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“It is not amusing in the slightest. It is terrible. We both know that.”
Darkmoor fell into silence, and Margaret was grateful for this. Her thoughts turned towards John. Most certainly, he knew by now. Jane said that she was going to the inn. What was he thinking? What was he feeling?
She longed for his presence more than ever and dreamt about him the night before. Her love for him would not waver, no matter what Darkmoor did with her. There was only room in Margaret’s heart for one man, and that man now felt as though he were a million miles away.
“I can make you happy,” Darkmoor went on.
Margaret’s reply was faint. “I do not think that you can.”
“And yet, you have not given me a chance.”
“Naturally, I am giving you a chance. I have no other choice.”
To Margaret’s ear, her voice had never sounded so ragged. It felt like everything inside of her was breaking. Surely, she would pick up the pieces one day. But for now, her life was ruined, and her body ached.
“What did my father not come?” Margaret asked softly.
“Because I told him it was unnecessary.” Darkmoor placed both his hands atop his cane.
“Why did you do that?”
“You are my property now, Margaret.”
She could not help but laugh aloud. “Moments ago, you said that you could make me happy, and now you refer to me as your property.”
Darkmoor shrugged. “So be it. That is the way that marriage works. You are my property, but that does not mean that I cannot make you happy.”
Margaret froze. A horrible panic washed over her as she realized that this was finally happening. She was being ripped from her freedom, and it would not return to her. But there was still a chance that she could flee! There was still a chance that John would come to her, and they would go to France, just as they had said.
Tears threatened the surface as Margaret thought that perhaps, upon hearing that she agreed to marry Darkmoor, John might have given up on her. Oh, she wished to explain it to him herself, but there was no time! She would have told John how utterly frightened she was… how there was no other option in light of her father’s threats.
Her father had to have been telling the truth. It had to have been that she saved his life by fulfilling her duty. Margaret would not be able to live with herself if it were any other way. She looked out the window once more, gazing at the surrounding hillside. How Margaret wished that she could jump out of that window and start running. But if she were to do so, there was still a chance that her father could be killed.
The memory returned of just how distraught her father had appeared that morning. She had never seen him so low. Indeed, there were times when he was horribly drunk the evening before, and upon seeing him the next morning, her father looked atrocious. But there was something different about that morning. It was as though the viscount was genuinely sad. In fact, she had not seen that expression upon his face since her mother passed.
“You shall bear me several children,” Darkmoor said.
Margaret glared at him. “Only… only if they are well provided for.”
“What I do not think that you understand, Margaret is that I have a great deal of funds. You will be taken care of the rest of your days, as well as my children.”
His children? Oh, it was too atrocious for words. No, they would be Margaret’s children, and despite her hatred towards their father, she would take care of them with all the care and duty that her mother had shown her.
“I do not care about your money,” Margaret went on.
“You should care about my money, for my money saved your father. I would call that important wealth, indeed.”
No more needed to be said. Margaret might very well take a vow of silence for the rest of her days. She despised the man seated across from her, and that wouldn’t ever change. Margaret was sure of it.
Just then, Darkmoor asked, “Margaret, do you not feel a small measure of relief… leaving your father?”
It was the most sensitive she had ever seen him. Yes, maybe there was a slight chance that he somewhat understood her plight. “I… I fear for him.”
“He is a very troubled man, as I am sure you know. And if I may be so bold, Margaret, he was not unaware of this. Your father expressed that this might be a relief for you.”
“He did?” Margaret asked in shock.
“Indeed.” Darkmoor nodded. “Perhaps now… you are both free.”
