old to be the Dark Knight she would never be found if she didn’t want to be.
Even with that knowledge, she hated the fact that something had been arranged that involved her and she wasn’t in charge of it.
The rage she had been feeling for the last week was on the verge of
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