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Chapter 11
Victoria couldn’t believe she had been caught. This was not meant to happen. And why did it have to be Blackmore, of all people? She really had the worst luck.
She sat sulking as the carriage took her home, fixing her anger on the man across from her. Blackmore ignored her, looking out of the window with one hand on her bag. She wouldn’t be able to go anywhere without that; it had what she needed without resorting to begging. Even if Victoria tried to grab at it and get out of the carriage while it was still moving, Rafe Mowbray would get her.
She should have lied to him about what she was doing. She should have said she did have a plan and that things were under control. But Blackmore was a shrewd man. He seemed to know when she was lying. There was no hope of trying to get around him.
Victoria wanted to curl into a ball and scream about the unfairness of it all. Why couldn’t she go and do what she wanted? Why was she supposed to stay and marry someone she despised? If anything had happened, Victoria could have taken care of herself. She had a knife at the bottom of her bag, just in case. She would have managed.
But a small part of her, deep down, knew that Blackmore was right. She could have been seriously hurt or worse. Much as she didn’t want to admit it, she wasn’t prepared for this at all. It had just been on impulse after hearing that she had to marry Blackmore.
If he hadn’t come along when he did, in a part of the countryside where he shouldn’t be, then this wouldn’t have happened. She might have gotten to the public house and found a bed for the night, even if it was in the stables. The landlord would look after her, surely? Didn’t all men look after women?
From Blackmore’s reaction, evidently not. Victoria didn’t want to admit it, but she had been very stupid. She needed to think this through properly. Next time she ran away, she would have a better plan. Maybe she should write to her friend Janet, who lived just outside of York. Perhaps she could find a way to visit, and then Janet could help her disappear. Her friend was very keen on adventures. She would be able to help.
But how was she going to do that now? If Blackmore said something to her parents, they would be watching her like a hawk. And Victoria doubted that her parents would let her go and visit a friend so close to her wedding day. That would mean waiting until afterwards, which meant she would end up as a married woman. Just what she was trying to run away from.
She felt trapped. The walls in her mind were closing in, and Victoria knew she couldn’t get out.
The carriage jerked to a stop after a while, and Blackmore picked up her bag, holding it firmly in one hand as he reached for her.
“Come on.”
“No!” Victoria slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me!”
“Do you want to say it any louder? We might not quite be on your property yet, but I’m sure you’ll wake people up in the main house.”
Victoria snarled. Then she went to the door and flung it open, jumping out. She started to walk away, only for Blackmore to grab her arm and haul her back.
“Don’t think you’re getting away from me just yet, Victoria,” he whispered near her ear.
“Don’t ever call me that!” Victoria hissed. She turned to face him. “I don’t want you to call me that.”
“What do you expect me to call you? You are going to be my future wife, after all.” Blackmore sounded curious. “Do you want me to just call you ‘wife’?”
“Never!”
“Then make up your mind. I can’t address you unless you have a name.”
Victoria straightened up.
“Miss Hayward will be perfectly fine.”
“And once we’re married?”
“Miss Hayward. I will never take your title.”
His mouth twitched. Was he actually amused by her? Victoria didn’t want him to be amused at all. She would have preferred for him to leave her alone.
“Come on.” Blackmore led her away from the carriage. “I’ll get you back into the house. But if you make a noise or fight me, people are going to know what you’re up to. You don’t want your father to know that you tried to run away. If anyone sees me, they’re going to think the worst.”
“As if I would have anything to do with you!”
“I know that, but nobody else will. And, as you very well know, gossip and rumours are far more interesting than the truth. You won’t be able to fight the scandal after that.”
“You mean like you?” Victoria shot back. “You believe what people say about you is only gossip and rumours?”
“They can think what they like if they know more than me.”
