Delphine stared at her friend in disbelief. “What are you doing here?”
Mr. Simpkin spoke up. “I’m afraid that is my doing,” he replied. “When we received Lady Dallington’s letter about your condition, I felt you might need a friend.”
Charlotte dropped her arms and took a step back. “You are looking well. Far better than what I expected.”
Knowing that introductions were in order, Delphine turned towards Bennett. “Lord Dunsby, allow me to introduce you to my friend, Miss Eden, and Mr. Simpkin, a neighboring landowner near my country estate in Skidbrooke.”
Bennett bowed. “A pleasure.”
Mr. Simpkin approached her, albeit cautiously. “Lady Dallington’s letter was rather vague about your condition, but she shared that some of your memories have returned.”
“They have,” Delphine replied. “But I can’t seem to recall how I ended up in the woodlands in the first place.”
Mr. Simpkin exchanged a concerned look with Charlotte before bringing his gaze back to Delphine. “Do you by chance recall us eloping to Gretna Green?”
Delphine’s mouth dropped open in astonishment as she found herself utterly stunned. “Heavens no! Why would I have ever done such a thing?”
“Because you didn’t want to make a big ado out of it,” Mr. Simpkin replied. “Once you learned of your father’s intentions, you thought it was best if we wed at once.”
“My father’s intentions?” Delphine inquired. “What on earth are you talking about?”
Mr. Simpkin gave her a look that was filled with sympathy. “Your father wished for us to wed once you reached your majority. Your solicitor explained all of this to you before we departed for Scotland.”
Delphine brought a hand to her head. “I don’t recall any of this. Why would my father wish for me to marry you? You are just a member of the gentry.”
“That may be true,” Mr. Simpkin responded, his voice tinged with pride, “but your father saw the potential in us combining our lands. Together, we are one of the largest landowners in all of England.”
“This doesn’t make sense,” she murmured. “If what you are saying is true, why did we elope to Gretna Green?”
“You were rather insistent in that regard since you did not want a large wedding,” Mr. Simpkin said gently. He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a piece of paper, unfolding it with care. “Perhaps if you saw the marriage license.”
She accepted the paper and hesitated for a long moment before she read it. It was as he had said. They were married in the eyes of the law.
And she was trapped.
This one paper confirmed that she now belonged to Mr. Simpkin.
Delphine felt her legs grow weak and she stumbled back. Bennett caught her and held her in his arms.
“Let me help you to the settee, my lady,” Bennett said.
She let him lead her to the settee, feeling all of the fight drain out of her. She was a married woman now. She had no rights. No freedoms.
Mr. Simpkin was not an unkind man. His lands neighbored hers and he had always been friendly to her. He had never made an attempt to court her, but he would often seek her out at social events.
Bennett gestured towards the marriage license in her hand. “May I?” he asked.
Without saying a word, she extended him the paper so he could review it. If anyone could find a way out of this mess for her, it was him.
In a terse voice, Bennett said, “Everything appears to be in order.”
“Quite right,” Mr. Simpkin responded as he stepped forward for the marriage license. “Now that we have established that, it is time for us to depart. For home.”
Home.
No. Her home was not with Mr. Simpkin.
Delphine started shaking her head. She refused to go with him. “I can’t go with you. I hardly know you.”
