In a calm voice, Winston responded, “Yes, but we still need to speak to Delphine. This decision lies with her and her alone.”
Bennett narrowed his eyes at his brother. “Whose side are you on?”
“Yours, always,” Winston replied. “I’m just trying to be pragmatic about this.”
“How are we going to speak to her without Mr. Simpkin knowing?” Bennett asked.
Elodie smiled. “Leave that to me,” she said as she walked towards the door. “Meet me in the kitchen in thirty minutes.”
“What do you intend to do?” Bennett pressed.
“Just trust me,” Elodie remarked before opening the door.
After his sister departed, Bennett sank back onto the bed, feeling the weight of the situation press down on his shoulders. It was hard to comprehend that this was actually happening. Poor Delphie. He had to remind himself that this wasn’t about him. It was about her.
Winston stepped closer to him. “Do you think Mr. Simpkin forced Delphine into a marriage?”
“Meaning?”
“It isn’t uncommon for men to abduct heiresses and force them to elope to Gretna Green,” Winston responded.
Bennett clenched his jaw so tightly that he felt a muscle pulsating at the base of his ear. “It is entirely possible,” he stated. “If I had my way, I would have already had him removed from our home.”
Winston sat next to him on the bed. “I know you care for Delphine, but she is a married woman… for now. You will need to use some restraint when you are around her.”
“Do not remind me,” he muttered.
“You must take your heart out of this and apply logic to the situation,” Winston advised.
Bennett glanced at his brother. “My heart isn’t involved,” he lied. “I am just merely concerned about Delphine.”
Winston smirked. “My apologies, but your actions suggest otherwise.”
“I just want what is best for Delphine,” Bennett admitted. Which was the truth. He only wanted her to be happy. She deserved that much.
“We both do,” Winston said.
Bennett sighed. Winston was right. He loved Delphine. And he would fight for her, even if it looked impossible for them to be together.
Delphine felt the tears form in her eyes as she rushed to her bedchamber on the second level. She didn’t want anyone to see her cry. If they did, they would feel pity for her. And she didn’t want anyone’s pity.
Nothing seemed to make sense. Why had she married Mr.Simpkin? He said it was her father’s wish, but that meant nothing to her. Her father had no control over her now that he was dead.
If Mr. Simpkin hadn’t had the marriage license in his hand, she wouldn’t have believed it. It just seemed so far-fetched that she married a man that she hardly knew. A man who was so far below her station.
Delphine arrived at her bedchamber and opened the door. She started pacing in the room, not knowing what she could do to help herself. She was a married woman and every freedom she had enjoyed was now gone.
She belonged to Mr. Simpkin.
No.
She could not accept this. There had to be a way out of this precarious situation that she found herself in.
A soft knock came at the door before it opened, revealing Charlotte.
With a concerned look on her face, Charlotte asked, “May I come in?”
Delphine stopped pacing. “Yes, please do.” She was most grateful that her friend was here since she needed her now more than ever.
