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“How?”
“Lord Mowbray is a nice young gentleman, and he is very good-looking.” Abigail blushed and looked away, busying herself with looking through Victoria’s dresses. “So I’m told, anyway. It might not be that bad.”
Victoria frowned.
“I know what Sebastien looks like, Abigail. And it doesn’t matter if he’s a nice person. It’s the family he comes from. I’m not going to get married into that family, no matter what they want.”
She wouldn’t be able to do it without feeling revulsion. Sebastien might not have pulled the trigger, but he had stood by his brother. He made it clear where his loyalties were, and it filled Victoria with rage. He had been there, and Richard had been his friend. Why had he decided to stand with the wrong man? Because he was Rafe’s brother?
His loyalties were in the wrong place. Victoria couldn’t, in all good faith, look at him and see a husband. She would just see the enemy.
“I just don’t understand.” Victoria crossed her legs as she settled on the mattress, picking at the hem of her nightgown. “Why would Lord Blackmore even want to match his son with me? The scandal of Richard’s death isn’t going to go away.”
“Lady Blackmore did pass away not too long ago.”
“I know that, but that shouldn’t be a catalyst for such madness.”
Abigail frowned.
“Maybe it was. Maybe Lord Blackmore just wants to settle things between your families so Rafe Mowbray can come home.”
Victoria snorted.
“It’s not going to happen. I will not have anything to do with that family, no matter what anyone says.”
“From what I’ve been hearing, you might not have a choice.”
“How so?”
Abigail picked out a dress and brought it over to the bed.
“This should be good for you this morning. I’ll find your undergarments.”
“Abigail, so dodge me. What do you mean by that comment?”
Abigail sighed, brushing her hair behind her ear.
“I overheard Harrison, the butler, talking to Mrs Paulson. This marriage is going ahead whether you consent to it or not. The parents have agreed, and the wedding date has been set for the thirtieth of July.”
Victoria’s mouth fell open.
“So even if I object, I’m going to be married into that family?”
“I’m afraid so.”
This was like she was being sold off. Victoria couldn’t believe she was hearing. She knew her parents were concerned that she had had no offers of courtship at all, and that they wanted to be sure that she was looked after should anything happen to them, but like this? Was this really the only way?
Victoria wanted to cry again. As a little girl, she had longed to find love and have a marriage where her husband adored her as much as she adored him. That was what she wanted for herself. That had come crashing down once Richard was murdered. Nobody seemed to be interested in associating with her romantically when she was venturing out to see people. It was like they thought they would be next, almost like the family had a curse on them.
There had to be another way. Victoria wasn’t about to marry into a family because her parents were desperate for her to have a husband. Her mother might have said this was the only way to move forward, but how was using her as a pawn moving forward? It didn’t make sense, and Victoria hated it.
This was not going to happen. Her parents were insane, the Earl was insane, and everyone who thought it was a good idea was quite mad. No matter what people did to move things along without her consent, she would not go along willingly.
And, most of all, she would never forgive Rafe Mowbray for what he had done.
***
Rafe’s head was hurting. Things seemed to be out of focus. Every step he took, it threatened to tip him off-balance. He tried to reach for something, anything, to hold onto, but there was nothing. It just kept tilting further and further away. None of the trees looked right.
